I don't often steal the microphone from The Thinker but as it has been a year of upsets, I thought I'd create one more and post something by myself.
Three most popular rounds of the 2014 season
Each week The Thinker sees different numbers of people dropping in here to find out what to expect from the weekend's footy. What makes one round more interesting than another? I have no idea, but something magical was clearly going on for these top three to account for more page views than any other:
Five most popular "guest tips" pages
2014 saw the quiet introduction of a semi-organised guest tipping table for a few selected regular commenters from previous seasons. We honestly had no idea how this would turn out, or even if the site would break under the extra strain. As it happened, I had to move the website mid-season from some cheap web hosting place in the US, to a slightly less cheap place in Sydney to keep things ticking along.
Here are, in order, the five most popular guest tipping ladder pages of the season:
Five most popular operating systems
If you've been worried sick over whether your fellow tipsters are Windows or Mac people, now you can relax.
The most commonly used computer and mobile device operating systems this year were:
| Rank | Operating system | Market share |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Windows computers | 44.9% |
| 2. | iOS (iPhones and iPads) | 34.8% |
| 3. | Android phones and tablets | 13.8% |
| 4. | Mac computers | 5.3% |
| 5. | Weird stuff with names like "Linux", "Windows Phone" and "Playstation 3" (seriously) | 1% |
The number of times a used the phrase "wrecking ball"
This year has seen 49 mentions of the phrase, from just 19 different comments. We haven't even had the grand final yet; those figures could rise.
Locations of people who visit the site
Despite being introduced to the public on a Brisbane-focused website, Briswegian visitors to the site are now undeniably in a commanding minority.
The top ten cities for visitors to the site in 2014 are as follows:
| Rank | City | Visits |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Brisbane | 37.7% |
| 2. | Sydney | 37.3% |
| 3. | Melbourne | 4.4% |
| 4. | Auckland | 3.3% |
| 5. | Gold Coast | 2.8% |
| 6. | Canberra | 2.6% |
| 7. | Perth | 1.7% |
| 8. | Adelaide | 1.0% |
| 9. | Newcastle | 0.9% |
| 10. | Sunshine Coast | 0.7% |
As for visits from outside Australia and New Zealand, the most common countries were:
- United Kingdom
- Papua New Guinea
- United States
- Indonesia
- France
Honourable mentions must also go to the 65 visits from Fiji, 26 from Vanuatu and 9 visits received from Norfolk Islanders. Norfolk, be proud. That's still more than we saw from the entire country of Bulgaria by a factor of 1.5.
Combined best and worst tipping rounds
As tipping seasons go, this one was a shocker for many of us. It's a good thing nobody had any money riding on the results. Right?
Looking at all participants combined in the official tipping, these rounds stood out.
Worst: 2014 Round Twenty with 26.39%
Best: 2014 Round Eleven with 86.67%
Comments
Submitted by mark ashford on
Hi TLH that's fascinating stuff. I know it's the www but who'd have thunk it?
Bit surprised about the low % from the Gold Coast. I live here and most people are RL tragics. Guess I'd better spread the word a bit wider.
Big "HELLO" to all those visiting the site.
Bunnies to win GF by a big margin. (you heard it here)
Submitted by The Thinker on
Nice work from the Little Helper there....interesting stuff (to me anyway).
Mark,
I think we cracked half a million page views this season, so 2.8% on the Gold Coast is still about 14,000.
Funnily enough, I think that's about the average crowd at Skilled Stadium this year.
My GF preview, Clive Churchill prediction etc should be published some time tomorrow....I hope.
Submitted by Lady Di-saster on
Hehehehehehehe - Many thanks for those factoids TLH!
The "Wrecking Ball" comment is particularly interesting as I believe a has been channelling Miley Cyrus all year - I won't tell you what sort of image that brings up but will rather show you ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKj2wHObbCs .
Now, if we could just get the stats on how often Christine threatened to leave the board and not comment .... and then proceeded to do just that, well I think Miley/a may have a close run thing!!
Cheers again one and all for an entertaining year.
Heads off to watch grass grow and paint dry until the next season.
Submitted by a on
Did you forgot to mention Guru use the wrecking ball pharse twice as well
Submitted by christine on
Lady Di saster thanks very much leave me out of your stats .
Submitted by christine on
Thinker what is your opion should issac luke be allowed to play the grand final or not ?
Submitted by christine on
would anyone else like to answer my ? should issac luke be allowed to play the grand final or not ?
Submitted by The Thinker on
They seem to have slightly different rules when it comes to the grand final.
If I was taking a punt, I'd say he'll be free to play after the hearing tonight.
Submitted by a on
I say he will as well
Submitted by christine on
issac luke has had his charge up held & can not play the grand final or the four nations , that sucks.
Submitted by newbie from perth on
Hi everyone,
Late again thanks to the “time difference/other side of the country” thing. First up would also like to thank TLH for his interesting stats on the season gone. Wasn’t surprised with how many times our friend “a” used his catchphrase “wrecking ball”. It’s one of those things that sets him apart from the rest of us. It just wouldn’t be the same if he didn’t say it. I reckon you should “ramp it up” a bit next year my man! Cheers.
Liked the youtube link Lady Di-saster. Only problem was the big guy should’ve done a longer video. Maybe Johnny Ray could locate something for us unless of course, you beat him to it.
As far as the “locations of people who visit the site” stats go TLH, one day (sooner rather than later) I hope you’ll be able to mention at least 26 visits per year from Thailand. Yeah, Newbie has a real bad hankering to live there. Unfortunately he’s too young to get the pension, otherwise he’d be there now. One day baby. One day!
I’ll jump in here before the Boss puts up his analysis for Sunday and go with Mark Ashford and declare the Bunnies a “moral” but more on that later.
Again, thanks TLH for the entertaining stats. How about some more “obscure” ones next year? Cheers.
P.S. Boss - no word yet on if it’s OK to put up Newbie’s Homemade Baileys recipe. Do I have the “Royal Seal of Approval” to make it so?
Cheers people...
Submitted by Guru Craig on
Awesome TLH big thumbs up from The Guru.
a's Wrecking ball is a stayer as is Johnny's 'Peow Peow'
2014 has been a tough year on the tip
Submitted by Steel Panther on
Thank you TLH for this interesting post. Great to see this site is really taking off with the punters and I must say I'm honoured to be part of the fun each week even if my tipping sucked this season. As the Guru said it's been a tough year for tipping. But how tough must Isaac Luke be doing it right now. I feel for the dude. For you "a" you may not win overall this weekend but at least you grabbed the number one spot from The King when it comes to the most viewed guest tips stat. Well done my friend. You have had a stellar season.
Does anyone remember Bali John? He used to be a regular commentator on the site. I'm sure you recall him Thinker.
Submitted by Thinker's Little Helper on
I have to admit it. That talk of homemade Baileys is making me thirsty.