Early AFL trends holding, with scoring up and marks inside 50 the key

We are nearing the end of round three and some of this season’s big trends appear to be holding.

With one game to come in the round, teams are averaging 86.3 points a game so far in 2021.

If that number sticks to the end of the season, it would be the highest average since 2017 and no doubt the AFL would take that as a sign the man-on-the-mark rule change had worked.

In this new, faster game, there are plenty of teams getting on top of their opponents and winning in style.

There have been some close ones this Easter, but there have also been margins of 45 (twice), 75 and 128.

So what’s the early key? The closest thing to guarantee a win for a team in 2021 seems to be getting the right side of the ledger in marks inside 50.