South West football team create rare record of results

Last week the Lions played in the first draw of the 2017 South West Football League season, tying with the Bunbury Bulldogs 5.13.43 to 6.7.43. 

The result was just the 35^th draw in a league game from 1071 matches. 

That equates to one drawn league match every 30 rounds. 

Surely the odds of a drawn game in the very next round would be quite small?

And the likelihood of back-to-back draws by the same side would have to be tiny right?

Needless to say there were a few stunned faces at Brunswick Oval on Saturday night as the scoreboard read HBL 9.8.62 to Eaton 8.14.62 at the final siren. 

At quarter time the Boomers led HBL 3.3.21 to 0.3.3 thanks to two goals from Jay Walton and by the main break the margin had stretched out to 24 points in Eaton’s favour – 6.4.40 to 2.4.16. 

The Lions pushed hard in the third to trim the margin to 7.12.54 to 5.5.35 before finishing the game locked together with Eaton. 

Despite still being undefeated after six rounds, the second draw drops HBL to second on the ladder with the Collie Eagles notching five wins and one loss from six clashes.

Once drawn reserves and colts games are added into the equation, HBL have now drawn more matches than any of the other nine South West Football League clubs, splitting the points with their opponents 21 times. 

Next Saturday, May 27, HBL will host Donnybrook Football Club at Brunswick Oval from 4.30pm. 

Any keen mathematicians who are able to calculate the odds of HBL playing out a hatrick of draws, should email andrew.elstermann@fairfaxmedia.com.au.