Career Performance Trajectories of Professional Australian Football Players.

Sullivan, C; Kempton, T; Ward, P; Coutts, AJ

Career Performance Trajectories of Professional Australian Football Players.

Sullivan, C Kempton, T

Ward, P Coutts, AJ

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Publisher:: HUMAN KINETICS PUBL INC
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: International journal of sports physiology and performance, 2020, 15, (10), pp. 1-6
Issue Date:: 2020-10

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Sullivan, C
dc.contributor.author	Kempton, T https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3581-0700
dc.contributor.author	Ward, P
dc.contributor.author	Coutts, AJ
dc.date.accessioned	2021-02-25T00:27:41Z
dc.date.available	2020-01-08
dc.date.available	2021-02-25T00:27:41Z
dc.date.issued	2020-10
dc.identifier.citation	International journal of sports physiology and performance, 2020, 15, (10), pp. 1-6
dc.identifier.issn	1555-0265
dc.identifier.issn	1555-0273
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/146432
dc.description.abstract	<h4>Purpose</h4>To develop position-specific career performance trajectories and determine the age of peak performance of professional Australian Football players.<h4>Methods</h4>Match performance data (Australian Football League [AFL] Player Rank) were collected for Australian Football players drafted via the AFL National Draft between 1999 and 2015 (N = 207). Players were subdivided into playing positions: forwards (n = 60; age 23 [3] y), defenders (n = 71; age 24 [4] y), midfielders (n = 58; age 24 [4] y), and ruckmen (n = 18; age 24 [3] y). Linear mixed models were fitted to the data to estimate individual career trajectories.<h4>Results</h4>Forwards, midfielders, and defenders experienced peak match performance earlier than ruckmen (24-25 vs 27 y). Midfielders demonstrated the greatest between-subjects variability (intercept 0.580, age 0.0286) in comparison with ruckmen, who demonstrated the least variability (intercept 0.112, age 0.005) in AFL Player Rank throughout their careers. Age had the greatest influence on the career trajectory of midfielders (β [SE] = 0.226 [0.025], T = 9.10, P < .01) and the least effect on ruckmen (β [SE] = 0.114 [0.049], T = 2.30, P = .02).<h4>Conclusions</h4>Professional Australian Football players peak in match performance between 24 and 27 years of age with age, having the greatest influence on the match performance of midfielders and the least on ruckmen.
dc.format	Print-Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	HUMAN KINETICS PUBL INC
dc.relation	Carlton Football Club
dc.relation.ispartof	International journal of sports physiology and performance
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1123/ijspp.2019-0799
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess
dc.subject	1106 Human Movement and Sports Sciences, 1116 Medical Physiology, 1701 Psychology
dc.subject.classification	Sport Sciences
dc.title	Career Performance Trajectories of Professional Australian Football Players.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	15
utslib.location.activity	United States
utslib.for	1106 Human Movement and Sports Sciences
utslib.for	1116 Medical Physiology
utslib.for	1701 Psychology
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CHSP - Health Services and Practice
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CHT - Health Technologies
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Provost
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Provost/Jumbunna
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access	*
dc.date.updated	2021-02-25T00:27:39Z
pubs.issue	10
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	15
utslib.citation.issue	10

Abstract:

Purpose

To develop position-specific career performance trajectories and determine the age of peak performance of professional Australian Football players.

Methods

Match performance data (Australian Football League [AFL] Player Rank) were collected for Australian Football players drafted via the AFL National Draft between 1999 and 2015 (N = 207). Players were subdivided into playing positions: forwards (n = 60; age 23 [3] y), defenders (n = 71; age 24 [4] y), midfielders (n = 58; age 24 [4] y), and ruckmen (n = 18; age 24 [3] y). Linear mixed models were fitted to the data to estimate individual career trajectories.

Results

Forwards, midfielders, and defenders experienced peak match performance earlier than ruckmen (24-25 vs 27 y). Midfielders demonstrated the greatest between-subjects variability (intercept 0.580, age 0.0286) in comparison with ruckmen, who demonstrated the least variability (intercept 0.112, age 0.005) in AFL Player Rank throughout their careers. Age had the greatest influence on the career trajectory of midfielders (β [SE] = 0.226 [0.025], T = 9.10, P < .01) and the least effect on ruckmen (β [SE] = 0.114 [0.049], T = 2.30, P = .02).

Conclusions

Professional Australian Football players peak in match performance between 24 and 27 years of age with age, having the greatest influence on the match performance of midfielders and the least on ruckmen.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/146432