Ahead of tomorrow evening’s first Origin game, we’ve been asking ourselves can Telstra Tracker player running data predict the winner?
As you may know from TV broadcasts and NRL Live app, player speed and distance stats are provided by the Telstra Tracker, so that we can bring more data and insights to fans to enhance their understanding of the game.
We wanted to share some with you in the hope you could draw some conclusions ahead of game 1, especially as both games feature the game’s elite runners.
Which team is faster?
When it comes to speed out wide on Wednesday night, the Blues will hold the edge in Townsville. Telstra Tracker data shows the NSW backline will boast a pace advantage in Origin I with an average top speed of 34km/h compared to Queensland’s 33.2km/h.
What about the players?
Blues winger Josh Addo-Carr will go into Wednesday’s clash as Origin’s quickest man after being recorded at 38.1km/h. His Maroons counterpart Xavier Coates is the only Queenslander to get near him numbers-wise having produced a sizzling 37.6km/h. Returning Blues centre Tom Trbojevic can lay claim to being the third-fastest player (35.9km/h) while Maroon Dane Gagai (35.7km/h) is the only other Origin star to have cracked 35km/h this year. NSW hooker Damien Cook (34.9km/h) and Maroons second-rower David Fifita (33.2) rank as the quickest forwards.
Speed is great, but who runs furthest?
NSW halfback Nathan Cleary has averaged the most overall distance per match (9.32km). The Panthers star is trailed by Queensland halves Cameron Munster (8.99km) and Daly Cherry-Evans (8.84km) and Tom Trbojevic (8.76km). Debutant Jarome Luai rounds out the top five, averaging 8.47km.
Ok, but who runs fastest, for longer?
Tom Trbojevic’s average of 705 high-speed metres (20km/h or more) per match this season is the most across both states. Xavier Coates (average of 609 high-speed metres) has also proven he can sustain his speed while Queensland pocket rocket AJ Brimson (489), Campbell Graham (467) and Josh Addo-Carr (466) make up the top five.
Appendix with selected stats
‘Best of Origin’ – Overall Player speeds achieved in Origin since Telstra Tracker commenced
| Position | Player | Max of Max Speed (km/h) |
| 2nd Row | Tyson Frizell | 34.05216 |
| 2nd Row | Jaydn Su’A | 31.5 |
| Centre | Tom Trbojevic | 35.54303055 |
| Centre | Will Chambers | 34.4504 |
| Five-eighth | James Maloney | 32.31320801 |
| Fullback | James Tedesco | 36.25171 |
| Halfback | Daly Cherry-Evans | 35.47886 |
| Hooker | Damien Cook | 31.7 |
| Interchange | Kalyn Ponga | 35.06281 |
| Lock | Josh McGuire | 30.50412 |
| Prop | Daniel Saifiti | 30.27602692 |
| Prop | David Klemmer | 30.42710609 |
| Winger | Josh Addo-Carr | 37 |
| Winger | Valentine Holmes | 35.2 |
| Position | Player | Max of Average Sprints (>20km/h) |
| 2nd Row | Gavin Cooper | 28 |
| 2nd Row | Kurt Capewell | 27 |
| Centre | Jack Wighton | 41 |
| Centre | Moses Mbye | 40 |
| Five-eighth | Luke Keary | 33 |
| Fullback | James Tedesco | 45 |
| Halfback | Mitchell Pearce | 32 |
| Hooker | Damien Cook | 21 |
| Interchange | Angus Crichton | 21 |
| Interchange | Dale Finucane | 17 |
| Lock | Jake Trbojevic | 41 |
| Prop | Reagan Campbell-Gillard | 13 |
| Prop | Dylan Napa | 13 |
| Winger | Corey Oates | 40 |
| Winger | Dane Gagai | 38 |
| Position | Player | Max Distance Covered (km) |
| 2nd Row | Angus Crichton | 8.1 |
| 2nd Row | Kurt Capewell | 8.0 |
| Centre | Clinton Gutherson | 8.7 |
| Centre | Jack Wighton | 8.4 |
| Five-eighth | Luke Keary | 9.3 |
| Fullback | Kalyn Ponga | 8.7 |
| Halfback | Nathan Cleary | 9.3 |
| Hooker | Damien Cook | 8.5 |
| Interchange | Ben Hunt | 6.4 |
| Interchange | Isaah Yeo | 5.7 |
| Lock | Jake Trbojevic | 8.0 |
| Prop | Daniel Saifiti | 5.8 |
| Prop | David Klemmer | 5.6 |
| Winger | Dane Gagai | 8.1 |
| Winger | Josh Addo-Carr | 8.0 |
