One area he was rapt to witness was Mansfield’s pressure acts and overall pressure.
The Eagles chalked up an impressive 164 overall pressure compared to Swans’ 123 and amassed a season-high 89 pressure acts.
The finals-bound outfit even won the tackle count (62-61).
How do you determine pressure and count it?
Well, the smart minds at Fox Footy have the ‘’pressure gauge’’, but we determine pressure acts as an act of applying pressure on your opponent by corralling, chasing, closing or applying it physically.
The Eagles’ mentor praised his side’s energy-sapping pressure in the wash-up of the match.
“It’s been a focus for us, we’ve been pretty inconsistent in that area,” Owens said.
“We want to consistently put pressure on the ball carrier and keep the ball in our forward half.”
Key Stats
Mansfield
Overall pressure: Fifth
Pressure acts: Second
Smothers: First
Tackles: Eighth
The numbers posted by Mansfield at the weekend overshadowed the club’s efforts in previous rounds.
From rounds 10-12, where the Eagles faced the top-three outfits in the comp, Owens’ charges averaged 104 overall pressure and a tick more than 60 pressure acts a game.
In the round 11 defeat to Echuca, Mansfield posted 35 pressure acts, followed by 52 in the loss to Seymour.
In round 13 against Tatura, a game they won by 33 points, the Eagles finished with 36 pressure acts and an overall pressure total of 118.
Mansfield amassed 74 pressure acts and 119 overall pressure in the 79-point thumping of Benalla in round 14.
Leading the way in the pressure acts department on Saturday against the Swans was debutant Dylan Lowry (six), key forward Cam Arnold (six), on-ball star Brett Mahoney (seven) and winger Sam Lynch (seven).
“Sammy’s last five weeks have been outstanding,” Owens said.
“He’s playing that wing role really well and that defensive running and pressure that he brings has been pleasing.
“Even Brett, Lachie (Murphy-Dale) and Tommy (Dunstan) were fantastic ... there was just a really good spread of contributors.”
