Australian Rules Research Articles

Familial Predisposition to Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury in Australian Rules Footballers.

A community athlete with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is 2.5 times more likely to have a family history of ACL injury than an athlete without an ACL injury. The prevalence of family history and its relationship to ACL injury has not been investigated in elite athletes playing a high-risk sport such as Australian rules football. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is an association between primary ACL injury and family history in professional male and female Australian Football League (AFL) players. It was hypothesized that players with a history of ACL injury would have greater rates of family history. Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3. All AFL players in the state of Victoria, Australia, were invited to complete a survey querying about their history of ACL injury and whether they had any immediate family members with a history of ACL injury. ACL injury history was compared in those with and without a family history of ACL injury according to sex. Completed surveys were obtained from 615 out of a possible 672 (91.5%) AFL players, of whom 410 were men and 205 were women. Of players with a history of ACL injury, family history was reported in 47% of male players (15 of 32) and 32% of female players (7 of 22). Male players with an ACL injury history were 3.19 times (95% CI, 1.55-6.76; P < .003) more likely to have a positive family history compared with those without ACL injury, and female players with an ACL injury history were 1.7 times (95% CI, 0.66-4.5; P = .2) more likely to report a family history than those without. A strong association was observed between family history and primary ACL injury history in male Australian rules football players. The same association was not statistically significant in female players.

The influence of lightweight wearable resistance on whole body coordination during sprint acceleration among Australian Rules football players.

Rapid acceleration is an important quality for field-based sport athletes. Technical factors contribute to acceleration and these can be deliberately influenced by coaches through implementation of constraints, which afford particular coordinative states or induce variability generally. Lightweight wearable resistance is an emerging training tool, which can act as a constraint on acceleration. At present, however, the effects on whole body coordination resulting from wearable resistance application are unknown. To better understand these effects, five male Australian Rules football athletes performed a series of 20 m sprints with either relatively light or heavy wearable resistance applied to the anterior or posterior aspects of the thighs or shanks. Whole body coordination during early acceleration was examined across eight wearable resistance conditions and compared with baseline (unresisted) acceleration coordination using group- and individual-level hierarchical cluster analysis. Self-organising maps and a joint-level distance matrix were used to further investigate specific kinematic changes in conditions where coordination differed most from baseline. Across the group, relatively heavy wearable resistance applied to the thighs resulted in the greatest difference to whole body coordination compared with baseline acceleration. On average, heavy posterior thigh wearable resistance led to altered pelvic position and greater hip extension, while heavy anterior thigh wearable resistance led to accentuated movement at the shoulders in the transverse and sagittal planes. These findings offer a useful starting point for coaches seeking to use wearable resistance to promote adoption of greater hip extension or upper body contribution during acceleration. Importantly, individuals varied in how they responded to heavy thigh wearable resistance, which coaches should be mindful of.

Comparative Effects of Complex Contrast Training and Traditional Training Methods on Physical Performance Within Female, Semiprofessional Australian Rules Football Players.

Luders, J, Garrett, J, Gleadhill, S, Mathews, L, and Bennett, H. Comparative effects of complex contrast training and traditional training methods on physical performance within female, semiprofessional Australian Rules Football players. J Strength Cond Res 38(11): 1917-1923, 2024-This study aimed to explore whether complex contrast training (CCT) would elicit greater strength and power adaptations than traditional (TRAD) training methods using a volume- and intensity-matched design. Fourteen semiprofessional female Australian Football players completed the study. Both CCT and TRAD saw improvements in all performance outcomes: 1 repetition maximum (1RM) back squat (21.3 ± 8.2 and 16.7 ± 6.8 kg), 1RM bench press (5.3 ± 3.6 and 2.1 ± 4.0 kg), 1RM trap bar deadlift (5.0 ± 6.6 and 11.3 ± 2.5 kg), 5 m sprint (0.002 ± 0.09 and 0.02 ± 0.2 s), 10 m sprint (0.04 ± 0.17 and 0.02 ± 0.1 s), 15 m sprint (0.009 ± 0.15 and 0.08 ± 0.2 s), countermovement jump (CMJ) height (230 ± 150 and 340 ± 390 cm), CMJ absolute peak power (158.5 ± 69.6 and 235.6 ± 229.6 N), CMJ relative peak power (3.46 ± 4.1 and 2.68 ± 1.4 N·kg -1 )), and plyometric push-up peak relative power (20.5 ± 13.4 and 15.2 ± 13.5 N). There were no between-group differences except for TRAD recording slightly greater improvements in 1RM Trap bar deadlift (Bayes factor [BF 10 ] = 1.210). Complex contrast training completed sessions on average ∼7 minutes quicker than TRAD (BF 10 = 5.722), while both groups reporting similar ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) with CCT (± SD ) 58.4 ± 6.7 minutes and TRAD 65.5 ± 4.8. Based on the results, CCT training provides the same performance outcomes as traditional training methods across a period of 8 weeks, while taking less time to achieve these outcomes and with similar RPE.

