Acute effect of exercise on kicking accuracy in elite Australian football players
- Authors: Young, Warren , Gulli, Rachael , Rath, David , Russell, Andrew , O'Brien, Brendan , Harvey, Jack
- Date: 2010
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport Vol. 13, no. 1 (2010), p. 85-89
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- Description: Kicking accuracy (KA) is an important skill in Australian football but the potential influence of exercise on this skill has not been previously investigated. The purpose of this study was to determine if a 2× 2 min time trial running protocol influenced short KA in elite Australian football. Another aim was to identify if endurance, playing experience and position were related to any exercise-induced KA changes. Twenty-seven professional footballers performed a KA test by kicking at a bullseye on a target projected onto a screen. The mean error from the centre of the target was the KA score. The players were assessed on the KA test, and then performed a 2× 2 min time trial with a 3-min recovery between runs. The total distance covered was used as a measure of endurance fitness, and the test also served as an exercise bout designed to impose some physiological stress. Immediately following this test, the players walked into the laboratory and performed the KA test again. A paired t-test revealed that the whole group achieved a non-significant 2.7% improvement in KA. Players were divided into two distinct groups based on endurance (2× 2 min results), playing experience and position (midfielders and forwards/backs). Analysis of covariance showed that after the exercise bout, the fitter group had significantly better KA (p = 0.010) than the less fit group, and the more experienced players were 16% more accurate than the less experienced group (p = 0.055). The midfielders were 8.2% better than the forwards/backs in KA (p = 0.32). It was suggested that greater endurance and playing experience may facilitate KA under moderate physiological stress. © 2008 Sports Medicine Australia.
- Description: 2003008125
Comparison of offensive agility techniques in Australian Rules football
- Authors: Bradshaw, Ryan , Young, Warren , Russell, Andrew , Burge, Peter
- Date: 2011
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport Vol. 14, no. 1 (2011), p. 65-69
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- Description: Agility skill is important in Australian Rules football (ARF) as it enables an attacking player to successfully evade an opponent. To date, no research has examined offensive agility techniques in ARF. There were two purposes of this study: first, to compare the change of direction (COD) speed of three offensive agility techniques, and second, compare the reaction speed and accuracy when observing the same techniques from a defensive perspective. The techniques included the side-step, shuffle, and split-step. Seventeen players from an Australian Football League club were required to perform four trials of each technique. COD speed was expressed as a total time, and divided into entry, foot plant preparation, and exit time. In addition, nineteen players from the same club were assessed on a video-based reaction test. Players were required to respond by depressing a thumb switch to indicate whether the player on screen changed direction to the left or right. From an offensive perspective, the split-step foot plant preparation time (0.66. s) was significantly slower than both the side-step (0.7 s) and shuffle (0.75 s) (p< 0.05), but there were no significant differences in entry and exit times between techniques. From a defensive perspective, the players were significantly slower and less accurate when reacting to the player in the video performing the split-step (0.19. s) and shuffle (0.15. s) compared to the side-step (0.12 s) (p< 0.05). In a one-on-one situation in ARF, the split-step may be the most effective offensive technique. Not only was it slower and less accurate to react to, the exit speed following the change in direction was not significantly slower than the side-step. However, a performer would need to consider the cost of a slower foot plant preparation time versus the potential to deceive an opponent when under time stress. © 2010 Sports Medicine Australia.
The use of sprint tests for assessment of speed qualities of elite Australian rules footballers
- Authors: Young, Warren , Russell, Andrew , Burge, Peter , Clarke, Alex , Cormack, Stuart , Stewart, Glenn
- Date: 2008
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance Vol. 3, no. 2 (2008), p. 199-206
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- Description: Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationships between split times within sprint tests over 30 m and 40 m in elite Australian Rules footballers. Methods: Data were analyzed from two Australian Football League (AFL) clubs. The first club (n = 35) conducted a 40-m sprint test and recorded split times at 10 m and 20 m. The second club (n = 30) conducted a 30-m sprint test and recorded splits at 10 m and 20 m. Analyses included calculation of Pearson correlations and common variances between all the split times as well as "flying" times (20-40 m for the first club and 20 to 30 m for the second club). Results: There was a high correlation (r = 0.94) between 10-m time and 20-m time within each club, indicating these measures assessed very similar speed qualities. The correlations between 10-m time and times to 30 m and 40 m decreased, but still produced common variances of 79% and 66% respectively. However when the "flying" times (20-40 m and 20-30 m) were correlated to 10-m time, the common variances decreased substantially to 25% and 42% respectively, indicating uniqueness. Conclusions: It was concluded that 10-m time is a good reflection, of acceleration, capabilities and either 20 to 40 m in a 40-m sprint test or 20 to 30 m in a 30-m sprint test can be used to estimate maximum speed capabilities. It was suggested that sprint tests over 30 m or 40 m can be conducted indoors to provide useful information about independent speed qualities in athletes. © 2008 Human Kinetics, Inc.
- Description: C1
Comparison of playing positions in elite Australian football: A case study of one club
- Authors: Young, Warren , Burge, Peter , Russell, Andrew , Carlon, Todd
- Date: 2010
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Australian Strength and Conditioning Vol. 18, no. 4 (2010), p. 11-13
- Full Text: false
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- Description: Previous research using Global Positioning Systems (GPS) to track Australian football (AF) games has used a 1 Hz sampling rate and limited variables to describe game demands. The aim of this study was to compare midfielders and forwards/backs from one elite Australian football club via GPS tracking of games. Game files (n=100) were collected from 19 players (14 midfielders, 5 forwards/backs) and the total distance covered at various speed and acceleration/deceleration zones was analysed. Player positions were statistically compared by one-way ANOVA. Midfielders covered a greater total distance and distance at running speeds between 4-7 m.s. (p<0.05), whereas forwards/backs produced slightly greater maximum running speeds, greater distance sprinting at speeds over 7 m.s, and greater distance peforming high accelerations (p>0.05). The movement demands for midfielders tended towards moderate to fast running speeds whereas forwards/backs displayed a greater proportion of their distance covered at high speed and acceleration/deceleration. It is suggested from the GPS variable that used conditioning should be somewhat indidvidualised to match the specific demands of the playing positions.
- Description: C1