Ladder

[Carlos Parra]

It's quite amazing really.

Easts have scored 440 points in 15 matches at an average of 29.33 points per game.

No other team has scored more than 400 points and there are still 6 teams that are yet to score more than 300 points this season.

[Carlos Parra]

The Chooks are now sitting comfortably in 4th position on 22 points.

They've scored 80 more points this year than their nearest rival, Melbourne (480 to their 400).

Their for and against (+195) is the best in the comp by 82 points. This will prove invaluable in the run to the finals where I have no doubt they will inexplicably drop a game or two (courtesy of the refs of course...or to injury). They now have the 3rd best defence in the comp. The numbers would be much better if Walker didn't have an off night with the boot and if they didn't let that try in at fulltime.

Easts are 1 win behind Penrith and Cronulla who play Brisbane and Gold Coast respectively next week. Easts play St George who have miraculously found their way into the top 8, but they are paying $4.30 to beat us whereas Easts are paying $1.22 for the win (similar odds to the Balmain match). If Penrith and Cronulla lose next week (unlikely) and Easts win (fingers crossed - but not Manu's!), they will slide into 2nd place.

Every other team in the top 8, except Easts and the Cowboys, have had 2 byes. If Easts lose to Saints, they'll stay 4th and remain there at least until after the Melbourne game in round 20.

Some notable stats:

• Captain Walker (130 points) is closing in on Isaako (141) to be top point scorer. Behind Meaney, no-one has kicked more goals than Captain Walker.
• Captain Walker is 4th for try assists, =4th with Tedesco for line break assists, but has still given away more penalties and set restarts than any other player.
• Young and Tupou are amongst the top 5 try scorers and they lead the stats for the most line breaks (ahead of JAC and Cobbo ).
• Other than Katoa. no-one engages the line more often than Luke Keary who is also 2nd for support play.
• Tedesco is 2nd (behind To'o) for tackle busts.
• Things are looking good, but I can't help feeling that injuries and suspensions will cruel us by season's end.