Aussie Rules player fitness vs GAA player fitness

deadybai

Given the week thats in it. How do Aussie Rules players compare to GAA players physically? What would be the main attributes of a an AFL player? e.g Is a large height an advantage? Faster=Better?

Would GAA players train similarly to Aussie Rules player?

I imagine if the GAA was professional like the AFL then you would see lads in Ireland with almost identical physique as the Aussies. Are GAA players far off or on par with AFL players strength and fitness?

I wouldn't know too much about the AFL just mainly watch youtube videos here and there. The knocks that the players can take is phenomenal. Some are like car crashes.

bruschi

deadybai wrote: »

Given the week thats in it. How do Aussie Rules players compare to GAA players physically? What would be the main attributes of a an AFL player? e.g Is a large height an advantage? Faster=Better?

Would GAA players train similarly to Aussie Rules player?

I imagine if the GAA was professional like the AFL then you would see lads in Ireland with almost identical physique as the Aussies. Are GAA players far off or on par with AFL players strength and fitness?

I wouldn't know too much about the AFL just mainly watch youtube videos here and there. The knocks that the players can take is phenomenal. Some are like car crashes.

Well, my own perspective on the questions posed:

Comparisons physically? Much the same really. Ruckmen are tall, like most midfielders. Wing backs/forwards are medium sized, not over tall, but plenty of pace. Full forwards/backs again usually big and not much pace.

The main attributes? Whilst they may be "physically" similar, the AFL players are by and large far more athletic, bigger and stronger. Being full time athletes, if you are running, doing weights, S&C the whole time, then you are obviously going to be more physically imposing.

This is Sam Mitchell. One of Hawthorns better players. Plays around half back/middle of the field. Far from being the biggest player in the game, is about 5ft10/11 and 13 stone, but is just more structured in his physique:



Compare him to an equivalent GAA player, I'd pick Lee Keegan. One of the best half backs right now and very pacy.





Now thats not to make little of Keegan or anything, but just to emphasise the difference in full time training and only being able to do it around work. Keegan is as athletic and fit as anyone could expect.

Is height an advantage? Like in GAA, its position dependant. Midfielders being tall is an advantage, like full forwards like Donaghy. But again, you compare Donaghy with Buddy Franklin, both 6 ft 5, both around 16 stone, but in terms of being athletic, buddy looks far more imposing.









Speed in certain areas is better. Again, its position dependant. The inside forwards need to be quick, as do the players around wings. Its a lot more about stamina though.


Training would be somewhat similar, but theres would be far more professional. The jump in level would be significant. They have so much more backroom people involved. They have the top class facilities and access to equipment etc. But there is a difference. Any of the players who go out can sometimes keep up, and others cant.


This is a comparison of Setanta 2 years after he went out, and to his final year when playing with Cork.




in fairness, GAA training has come on a lot since Setanta was around, but still, there would be a gap. Its not unachievable or anything, but given the conditions around both, its not unexpected either.

AFL games are far more demanding too. A game generally lasts for 120 minutes, on a field that is 30m wider and longer than a GAA pitch.

Thats not to say current players wouldnt stand up with AFL players in the likes of the Int Rules game, but make that IR game the same length as an AFL one, make the pitch bigger, and then see how we fare when we get to the end of the game.

AFL games are on week after week too, with only one week off during a 22 match league. Whereas we have GAA players unhappy if they played 3 weeks in a row. Some try ham it up in these IR series as if the builders and teachers are as fit as the professional athletes, but whilst they can manage for the most part, it is understandable that there is a fair difference between the fitness levels of both.

deadybai

Great Post!

SSK

I don't have much more to add to Bruschi's superb post but a couple of points:

- Aerobically top level GAA players would be comfortably at or above the level of most AFL players. In general any of the GAA players who have gone over have been well able to handle the pure running fitness aspect of an AFL pre-season.

- Certainly there is a greater emphasis on the physical strength side of things in the AFL given the nature of the game. Gaelic Football is definitely catching up in this regard but full time training and professionalism, along with the necessity to build physical bulk will mean AFL players will always be ahead. Combining this strength and power training with the fitness running etc is anecdotally where I have heard any prospective Irish converts have struggled.

- As Bruschi has said, fitness, size and body shape is very position dependent. For instance all of Port Adelaide's front line midfielders only averaged around 80% time on ground in games last year. In comparison a lot of the tall defenders and forwards would be up on 95% plus for average game time. Therefore while a lot of the S&C would be similar across the board, one would imagine that power, speed, agility and high intensity, short burst fitness would be the focus for midfielders who only play 5-10 minutes before getting a rest, whereas building aerobic fitness along with physical mass would be the primary focus of the big men. Given that all players would be expected to play 70 minutes straight in Gaelic Football and that more and more positions are becoming fluid, positional focus in respect of S&C isn't really of any relevance.