The Numbers Game: Week Two

It's week two, time for all the numbers you need.

Battle of the boots

Much like last week a big focus will land on the shoulders of Aidan Sezer, but this time he faces an opposite number that is used to life in the Super League, in Leeds' former Man of Steel, Luke Gale.

Luke Gale is on the back of two long term injuries which has seen his consistency stunted but the former Castleford man will be looking to re-ignite the form that propelled the Tigers to top of the table in 2017.

Gale made attacking kicks 146 times during that season, he assisted 20 tries and scored 13 himself. Throughout the season Gale was the cool customer of the league and slotted a one-pointer 7 times, including the match winning drop-goal against St. Helens in the Super League semi-final, AND kicked 10 40/20s (although some compensation must go to Castleford's shorter pitch).

On the flip side, Sezer kicked for almost 3,000 metres last season in the NRL, he was composed for drop-goals in front of the sticks on 4 occasions (3 of which came in an golden point win for the Raiders).

𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕥𝕣𝕪 𝕙𝕒𝕤 𝕘𝕠𝕠𝕕 𝕧𝕚𝕓𝕖𝕤 ✌ pic.twitter.com/1Lacm3mPSt
— Huddersfield Giants (@Giantsrl) February 4, 2020

He has also taken the duties of goal kicker after his impressive 80% conversion rate in the NRL and last season created some of the finest individual efforts in the competition, including a sublime golden point 40/20 against St. George Illawarra, which led to the winning score.

Sezer started his Super League career in style in arguably the toughest away game of the season, away to the Dragons. His performance underlining the quality of the player. He scored a try from a lovely inside grubber, he put in 3 attacking kicks, 2 of which led to tries, and kicked 6 of his 7 attempts from the kicking tee - and wasn't best pleased with his one missed attempt.

Veteran v Rookie

Each of the two West Yorkshire clubs has a winger that was called to Great Britain duties in the autumn, and both made headlines but for very different reasons. McGillvary was a ever-present in a dismal Great Britain tour, where as Ash Handley was called up after injury to Ryan Hall, but bizarrely was not even afforded an opportunity with Warrington half-back Blake Austin being picked ahead of him.

Each of these wingers will be looking for massive impacts in 2020 to impress new England RL head coach, Shaun Wane.

Jermaine started the year as he meant to go on scoring twice in an emphatic victory in the south of France. He made 3 clean breaks for the Giants and made over 100 metres in his opening game. Last year saw Jermaine cross the whitewash 17 times and provide assists on 5 occasions, as well as amassing over 3000 metres.

Handley didn't have a too dissimilar 2019, in fact a lot of his stats come the end of the season were very similar. Handley was involved in 22 tries, although all over his came with ball in hand. He also tallied over 3000 metres at a similar average gain of around 8m, and to put the cherry on top both McGillvary and Handley made 31 clean breaks throughout the season.

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