Intervention Accuracy and Perception of Fatigue in State-Level Australian Football Umpires

This investigation examined intervention accuracy and perception of fatigue associated with umpiring state-level Australian Rules football (AF). 39 field umpires (Age: 25.2 ± 6.8 y, Body Mass: 74.6 ± 7.9 kg, Height: 178.9 ± 7.4 cm) employed by the Western Australian Football Commission, were recruited. Intervention accuracy (whether given free kicks were correct) was analysed post-event by the lead investigator using footage of the matches, with two umpire coaches being used for reliability. Perception of fatigue was assessed pre- and post-match using a questionnaire. Data was collected in 22 Western Australian Football League matches in the 2023 season. 384 free kicks were recorded, with 343 correct and 41 incorrect decisions. Each umpire awarded 9.8 ± 3.8 free-kicks, with a distribution of correct-to-incorrect being 8.8 ± 3.2 to 1.1 ± 1.1 free-kicks per match. Intervention accuracy was 89.3 ± 10.4% correct. Significant decline in intervention accuracy between first and second half (W = .931, p = .021) was found. No significant declines in intervention accuracy between quarters were observed. Perception of fatigue was unchanged across matches ( p = .074). Our results demonstrate that umpires are generally accurate when adjudicating free kicks but said accuracy declines across a match. The results of this study, provide important insight on free-kick accuracy and perception of fatigue in state-level AF umpires, and may help regulatory bodies designing strategies to improve umpiring outcomes.

The Determinants of Maximal Speed Adaptation During Preseason in Subelite Female Australian Rules Footballers.

Maximal speed is an important physical-fitness attribute for female Australian footballers. The effects of sprint training, maximal strength, and technical training have been reported in laboratory studies. However, no study has determined the combined effect and relative contribution of these training modalities on maximal speed adaptation in situ. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the training factors affecting maximal speed adaptation during a preseason in subelite female Australian Rules footballers. Maximal speed during field training, predicted 1-repetition maximum (1RM) for box squat and hip thrust, and sprint biomechanics were assessed during early and late preseason (∼9wk apart) in 15 female subelite Australian Rules Football players (age 20 [3]y). On-field training volume and intensity (total distance, high-speed running, very-high-speed running, and maximal speed) were determined using a Global Positioning System. A multivariate regression model was used to determine the factors associated with changes in maximal speed across the preseason. The preseason training program had a small effect on maximal speed and large to very large effects on strength and sprint biomechanics. The multivariate regression with the greatest fit (P < .001, R2 = .939) included change in estimated 1RM box squat (β = -0.63), total distance per week (β = -0.55), and change in hip projection (β = 0.16) as factors. Multivariate regression of biomechanical factors (P = .044, R2 = .717) and maximal strength factors (P = .003, R2 = .676) were also significant. The development of maximal speed across a preseason is dependent on (1)total distance per week, (2)maximal strength adaptation, and (3)sprint technique adaptation in female subelite Australian rules football players.

Relationship Between Hip and Groin Pain and Hip Range of Motion in Amateur Soccer and Australian Rules Football Players

Background: The relationship between hip/groin pain and hip range of motion (ROM) is unclear. Purpose: To explore the relationship between hip/groin pain and hip joint ROM and examine the influence of sex and cam morphology on this relationship. Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Included were 184 amateur soccer and Australian Rules football players (276 hips; 20% women; median age, 26 years; interquartile range, 24-30 years) with hip/groin pain &gt;6 months and a positive flexion-adduction-internal-rotation (FADIR) test, and 50 matched asymptomatic control players (98 hips; 28% women, median age, 26 years; interquartile range, 23-31 years). Hip ROM measures were flexion, internal and external rotation at 90° of hip flexion, total rotation (internal and external), and bent-knee fall out (BKFO). Cam morphology was determined from anteroposterior pelvis or 45° Dunn radiographs, defined by an alpha angle ≥60°. Linear regression models with generalized estimating equations were used to examine the relationship between group (symptomatic and asymptomatic) and each ROM measure. Interaction terms (group × cam morphology or group × sex) were included to examine if relationships between group and hip ROM were influenced by cam morphology or sex. Where appropriate, models were adjusted for sex, age, and cam morphology. Results: An interaction between the relationship between group × cam and internal rotation ROM was found. Symptomatic players with cam morphology had lower internal rotation ROM than controls with cam morphology (adjusted mean difference [AMD] = −4.5°; 95% CI, −7.4° to −1.6°). Hip/groin pain was not associated with internal rotation ROM if cam morphology was absent. A significant interaction was also found for group × sex and BKFO and total rotation ROM. Symptomatic women had lower total rotation ROM than control women (AMD = −8.2°; 95% CI, −14.1° to −2.2°), but no difference was seen in men. BKFO range was lower in men with hip/groin pain compared with control men (AMD = 1.6 cm; 95% CI, 0.3-3.0 cm), but no difference was seen in women. Flexion and external rotation ROM did not differ between symptomatic and control hips. Conclusion: Cam morphology was an effect modifier of the relationship between hip/groin pain and internal rotation ROM. Sex-related differences were also observed in the relationship between hip/groin pain and hip ROM.

