A constraints-led approach to analysing performance in team-based sport
- Publication Type:
- Thesis
- Issue Date:
- 2022
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While substantial information is available on the physical and technical components of Australian Football, objective methods of assessing the tactical demands have been scarcely examined. Despite enhancements in the quantity and quality of data available for assessing the technical, physical and tactical characteristics of match-play, it is not common to combine these when analysing professional sport. To overcome these shortcomings, this thesis aimed to simplify an array of physical, technical, and tactical variables utilised in Australian Football to simultaneously examine differences in successful quarters as well as specific phases-of-play.
Studies one-four reduced the dimensionality of cooperative network (study one), technical (study two), physical (study three), and spatiotemporal (study four) characteristics obtained from Australian Football League games in order to facilitate their practical use and interpretability. Principal components analyses provided simplified metrics that assisted in the reduction of complexity when analysing and interpreting multiple facets of performance while retaining a high level of variance. These metrics were subsequently used in studies five-seven.
Study five concurrently examined the influence of the aforementioned components on quarter margin. Scoring opportunity and ball movement had direct associations with quarter margin. Further, negative associations between physical behaviour and ball movement suggest that with less physical work, a team’s collective ability to transfer possession between teammates is facilitated, offering an interesting dichotomy between skill and physical loads in Australian Football.
Study six differentiated between phase-of-play using duration, physical, and spatiotemporal properties subsequently providing new insight for coaches and providing direction for conditioning and practice design. Offensive and defensive phases presented greater low-moderate volume, defensive phases revealed stronger affiliations with decelerations/impacts, and contested phases demonstrated superior explosiveness and change of direction likely leading to lower values of synchrony and coordination. Interestingly, contested phases were strongly associated with high-speed metrics which may be due to players attempting to enhance positional advantage to gain possession.
Finally, study seven related phase duration and physical and spatiotemporal metrics with successful outcomes across various phases-of-play. Results indicated that a direct style of play with players moving erratically and unpredictability to misalign defenders or provide passing opportunities may be important for offensive success. In contrast, defensive success may be a result of players slowing movement to coordinate and synchronise movements to avoid being perturbed. The collective results from this sequence of studies provide direction for coaches and practitioners when contemplating practice design, tactical strategies, or the development of behaviour through specific training exercises.
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