The AFL season is only a few rounds in, but a concerning trend has emerged, prompting questions about player welfare and the long-term impact of recent rule changes. A noticeable surge in hamstring injuries during round two has put a spotlight on the demands placed on players as the game’s speed and transition play intensify.
Several high-profile players have already succumbed to hamstring complaints, forcing them off the field and raising alarm bells within clubs and among fans.
The core of the concern lies in the increased amount of high-speed running now required from AFL players. With new rules, such as the last-touch and ruck adjustments, leading to fewer stoppages, the game has become more fluid and transition-focused. This shift means players are spending more time covering ground at significant speeds, placing greater stress on their bodies, particularly their hamstrings.
Prominent names on the injury list from round two include Richmond’s veteran duo Tom Lynch and Toby Nankervis, Gold Coast’s star Christian Petracca, Adelaide’s Callum Ah Chee, and St Kilda’s Anthony Caminiti. All these players were forced to the bench with hamstring issues during their respective matches. Adding to the concern, Port Adelaide captain Connor Rozee is also undergoing scans after what appeared to be a serious hamstring injury against Essendon on Sunday, which also involved a nerve issue in the muscle.
Ah Chee’s hamstring complaint was a recurrence of an injury he sustained playing for Western Australia in the State of Origin game back in February. He is now facing an extended layoff, potentially missing up to six matches. Petracca has been ruled out for the medium term, while the full extent of the other players’ injuries is still being assessed.
Adapting to a Faster Game
Physiotherapist and injury analyst Libby Birch suggests that the ramifications of this injury spike could be felt throughout the entire season. She posits that players require time to adapt their bodies to the “frenetic way in which the match is now played.” While this perspective is gaining traction, club high-performance officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, have adopted a more cautious “wait and see” approach before declaring this season uniquely different from previous ones.
Birch, who boasts a decorated AFLW career with four premierships, highlights that the surge in transition running has surpassed initial predictions. Consequently, she believes some players may not have adequately prepared their bodies for the level of high-speed running now demanded in such a “ballistic game.”
“High-speed running has a direct correlation to hamstring performance and injury risk,” Birch stated. She explained that high-performance teams typically employ algorithms to manage the exposure of players’ bodies and hamstrings to specific loads through high-speed running.
However, she argues that the rapid increase in game speed has made it “impossible to predict the speed of the game and how much it has changed year-on-year.” This unpredictability, she contends, has led to a significant spike in high-speed running numbers that players have not been sufficiently exposed to during training. Birch was quick to add that this is not a reflection of any shortcomings by high-performance teams, as predicting such a drastic shift in game dynamics was an immense challenge.
Club Officials’ Cautious Stance
The high-performance officials interviewed for this article expressed caution in directly linking the round’s injuries to the increased speed of the game. They acknowledged that clubs are naturally focused on attacking play and have conditioned players accordingly. However, they also pointed out that managing a squad with five players on the bench, rather than a single substitute, introduces a new and uncertain variable into game management.
An interesting observation from the round was that both Petracca and Ah Chee’s injuries occurred when their bodies were forced into unusual mechanisms by the demands of the game. Nankervis and Lynch, both seasoned veterans, also suffered their respective injuries, with Lynch having a documented history of various injuries.
Vocal Critics and Training Regimens
Despite the cautious approach from some club officials, former Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley was unequivocal in his assessment on Fox Footy. He firmly believes the injuries are a direct consequence of the game’s accelerated pace. “Let’s make the game faster. Let’s make the game faster and harder and quicker and make the players run quicker and faster and see what happens. Well, I’ll tell you what will happen. They will just keep snapping,” Hinkley declared. He added, “They will keep snapping because we don’t look after them enough with rotations and all the things we keep talking about.”
Birch elaborated on the role of training, explaining that high-performance practitioners understand the necessity of incorporating high-speed running sessions in controlled environments. This practice is often referred to as using “sprinting as a vaccine” to condition the body.
However, the dramatic leap in game speed has pushed the volume of high-speed running to levels few anticipated. Furthermore, the reduced number of stoppages means players have less time to recover between bursts of intense effort, increasing the frequency of acceleration demands.
“It might not be until next year that we see the athletes have adapted,” Birch suggested, indicating a potential lag in the body’s ability to cope with the new demands.
Broader Injury Landscape
The concern extends beyond just round two. Heading into the round, 17 players were already listed as requiring tests or missing games due to hamstring injuries. This group included Sydney’s star player Isaac Heeney, who was sidelined for the loss to Hawthorn after sustaining a hamstring injury in round one. By Saturday night, an additional five players had joined the growing list of hamstring victims. It’s important to note that hamstring injuries have historically been the primary reason for players missing matches, with an average of six to seven players per club experiencing such injuries each season.
AFL Investigates Timekeeping Glitch
In unrelated news, the AFL is currently investigating a peculiar timekeeping issue that surfaced during the Giants versus St Kilda match on Saturday. Just before halftime, the visible game clock, which displays the remaining time, abruptly dropped from 30 seconds to zero after St Kilda’s Max Hall kicked a goal. While the Giants were informed during the third quarter that no game time had been lost, the AFL has launched an inquiry. The investigation is also examining a similar malfunction of the countdown clock during the final quarter of Friday night’s clash between Adelaide and the Western Bulldogs.
