Differences in external game loads are inconsistent and predominantly small between seasons in semi-professional, male rugby league players: a three-year team-based observational study
Background: Although external game loads have been readily examined across acute timeframes within male rugby league seasons, longitudinal analysis between seasons remain limited. Consequently, this study compared game demands during separate seasons in male, rugby league players. Methods: One s...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MRE Press
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Journal of Men's Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://oss.jomh.org/files/article/20250428-524/pdf/JOMH2024121801.pdf |
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| Summary: | Background: Although external game loads have been readily examined
across acute timeframes within male rugby league seasons, longitudinal analysis
between seasons remain limited. Consequently, this study compared game demands
during separate seasons in male, rugby league players. Methods: One
semi-professional team competing in a men’s state-level Australian rugby league
competition was monitored during all games for three seasons (2022–2024).
External load variables were measured with global positioning system devices.
Linear mixed-model and Hedge’s gav effect sizes were used to
compare variables between seasons within the same players (participated in all
seasons, n = 6) and within the entire team (participated in any season, n = 33).
Results: Within-player and team-level analyses revealed playing duration
(p < 0.01, gav (range) = 0.44–0.63), total distance
(p < 0.05, gav = 0.33–0.51) and peak speed (p
< 0.01, gav = 0.35–0.52) were significantly lower, while
relative (per min) distance (p < 0.05, gav =
0.35–0.52), accelerations (p < 0.01, gav = 0.57–0.69)
and decelerations (p < 0.01, gav = 0.47–0.60) were
significantly higher in 2022 compared to other seasons. Non-significant
differences were evident between 2023 and 2024 for all variables (p >
0.05, gav = 0.03–0.23), except relative high-speed running
distance, which was higher in 2024 in team-level analyses (p = 0.01,
gav = 0.31). Conclusions: The increased playing duration,
total distance and peak speed, and decreased relative external load variables in
2023–2024 compared to 2022 were mostly small in magnitude, indicating seasonal
fluctuations were relatively subtle at player and team levels. These
findings suggest practitioners working with semi-professional, male rugby league
players could develop long-term plans for upcoming seasons based on typical game
data from previous seasons, but plans should be adaptable given the inconsistent
and tenuous way loads may vary longitudinally. |
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| ISSN: | 1875-6867 1875-6859 |