Stat attack: The post-contact kings of 2018

There was plenty of focus on post-contact metres in 2018, but which clubs were the best at gaining metres after meeting the defence and how much of an advantage did it provide?

Premiers the Roosters sat top of the tree after the regular season in terms of PCM and made it count as they went on to claim the 2018 Telstra Premiership.

But according to NRL.com Stats, the top eight teams for earning PCM features just five sides that made the finals, with the 12th-placed Bulldogs second-best and grand final runners-up Melbourne down in 15th.

The Bulldogs were boosted by the league's best post-contact runner David Klemmer while Manly in fourth had Addin Fonua-Blake, Shaun Lane and fringe forwards Toff Sipley and Taniela Paseka all earning over 4.0 PCM per carry.

Melbourne in 15th are the outliers at the bottom of the PCM ladder with the rest of the lower spots filled by non-finals teams in Newcastle (16th), Gold Coast (14th), Wests Tigers (13th) and Parramatta (12th).

Interestingly the Roosters were at the wrong end of the ladder for PCM conceded, letting in 525 per game – level with the Tigers as the most in the NRL.

They were one of just two finals teams in the bottom eight for conceding PCM with the Knights, Eels, Warriors, Titans, Bulldogs and Raiders the other teams to concede above-average PCM per game.

There is a reasonable correlation with success at the other end with the Panthers, Storm, Sea Eagles, Dragons then Rabbitohs the best sides at limiting PCM when they defend, with all those sides bar Manly finishing in the top seven in 2018.