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Review
. 2017 Dec 19;3(1):46.
doi: 10.1186/s40798-017-0109-9.

Physical characteristics of players within the Australian Football League participation pathways: a systematic review

Jade A Z Haycraft  1 , Stephanie Kovalchik  2 , David B Pyne  3   4 , Sam Robertson  2
Affiliations
Review

Physical characteristics of players within the Australian Football League participation pathways: a systematic review

Jade A Z Haycraft et al. Sports Med Open. .

Abstract

Background: Australian football (AF) players require endurance, strength, speed, and agility to be successful. Tests assessing physical characteristics are commonly used for talent identification; however, their ability to differentiate between players across the Australian Football League's (AFL) participation pathway remains unclear. The objective of this review was to quantify the physical characteristics of male AF players across the AFL participation pathway.

Methods: A search of databases was undertaken. Studies examining tests of physical performance were included, with 27 meeting the inclusion/exclusion criteria. Study appraisal was conducted using a checklist of selection criteria.

Results: The 20-m sprint time was the most reported test, followed by vertical jump (VJ), AFL planned agility, and 20-m multi-stage fitness test (MSFT). The fastest times for 20-m sprint were for Elite AFL players (range 2.94-3.13 s), with local-level players the slowest (3.22-4.06 s). State Junior Under (U) 18s (58-66 cm) had higher jumps than senior players, with the lowest jumps reported for Local U10s (mean 31 cm). No elite-level data were reported for the AFL planned agility or 20-m MSFT. AFL planned agility times were only reported for talent pathway levels, with large performance variability evident across all levels (8.17-9.12 s). Only mean 20-m MSFT scores were reported from Local U10s to National Draft Camp (6.10-13.50 shuttles).

Conclusions: Talent pathway players exhibit similar mean test scores irrespective of the physical test, with the exception of 20-m sprint and VJ. Physical tests can discriminate between local participation level players but are less useful within the AFL talent pathway.

Keywords: Australian rules football; Physical performance; Sport development pathway; Talent identification.

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Conflict of interest statement

Authors’ information

Not applicable.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

All studies included in this systematic review reported that the ethics approval was obtained from an appropriate ethics committee.

Consent for publication

All studies included in this systematic review reported that consent was obtained from all participants regarding their participation and publication of data.

Competing interests

Jade Haycraft, Stephanie Kovalchik, David Pyne, and Sam Robertson declare that they have no conflicts of interest relevant to the content of this review. However, David Pyne and Sam Robertson were authors/co-authors of the eight articles included in the analysis.

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The AFL participation pathway adapted from AFL Development [42, 43]. AFL Australian Football League, TAC Transport Accident Commission (Victorian State Junior Football League), VFL Victorian Football League, SANFL South Australian National Football League, WAFL Western Australian Football League
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
PRISMA flow diagram of study search strategy for systematic review of AFL development pathway. AF Australian Football, AFL Australian Football League, GPS Global Positioning System
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Mean and CIs of reported 20-m sprint times across the AFL participation pathway levels. Values are ordered by position in AFL participation pathway, then by sample size reported for each group. All players’ levels are shown in the legend for consistency though not all levels may have data on the charted performance measure. AFL Australian Football League, U Under
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Mean and CIs of reported AFL planned agility times across the AFL participation pathway levels. Values are ordered by position in AFL participation pathway, then by sample size reported for each group. All players’ levels are shown in the legend for consistency though not all levels may have data on the charted performance measure. AFL Australian Football League, U Under
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Mean and CIs of reported countermovement jump height across the AFL participation pathway levels. Values are ordered by position in AFL participation pathway, then by sample size reported for each group. All players’ levels are shown in the legend for consistency though not all levels may have data on the charted performance measure. AFL Australian Football League, U Under
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Mean and CIs of 20-m MSFT shuttles reached by levels across the local participation and talent pathways. Values are ordered by position in AFL participation pathway, then by sample size reported for each group. All players’ levels are shown in the legend for consistency though not all levels may have data on the charted performance measure. AFL Australian Football League, MSFT multi-stage fitness test, U Under
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