Table 1 Summary of findings of factors that affect match running performance
From: Evaluating match running performance in elite Australian football: a narrative review
Factor | Author(s) | Measure(s) of running performance | Comparison/measurement tool | Summary of findings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Playing Position | Hiscock et al. [4] | Total distance V1 distance Velocity load | Key and nomadic position | Nomadics greater activity profile than key position (p < 0.05) |
Coutts et al. [2] | Total distance High-speed (> 4 m s−1) Very-high speed (> 5.5 m s−1) Sprint speed (> 6.7 m s−1) | Tall backs/forwards, mobile backs/forwards, ruck, midfield | Generally, midfielders and mobile position players outperformed ruck and tall position players | |
Ryan et al. [7] | Total distance High-speed (> 5.6 m s−1) | Small backs/forwards, midfield, ruck, tall forwards/backs | Minor influence on rel. distance Rel. high-speed distance ↑ small forwards/backs, ↓ ruck | |
Esmaeili et al. [6] | Total distance High-speed (> 5 m s−1) PlayerLoad™ | Nomadic, key defender, key forward, ruck | Nomadic > key defender (ES: moderate-large) Nomadic > key forward (ES: moderate) Nomadic > ruck (ES: small-large) | |
Training Load | Johnston et al. [12] | Total distance Low speed (0–4.9 m s−1) High-speed (≥ 5 m s−1) PlayerLoad™ | High load (HTL) (365 ± 38 km) Moderate load (MTL) (307 ± 63 km) Low load (LTL) (224 ± 55 km) | Rel. distance: HTL > MTL (p = 0.029, ES = 0.78 ± 0.50) Rel. distance: HTL > LTL (p = 0.053, ES = 0.99 ± 0.51) Rel. distance: MTL = LTL (p = 0.998, ES = 0.34 ± 0.49) Rel. high-speed: HTL > MTL (p = 0.122, ES = 0.93 ± 0.50) Rel. high-speed: HTL > LTL (p = 0.064, ES = 1.03 ± 0.52) Rel. high-speed: MTL = LTL (p = 0.593, ES = 0.25 ± 0.49) Rel. PlayerLoad™: HTL < MTL (p = 0.04, ES = − 0.89 ± 0.46) Rel. PlayerLoad™: HTL < LTL (p = 0.01, ES = − 0.96 ± 0.47) |
Ryan et al. [13] | Total distance High-speed (> 5.6 m s−1) | Effect of Acute (7-day) and Chronic (3-week) running load | ↑ 7-day total distance = ↓ rel. total distance (ES = 0.13 (0.02–0.24) ↓ 3-week average total distance = ↓ rel. high-speed distance (ES = 0.14 (0.03–0.25) No effect of pre-season training completion | |
Playing Experience | Hiscock et al. [4] | Total distance V1 distance Velocity load | Three experience groups (1–3, 4–6, ≥ 7 years) | ≥ 7 years’ experience = ↓ movement profiles (p < 0.05) than 1–3- and 4–6-year players Rel. distance and V1 distance: 4–6 years < 1–3-year players (p < 0.05) |
Black et al. [14] | Low-speed (0–2.78 m s−1) Moderate-speed (2.79–4.14 m s−1) High-speed (≥ 4.15 m s−1) | Mean, peak and subsequent 3-min time period per quarter Experience classification: Experienced ≥ 5 years Less experienced ≤ 4 years | No differences in any metric for peak periods Rel. high speed: experienced ↑ than less experienced in subsequent periods of quarter 2 (ES = 0.42 ± 0.3), and quarter 3 (ES = 0.38 ± 0.33) | |
Esmaeili et al. [6] | Total distance High-speed (> 5 m s−1) PlayerLoad™ | Experience classification: 1–2, 3–6 and 7 + years | 1–2 versus 3–6 years = ↑ rel. total distance (2.8% (1.5–4.0)) and PlayerLoad (4.5% (2.2–6.8)) 3–6 versus 7 + years = ↑ rel. distance (2.2% (1.2–3.2)) | |
Fatigue | Ryan et al. [13] | Total distance High-speed (> 5.6 m s−1) | Questionnaire responses (muscle soreness, sleep, fatigue, stress, and mood) | No effect on match running performance |
