Here you go. Some raw stats and a few observations.
Bomber before rules changes (27 games):
(W-L-D Diff)
First half: 9-16-2 -62
Second half: 17-9-1 +94
Games lost after leading or being tied tied at half time: 4
Games won after trailing or being tied at half time: 6
Notes:
- Of the 4 games where they were run down, one was tied (Knights Rd1 2019), one was a 2 point margin (Storm Rd2 2020)
- The Sharks were probably one of the better second half teams in the comp during this period, but were notoriously poor starters
- Say what you like about the performances of certain individuals under Bomber, but it seems fairly apparent that his game plans tended to be on the mark. It may not be pretty, but they were grinding out wins.
Bomber after rule changes: (23 games):
First half: 14-8-1 +28
Second half: 12-9-2 +4
Games lost after leading or being tied tied at half time: 2
Games won after trailing or being tied at half time: 2
Notes:
- 5 of the 9 lost second halves were in one-sided blowouts where they were down by 12+ at half time
- The only two matches lost after leading were the two most prominent ones. (The Raiders semi and the Roosters game which got Bomber sacked).
Hannay (15 Games):
First half: 8-5-2 +30
Second half: 4-11-0 -113
Games lost/gp after leading or being tied tied at half time: 6
Games won after trailing or being tied at half time: 0
Notes:
- The team won the second half in each of Hannay's two games (Knights, Bulldogs) but the team has only won the second half twice in 13 games since (Rabbitohs, Titans)
- Over that 13 games:
* the team is -113 in second halves, and in 8 of those games they have either scored one try, or no tries.
* the team has scored 3 or more tries in the first half 6 times
* The team has only scored 3 tries in the second half twice. Both in losses (Bulldogs, Rabbitohs)
Ballplayers under Hannay
Comparing the halves combos for second halves only:
- Moylan-Townsend (3 games, 7 tries, +4)
- Johnson-Townsend (2 games, 3 tries, -16)
- Moylan-Johnson (4 games, 3 tries, -39)
- Trindall-Johnson (3 games, 2 tries, -30)
- Tracey-Trindall (3 games, 3 tries, -32)
...and that my friends, is a very very long way of saying that this is a bad team, and as much as people will hate to hear it, the biggest single factor in Sharks being a competent second half team appears to be having a healthy Matt Moylan.
