Stats don’t lie for the Robins
IT’S CLEAR THERE ARE TWO AREAS TO IMPROVE
As we approach the halfway stage of the season one of the more worrying statistics surrounding Hull KR’S season so far is the number of tries they have scored.
With 40 tries in 13 games, Rovers are averaging just over three per match, which leaves them ninth in the competition.
They are 18 behind leaders Wigan and only seven above Leeds Rhinos, who have scored the fewest tries with 33.
By comparison, Tony Smith’s side ended 2021 as the fourthhighest try scorers, racing in for 90 tries at an average of 4.5 per game. Clearly, something is amiss.
What makes those stats more concerning are the figures that further revolve around Rovers’ season.
They are second for the number of carries made across the season, and only St Helens have been forced to make fewer tackles than them, which suggests the Robins have had plenty of possession.
Even on the surface of it, the quality of their possession looks good too.
No side has made more dummy runs than Rovers, and they are second for the number of offloads made and fourth for tackle busts, which are classed as an attacker breaking out of a tackle without going through the defensive line.
Even clean breaks, which are self-explanatory, Rovers are seventh, so they aren’t particularly falling short.
It points to one thing; Rovers are not doing well enough when they are in good-ball positions.
Further, it suggests that when Rovers are near an opponent’s tryline, they are not doing a good enough job of breaking it to score.
We’ve seen this play out on a number of occasions, too.
The defeat to Leeds was a particularly alarming one in which Rovers created opportunities but made bad errors when close to Leeds’ line, eventually being nilled.
The other issue the Robins have is goal-kicking. They are bottom for conversions this season, producing just 25 for the season, less than two per game. This can partially be explained by KR’S reluctance to go for penalties, having only opted to take two points twice this season.
Still, Rovers’ conversion rate for the season is 59.5 per cent, the worst in the competition by a considerable distance.
The average conversion rate across Super League this year is 71.4 per cent.
In summary, the stats suggest that Rovers are not scoring points when they should be, and if they’re to get out of this rut, that’s what needs to be resolved.