Familial Predisposition to Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries in Australian Rules Footballers

Familial Predisposition to Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries in Australian Rules Footballers

A retrospective evaluation of self-reported concussion history among male players drafted into professional Australian Rules Football

A retrospective evaluation of self-reported concussion history among male players drafted into professional Australian Rules Football

A survey of video-based human action recognition in team sports

Over the past few decades, numerous studies have focused on identifying and recognizing human actions using machine learning and computer vision techniques. Video-based human action recognition (HAR) aims to detect actions from video sequences automatically. This can cover simple gestures to complex actions involving multiple people interacting with objects. Actions in team sports exhibit a different nature compared to other sports, since they tend to occur at a faster pace and involve more human-human interactions. As a result, research has typically not focused on the challenges of HAR in team sports. This paper comprehensively summarises HAR-related research and applications with specific focus on team sports such as football (soccer), basketball and Australian rules football. Key datasets used for HAR-related team sports research are explored. Finally, common challenges and future work are discussed, and possible research directions identified.

Anaerobic and Aerobic Metabolic Capacities Contributing to Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Level 2 Test Performance in Australian Rules Footballers.

This study aimed to identify the aerobic and anaerobic metabolic performance capacities contributing to Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery level 2 (Yo-Yo IR2) test performance. Nineteen recreational Australian footballers completed a Yo-Yo IR2 test, and on another day a treadmill peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) and maximal accumulated oxygen deficit test in a randomised counter-balanced order. The maximal accumulated oxygen deficit (MAOD) procedures included 5 × 5 min sub-maximal continuous runs at progressively higher speeds whilst VO2 was recorded; thereafter, speed was incrementally increased to elicit VO2peak. After 35 min of rest, participants ran at a speed equivalent to 115% of VO2peak until exhaustion, at which point expired air was collected to determine maximal accumulated oxygen deficit. Relationships between variables were assessed using Pearson's correlation and partial correlations. Maximum aerobic speed, relative intensity, and VO2peak were significantly correlated with Yo-Yo IR2 performance. High Yo-Yo IR2 performers also had higher MAS, relative intensity, and VO2peak levels. However, when higher maximum aerobic speed, relative intensity, and VO2peak were controlled for each other and analysed independently, neither maximal aerobic speed nor VO2peak correlated with Yo-Yo IR2 performance. Yo-Yo IR2 performance is the result of a complex interaction between several variables. Training programs should primarily focus on improving VO2peak, maximal aerobic speed, and relative intensity to optimize Yo-Yo IR2 test performance.

Preseason and In-Season High-Speed Running Demands of 2 Professional Australian Rules Football Teams.

Australian Rules Football athletes complete long preseasons, yet injuries occur frequently at early stages of the competitive season. Little is known about the high-speed running (HSR) prescription during a preseason or whether players are adequately prepared for competition. This study described absolute and relative preseason and in-season HSR demands of 2 professional Australian football teams. HSR and sprinting volumes are significantly lower in elite Australian Rules football athletes during in-season compared with preseason. Cohort study. Level 3. During the 2019 season, HSR volume was collected for 2 professional Australian football teams (n = 55). Individual maximum speeds (Vmax) were captured to calculate relative running speed thresholds, as reported in 5% increments from 70%Vmax to 100%Vmax. Weekly volume of running above 70%Vmax (P = 0.01; r = 0.56) and 80%Vmax (P = 0.01; r = 0.58) was significantly greater in the preseason than the in-season. The weekly volume completed above 90%Vmax was not significantly greater in the preseason than the in-season (P = 0.10; r = 0.22). Individual variation in the distance completed at specific percentages of Vmax expressed as a coefficient of variation was reported as 51% at 71% to 80%Vmax, 39% at 81% to 90%Vmax, and 41% at 91% to 100%Vmax. The volume of HSR completed by athletes is far greater in the initial 4 weeks of the preseason than in any other point in preseason or competitive phases. At the individual level, there is substantial variation in the distance covered. This supports the concept of a heavily individualized approach to high-speed prescription and monitoring. Practitioners should carefully consider individual variation regarding sprinting volume during both preseason and in-season when prescribing and monitoring training to improve on-field performance and reduce the risk of injury.

