Cardiff Metropolitan University | Prifysgol Fetropolitan Caerdydd LATE SUBMISSION WITH PERMISSION (MARK TO BE RECORDED AS FIRST ATTEMPT) Student Name: George Brown Student Number: 20001590 Programme: SES Year: 3 Term: 2 (Spring) Module Number & Title: SSP6050 Independent Project Original Submission Date: 21 March 2014 Date extension requested: 24/01/2014 Programme Director: Rich Neil Date agreed by PD: 04/02/2014 New Submission Date: 17 April 2014 Note: A completed copy of this form must be attached to your dissertation. Both dissertation and form must be submitted by the ‘new submission date’. Failure to do so will result in a maximum mark of 40% as a second attempt. Cardiff School of Sport DISSERTATION ASSESSMENT PROFORMA: Empirical 1 Student name: George Brown Student ID: 20001590 Programme: SES Dissertation title: Comparing Gaelic football to the determinants of winning performance in Australian Rules football Supervisor: Darrell Cobner Comments Section Title and Abstract (5%) Title to include: A concise indication of the research question/problem. Abstract to include: A concise summary of the empirical study undertaken. Introduction and literature review (25%) To include: outline of context (theoretical/conceptual/applied) for the question; analysis of findings of previous related research including gaps in the literature and relevant contributions; logical flow to, and clear presentation of the research problem/ question; an indication of any research expectations, (i.e., hypotheses if applicable). Methods and Research Design (15%) To include: details of the research design and justification for the methods applied; participant details; comprehensive replicable protocol. Results and Analysis (15%) 2 To include: description and justification of data treatment/ data analysis procedures; appropriate presentation of analysed data within text and in tables or figures; description of critical findings. Discussion and Conclusions (30%) 2 To include: collation of information and ideas and evaluation of those ideas relative to the extant literature/concept/theory and research question/problem; adoption of a personal position on the study by linking and combining different elements of the data reported; discussion of the real-life impact of your research findings for coaches and/or practitioners (i.e. practical implications); discussion of the limitations and a critical reflection of the approach/process adopted; and indication of potential improvements and future developments building on the study; and a conclusion which summarises the relationship between the research question and the major findings. Presentation (10%) To include: academic writing style; depth, scope and accuracy of referencing in the text and final reference list; clarity in organisation, formatting and visual presentation 1 This form should be used for both quantitative and qualitative dissertations. The descriptors associated with both quantitative and qualitative dissertations should be referred to by both students and markers. 2 There is scope within qualitative dissertations for the RESULTS and DISCUSSION sections to be presented as a combined section followed by an appropriate CONCLUSION. The mark distribution and criteria across these two sections should be aggregated in those circumstances. CARDIFF METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY Prifysgol Fetropolitan Caerdydd CARDIFF SCHOOL OF SPORT DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONOURS) SPORT AND EXERCISE SCIENCE 2013-4 Comparing Gaelic football to the determinants of winning performance in Australian Rules football (Dissertation submitted under the discipline of Performance Analysis) George Brown 20001590 COMPARING GAELIC FOOTBALL TO THE DETERMINANTS OF WINNING PERFORMANCE IN AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL Cardiff Metropolitan University Prifysgol Fetropolitan Caerdydd Certificate of student By submitting this document, I certify that the whole of this work is the result of my individual effort, that all quotations from books and journals have been acknowledged, and that the word count given below is a true and accurate record of the words contained (omitting contents pages, acknowledgements, indices, tables, figures, plates, reference list and appendices). Word count: 11,780 Name: George Brown Date: 15/04/2014 Certificate of Dissertation Supervisor responsible I am satisfied that this work is the result of the student’s own effort. I have received dissertation verification information from this student Name: Date: Notes: The University owns the right to reprint all or part of this document. Table of Contents Page No: Acknowledgements i Abstract ii Chapter One: Introduction 1.1 Historical Similarities between Gaelic Football and 1 Australian Rules Football 1.2 Player Recruitment Trends 2 1.3 Applying Scientific Principles to Player Recruitment 3 1.4 Aims of the Study 4 1.5 Limitations 4 1.6 Delimitations 4 Chapter Two: Review of Literature 2 Review of Literature 5 2.1 Performance Analysis in Sport 5 2.2 Player Recruitment 6 2.3 Cross-Code Analysis 7 2.4 Uses of Match Action