Sign In
Attachments
Note: Not all attachments are visible to the general public. Research URLs will go live after the embargo ends.
How to spot future AFL talent at age 12
Publicly released:
Australia; VIC
Aussie researchers investigated 168 12-year-old boys who applied to attend a high-performance sports academy program to see if there were any differences between the physical characteristics of those who were selected to attend and those who were not. They found that the boys who were selected were taller and had greater lower body power, speed, and aerobic fitness than non-selected boys. Selected boys were also more likely to end up in junior state/national AFL teams (54 times as likely) and senior professional teams (five times as likely) than non-selected boys. The authors say it may be possible to spot future AFL talent based on their physical characteristics at age 12.
Media Contact/s 
Contact details are only visible to registered journalists.
Share this page
More News
Why swearing makes you f*cking stronger
International
Keele University, UK
American Psychologist
While exercise can help, even endurance athletes are affected by menopause symptoms
International
Old Dominion University, USA
PLOS One
The AusSMC's Top 10 WEIRD science stories 2025
Australia
Australian Science Media Centre