if it couldnt be done then there would be no professional punters out there.



Depends on your approach. I disagree. All I need is data. From data I can determine if the correlations make sense with only a basic understanding of the sport. For example lets say I download NRL data. I see a correlation between number of drop outs and tries scored. Now I can make a conclusion that a team which has more drop outs awarded then their opponent probably has field position and possession. That means they were probably on top for more of the game.



They are everywhere if you have enough data. That data might just be recording all your bets and why you took them. If you did that you are likely to find a winning edge in a few weeks/months.