Analysis 7 2.5 Impact of age on Analysis 8 2.6 Team, Unit and Position Analysis 9 2.7 Key Performance Indicators 10 2.8 Winning and Losing Performance Factors 11 2.9 Reliability and Validity 12 Chapter Three: Methods 3 Method 13 3.1 Australian Rules Football Analysis 13 3.1.1 Equipment 13 3.1.2 Game/Subject Selection and Key 13 Performance Indicator (KPI) Selection 3.1.3 Data Organisation 13 3.1.4 Analysis 14 3.2 Gaelic Football Analysis 15 3.2.1 Notation System 15 3.2.2 Equipment 15 3.2.3 Data Collection 15 3.2.4 Template Design 15 3.2.5 Operational Definitions 16 3.2.6 Procedures 16 3.2.7 Data Processing 19 3.2.8 Reliability Testing 19 3.2.9 Reliability Test Results 20 Chapter Four: Results 4 Results 22 4.1 Australian Rules Football Results 22 4.1.1 Team Analysis 22 4.1.2 Unit Analysis 24 4.1.3 Position Analysis 34 4.2 Gaelic Football Compared to Australian Rules Football 39 4.2.1 Team Comparison 39 4.2.2 Unit Comparison 42 4.2.3 Positional Comparison 45 Chapter Five: Discussion 5.1 Introduction 49 5.2 Reliability and Validity 49 5.3 Hand vs. Computer Notation 50 5.4 Discussion of Findings 51 5.4.1 Australian Rules Football 51 5.4.1.1 Team Analysis 51 5.4.1.2 Unit Analysis 51 5.4.1.3 Positional Analysis 52 5.4.2 Australian Rules Compared to Gaelic Football 53 5.2.4.1 Team Comparison 53 5.2.4.2 Unit Comparison 53 5.2.4.3 Position Comparison 53 5.5 Possible Explanation of Results 54 5.6 Statistical Testing in Performance Analysis Research 54 5.7 Sample Issues 55 5.8 Implications of Findings 55 Chapter Six: Conclusion 6.1 Conclusion of Findings 56 6.2 Future Research Suggestions 56 References and Bibliography List of Tables Table Title Page No. 1. Game actions from ARF and the equivalent game action in GF 17 2. Data collection sheet one 18 3. Data collection sheet two 19 4. Test-retest results for Dublin’s KPIs with a percentage error 21 greater than 20% 5. Test-retest results for Kerry’s KPIs with a percentage error 22 greater than 20% 6. Total number of subjects within their playing positon and the 35 percentage difference between the numbers for winning and losing teams 7. Comparison of significant Australian Rules football KPIs 40 with Gaelic football 8. Comparison of significant Australian Rules football KPIs 44 with Gaelic football for defensive units 9. Comparison of significant Australian Rules football KPIs 44 with Gaelic football for midfield units 10. Comparison of significant Australian Rules football KPIs 45 with Gaelic football for offensive units 11. Wilcoxon test results comparing significant Australian 46 KPIs for midfielders and Gaelic football positions 12. Wilcoxon test results comparing significant Australian 47 KPIs for ruckmen and Gaelic football positions List of Figures Figure Title Page No. 1. Percentage error between test and retest results for 21 Dublin and Kerry 2. Mean difference between statistics for winning and losing 24 3. Percentage contribution of positional units to combined 25 totals for kicks, handballs and marks 4. Percentage contributions of kick type for winning and losing 26 teams and their positional units 5. Percentage contributions of handball type for winning and 27 losing teams and their positional units 6. Percentage contributions of mark type for winning and losing 28 teams and their positional units 7. Mean difference in KPIs for winning and losing teams’ 29 defensive unit 8. Mean difference in KPI frequency between winning and 31 losing teams’ midfield unit 9. Mean difference in KPI frequency between winning and 33 losing teams’ offensive unit 10. Mean difference in KPI frequency between winning and 36 losing midfielders 11. Mean difference in KPI frequency between winning and 38 losing ruckmen 12. Mean difference in KPI frequency between winning Gaelic 42 football and Australian Rules football teams 13. Comparison of percentage contribution of playing unit in 43 Australian Rules football and Gaelic football Appendices Appendix A: Tadhg Kennelly, 6th June 2013– Expert Interview Appendix B: Appendix B.1: Australian Rules Football Pitch and Positions Appendix B.2: Gaelic Football Pitch and Positions Appendix C: Champion Data 2013 OFFICIAL AFL KPI REPORT STAT DEFINITIONS Appendix D: Australian Rules Football Positions and their Playing Unit Appendix E: Gaelic Football Operational Definitions Appendix F: Gaelic Football Positions and their Playing Unit Appendix G: Statistical Significance Appendix G.1: Team Analysis Appendix G.2: Unit Analysis – Defensive Unit Appendix G.3: Unit Analysis – Midfield Unit Appendix G.4: Unit Analysis – Offensive Unit Appendix G.5: Position Analysis - Midfield Appendix G.6: Position Analysis - Ruckmen Appendix H: Ball in Play Statistics Appendix I: Ethical Approval Acknowledgements After completing this dissertation I would like to thank the following people: Darrell Cobner for his advice and support throughout, Aideen Howlin for providing me with Gaelic Football videos, Tadhg Kennelly and Kevin Sheehan at the AFL for providing their data, Rob Condliffe for his support and encouragement, My parents for keeping me motivated to work hard and, My girlfriend for her love and support.