Bellinger et al. [21] | Total distance High-speed (> 6.7 m s−1) PlayerLoad™ | Subjective wellness (mood, energy, stress, leg heaviness, muscle soreness, sleep quality, hours slept) | No significant effect | |
Mooney et al. [18] | High-speed (> 4.2 m s−1) Accelerometer load | Flight time: contact time (FT:CT) from jump testing | High-speed running performance was maintained regardless of fatigue state | |
Cormack et al. [19] | High-speed (> 4.2 m s−1) Accelerometer load | Flight time: contact time (FT:CT) from jump testing | Fatigue ↓ vertical component of the accelerometer load and lead to ↑ running at low speed | |
Esmaeili et al. [6] | Total distance High-speed (> 5 m s−1) PlayerLoad™ | Interchange stints during a quarter, first versus subsequent | Subsequent stint = ↓ rel. distance ( − 5.4% ( − 5.6 to − 5.2)), high-speed distance (20.5% ( − 21.3 to − 19.8)), and PlayerLoad™ ( − 6.6% ( − 6.8 to − 6.4) | |
Dillon et al. [20] | Total distance High-speed (> 5.6 m s−1) | Accumulated distance on subsequent rotation bout | Accumulated distance ↓ rel. total (ES = 0.17) and rel. high-speed (ES = 0.13) distances Accumulated high speed distance ↑ rel. high-speed (ES = 0.12) | |
Black et al. [14] | Low-speed (0–2.78 m s−1) Moderate-speed (2.79–4.14 m s−1) High-speed (≥ 4.15 m s−1) | Peak and subsequent 3-min time period per quarter | All measures reduced in the subsequent period following short bout of high intensity activity | |
Schedule | Hiscock et al. [4] | Total distance V1 distance Velocity load | Home versus away Days between games Day versus night | Rel. V1 distance: ↑ in away games (p < 0.05) Rel. distance ↓ with 6- and 8-day turnaround versus 12 days Rel. velocity load: ↓ with 7-day turnaround versus 8 days No effect/ differences of day versus night |
Kempton et al. [23] | Total distance High-speed (> 4 m s−1) Very-high speed (> 5.5 m s−1) Sprint-speed (> 6.4 m s−1) | Comparison between start, middle and end of season | Small ↑ in running performance seen at the end of the season | |
Ryan et al. [7] | Total distance High-speed (> 5.6 m s−1) | Home versus away Start versus end of season Days between games (short = 6 days, long = ≥ 7 days) | Rel. distance and high-speed distance ↓ in away matches Rel. distance ↓ at start of season No effect of days between games | |
Esmaeili et al. [6] | Total distance High-speed (> 5 m s−1) PlayerLoad™ | Travel for current match Travel for previous match Number of days between games | No substantial effects | |
Opponent | Ryan et al. [7] | Total distance High-speed (> 5.6 m s−1) | Effect of strong opposition (rank 1–6) | Rel. distance ↑ against strong opposition |
Interchange-rotations | Dillon et al. [20] | Total distance High-speed (> 5.6 m s−1) | Number of rotations in quarter Previous rotation duration Rotation duration | ↑ Number of rotations = ↓ in rel. total (ES = 0.24) and high-speed (ES = 0.18) distances ↑ previous duration = ↓ in rel. total (ES = 0.09) and high-speed (ES = 0.05) distances ↑ duration of rotation = ↓ in rel. total (ES = 0.33) and high-speed (ES = 0.10) distances |
Ryan et al. [7] | Total distance High-speed (> 5.6 m s−1) | Number of rotations | ↑ In number of rotations = ↓ in rel. total and high-speed distance | |
Montgomery and Wisbey [29] | Total distance | Number of rotations Duration of rotation | ↓ In number of rotations per game = ↓ in rel. distance ↑ In on-field rotation time = ↓ in rel. distance | |
