Brendon Shields

I research schools and club sport to help coaches create better training sessions and smarter game plays based on science. I believe that data hides these coaching gems that are very rewarding if you are willing to mine deep enough! Yes it's nerdy, but it works!

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Analysis
Success grows from a streamlined grassroots system
I have had the fortune this season of being able to capture data on most schools, club...

Brendon Shields September 21, 2020
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Analysis
Rugbycology report -Super Rugby AU Round 6
To understand why the All Blacks are so dominant, and why for example the Wallabies have been...

Brendon Shields August 10, 2020
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Analysis
Rugbycology report -Super Rugby AU week three
As expected, the flow and quality of Super Rugby AU picked up remarkably in week 3 as...

Brendon Shields July 22, 2020
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Analysis
Rugbycology report -Super Rugby AU week two
Last week I introduced the idea of ‘efficiency’, where we assign a value to a team’s ability...

Brendon Shields July 15, 2020
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Analysis
A Rugbycology report -Super Rugby AU week one
It’s good to be back, and this time we are in a position to apply some proper...

Brendon Shields July 7, 2020
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Analysis
The Reds – Hype or Hope?
Up in Queensland there is something brewing. I am not sure if the fans just WANT to...

Brendon Shields March 25, 2020
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Analysis
Drinking Rum with the wrong mixer – an analytical view on Australia’s attack play at the World Cup
I have been tracking team’s attack performance during the World Cup to see how team’s approach this...

Brendon Shields October 8, 2019
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Analysis
A nerdy look at a massacre
Well let me say from the outset that Saturday’s result was not really a massacre. I will...

Brendon Shields August 20, 2019
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Analysis
This will have New Zealand worried
I do not want to be seen as a rock-spider now coming out to have a dig...

Brendon Shields August 13, 2019
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Wallabies
A night of records in Perth
61,241 people rocked up to watch a rugby union game in Perth. Only Ed Sheeran has seen...

Brendon Shields August 10, 2019
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Analysis
It all starts with ambition: A schools rugby analysis piece
I have a data-set of under 19 level rugby that this week counted its 700th game. This...

Brendon Shields August 4, 2019
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Analysis
Australia v Argentina – a critical analysis of our attack.
The following is a range of statistics that shed some light on the Wallaby performance last night....

Brendon Shields July 30, 2019
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Analysis
Rugby’s matrix-busters
It’s long been said that you select your tighthead prop first. The assumption was that you will...

Brendon Shields July 11, 2019
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Analysis
Educating our school rugby coaches
I have for a long time been perplexed at the vast difference between how schools run their...

Brendon Shields July 3, 2019