Anthropometric and performance profile of elite Gaelic football players comparing position and role

Abstract

There is currently no information available on the variation in anthropometric and performance characteristics of starters and non-starters in elite Gaelic football. The aim of the current study was to determine if variations exist for elite male Gaelic football players with respect to position and playing role (starter or non-starter). One-hundred-and-sixty-two footballers from six elite teams underwent anthropometric and performance assessments. Players were categorised into six positional groups (goalkeeper, full back, half back, midfield, half forward and full forward) and two playing role groups (starter and non-starter). A significant position × role interaction was observed for Yo-YoIRT1 distance (p = 0.031, pη2 = 0.078), with starters covering a greater distance in all positions when compared to non-starters (all p < 0.05), except for half backs. Goalkeepers covered a significantly lower Yo-YoIRT1 distance compared to all other positions (p ≤ 0.001, pη2 = 0.35), while half backs completed a significantly greater distance compared to full backs (p = 0.014, pη2 = 0.35) and full forwards (p ≤ 0.001, pη2 = 0.35). Starters had a significantly greater CMJ height (p ≤ 0.001, pη2 = 0.082) and CMJ PP (p = 0.001, pη2 = 0.08) compared to non-starters. This research is the first of its kind within Gaelic football to provide anthropometric and performance values with respect to playing role. The data obtained may aid coaches to individualize training regimes to enhance role-specific preparation for competitive match-play.

Science and Hurling: A Review

“…Furthermore, %AT ranged from 13.2 ± 3.1% for goalkeepers to 11.8 ± 2.1% for half-backs [14,15]. Practitioners within elite hurling teams now place an increased emphasis on the body composition profiles of their players, with seasonal testing in the form of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) analysis now the common approach to pre-season and in-season anthropometric assessment [17,18,24]. Limitations have been reported in relation to using skinfolds to infer the body fat percentage estimations [25].…”

Anthropometric and Physical Fitness Profile of Adolescent Inter-County Ladies’ Gaelic Football Players

“…Assessing female player capabilities, e.g., speed thresholds, strength norms, etc., using normative male data will underestimate female players' performance given the greater physical stature and physiological capacity of male players [17] In addition to the physiological differences between males and females post-PHV, the sporting landscape in which female players operate is substantially different from that of their male counterparts, with significant differences in funding, resources, and support structures. In men's Gaelic games, there is now a growing body of research investigating fitness profiles, game demands, nutrition, performance analysis, and injury profiles of both club and inter-county football and hurling [18][19][20][21][22][23]. In contrast, research in ladies' Gaelic football is sparse, with only about a dozen papers published in total describing injury profiles, performance analysis, and the fitness characteristics of adult LGFA players [1,[24][25][26].…”