Mooney et al. [28] | Total distance Low-speed (< 4.2 m s−1) High-speed (> 4.2 m s−1) % High-speed Accelerometer load | Number of rotations | ↑ Rotations = ↑ in rel. total, high and % high-speed distances, and accelerometer load but not low speed distances | |
Esmaeili et al. [6] | Total distance High-speed (> 5 m s−1) PlayerLoad™ | Stint duration Recovery duration | ↑ Stint duration (+ 14 min) = ↓ in rel. total ( − 6.4% ( − 6.6 to − 6.2)), high-speed distances ( − 12.4% ( − 13.4 to − 11.4%)), and PlayerLoad™ ( − 7.7% ( − 7.8 to − 7.6)) ↑ recovery time (+ 4 min) = ↑ rel. total (1.0% (0.7 – 1.2)), high-speed distances (6.7% (5.6–7.9)), and PlayerLoad™ (1.2 (0.9–1.5)) | |
Stoppages | Dillon et al. [20] | Total distance High-speed (> 5.6 m s−1) | Number of stoppages | ↑ Stoppages = ↓ in rel. total (ES = 0.17) and high-speed (ES = 0.05) distances |
Ryan et al. [7] | Total distance High-speed (> 5.6 m s−1) | Number of stoppages | ↑ Stoppages = ↓ in rel. total distances, but no effect on high-speed distances | |
Match Outcome | Hiscock et al. [4] | Total Distance V1 distance Velocity Load | Quarters won versus quarters lost Score margin | Movement profiles slight ↑ when quarter lost (non-significant) Rel. distance: inverse relationship with margin (r = − 0.25, p < 0.05) |
Ryan et al. [7] | Total distance High-speed (> 5.6 m s−1) | Winning versus losing games | Matches won = ↑ rel. total distance but ↓ high-speed distance | |
Sullivan et al. [30] | Total distance High-speed (> 4 m s−1) BodyLoad™ Peak Speed Accelerations (0–4 m s−1) | Quarters won versus quarters lost Margin of quarters won and lost (small < 9 points, moderate 8–10 points, large > 19 points) | Quarters lost = ↑ rel. high speed (p = < 0.001), sprints (p = 0.006), and peak speed (p = 0.008) Large margin = ↓ rel. distance (p < 0.001), high-speed (p < 0.005), and BodyLoad (p = 0.031) | |
Esmaeili et al. [6] | Total distance High-speed (> 5 m s−1) PlayerLoad™ | Match outcome and score margin | No substantial effect | |
Final’s series | Aughey [33] | Total distance High-speed (4.17–10 m s−1) Accelerations (2.78–10 m s−2) | Regular season versus finals series games | Final’s series = ↑ rel. total (11%, ES = 0.78 ± 0.30), high-speed (9%, ES = 0.29 ± 0.25), and accelerations (97%, ES = 1.30 ± 0.20) |
Esmaeili et al. [6] | Total distance High-speed (> 5 m s−1) PlayerLoad™ | Regular season versus finals series games | Final’s series = ↓ rel. total ( − 1.7% ( − 3.3 to 0)), high-speed distances ( − 9.9% ( − 14.8 to − 4.8), and PlayerLoad™ ( − 2.5% ( − 4.6 to − 0.4)) | |
Environment | Hiscock et al. [4] | Total distance V1 distance Velocity Load | Wet versus dry | Rel. velocity load: ↑ in wet games |
Aughey et al. [39] | Total distance High-speed (4.17–10 m s−1) Sprints (> 6.94 m s−1) Accelerations (> 2.78 m s−2) | Hot versus cold matches | Hot matches = ↓ rel. total distance but preserved rel. high-speed, sprints and accelerations | |
Esmaeili et al. [6] | Total distance High-speed (> 5 m s−1) PlayerLoad™ | Light rain (≤ 1 mm) versus dry Moderate rain (> 1 mm) versus dry Apparent temperature (+ 12 °C) Ground hardness (+ 17 gravities) Ground size (+ 6,600 m2) | No substantial effect of light rain Moderate rain = ↓ rel. total ( − 2.2% ( − 5.6 to 1.3)) and high-speed distances ( − 9.2% ( − 19 to 1.9)) ↑ Temperature = ↓ rel. total ( − 2.0% ( − 2.6 to − 1.3)) and high-speed distances ( − 6.1% ( − 8.3 to − 3.9)) No substantial effect of ground hardness No substantial effect of ground size |