Researchers:
Karen Grimmer (Centre for Allied Health Research, University of South Australia)
Jenny Williams )Sports Medicine Australia, South Australian Branch)

This study investigated physical attributes and injuries of young Australian Rules football players over a season (2000). To be eligible for selection to participate in this study, junior teams needed to meet the following criteria:

• play a full season in a club/school competition (for instance we excluded teams which played knock out competition, or were part of a state squad selection)
• have a school or club which fielded at least three teams across the primary modified rules categories, and two high school categories
• be categorised as either city or country on an SANFL league/zone basis.

Executive Summary

Chapter One : Setting the scene
1.1. Background
1.2. Study Aims
1.3. Outcomes of the study
1.4. Acknowledgements

Chapter Two : Method
2.1. Organisation prior to the study
2.2. Preliminary data collection
2.3. Season-long injury data collection
2.4. Season-long participation data
2.5. Combined data set analysis

Chapter Three : Results 1 - Pre season data on physical attributes
3.1. Number and ages of participants
3.2. Physical parameters
3.3. Comparing data from our sample with other available data bases
3.4. Differences across player age, school/club-based groups
3.5. Key points

Chapter Four : Results 2 - Total season injury data
4.1. Participants
4.2. Injuries
4.3. Time of injury in the game
4.4. Considering grouped body part injuries
4.5. Player position related to injury
4.6. Summary of key points

Chapter Five : Results 3 - The matched data set
5.1. Basis for these results
5.2. Pre-season performance data
5.3. Risk of injury associated with age group
5.4. Player position and injury
5.5. Summary of key points

Chapter Six : Games Audit

Chapter Seven : Discussion
7.1. Overview
7.2. General Findings
7.3. Differences between young footballers and their peers
7.4. Injuries

Chapter Eight : Conclusions and Recommendations

References