Sport and longevity: an observational study of international athletes.

The human lifespan is influenced by various factors, with physical activity being a significant contributor. Despite the clear benefit of exercise on health and longevity, the association between different types of sports and lifespan is yet to be considered. Accordingly, we aimed to study this association in a large international cohort of former athletes using a robust linear regression model. We collected data on athletes from public sources, accumulating a total of 95,210 observations, 95.5% of which were accounted for by males. The dataset represented athletes born between 1862 and 2002 from 183 countries across 44 sports disciplines. We calculated the change in lifespan by measuring the difference in age between athletes and the corresponding reference populations, while accounting for variations caused by sex, year of death, and country. The results revealed that various sports impacted lifespan differently, with male athletes being more likely to experience benefits from sports than female athletes. Among male athletes, pole vaulting and gymnastics were linked to the highest extension in lifespan (8.4years, 95% CI [6.8, 9.9] and 8.2years, 95% CI [7.4, 9], respectively), while volleyball and sumo wrestling were the most negatively associated with lifespan (- 5.4years, 95% CI [- 7, - 3.8]; - 9.8years, 95% CI [- 11, - 8.6], respectively). The association between lifespan and popular team sports in males was positive for cricket, rowing, baseball, water polo, Australian rules, hurling, lacrosse, field hockey, minimal for rugby, canoeing and kayaking, basketball, gridiron football, and football (soccer), and negative for handball and volleyball. Racquet sports (i.e., tennis and badminton) exhibited a consistent and positive association in both male and female athletes, as shown by an extended lifespan of up to 5.7years in males (95% CI [5, 6.5]) and 2.8years in females (95% CI [1.8, 3.9]). Although lacking conclusive evidence, we theorize that the observed results may be attributed to the aerobic and anaerobic characteristics of each sport, with mixed sports yielding the maximum benefits for the lifespan. While results from female athletes should be cautiously interpreted, our study highlights the complex interplay between sports and lifespan and contributes to the growing body of knowledge on the multifaceted relationship between physical activity and human longevity.

A two-year examination of the relation between internal and external load and heart rate variability in Australian Rules Football

ABSTRACT The relationship between heart rate variability (HRV) and training load in team-sport is unknown. We therefore assessed relations between completed training-load in the previous 1-, 3- and 7-days and waking HRV in professional Australian Rules Football. Linear-mixed models analysed changes in HRV, considering training load from the previous 1-, 3- and 7-days. Total Distance (TD), distance >14.4 km ‧ h−1 (HSR) and >24.9 km ‧ h−1 (Sprint-Distance), duration >85% max heart rate and Rating of Perceived Exertion were included as independent variables. Sub-group analysis of season-phase and years of professional experience was also conducted. Increased three-day Sprint-Distance reduced HRV in the first 8-weeks of pre-season (−13.1 ms, p = 0.03) and across the data collection period (−3.75 ms, p = 0.01). In first-year players, higher previous-day (−63.3 ms, p=0.04) and seven-day TD (−38.2 ms, p = 0.02) reduced HRV, whilst higher seven-day HSR increased HRV (34.5 ms, p = 0.01). In players with five-to-seven years of professional experience, higher three-day (−14.4 ms, p = 0.02) and seven-day TD (−15.7 ms, p = 0.01) reduced HRV, while higher three-day HSR increased HRV (12.5 ms, p = 0.04). In players with greater than eight years of professional experience, higher previous-day Sprint-Distance reduced HRV (−13.1 ms, p < 0.008). Completed training load across the previous 7-days influences HRV, but the relation between variables is complex and influenced by professional experience and season-phase.

#Sportsball anti-fandom as identity performance on X: The case of Australian Football League Women's (AFLW)

This article identifies a novel form of sports anti-fan identity present amongst X (formerly Twitter) followers of The Australian Football League Women's (AFLW) competition – #sportsball fans – whose nascent attachment to women's Australian Rules football is publicly performed as an ironically detached becoming-a-fan-ness, often rooted in a self-identified, pre-existing aversion to both sport and sports fandom. The term #sportsball serves as a shorthand for these types of new fan identities, for whom ironic distancing and expressions of surprise at their sudden affective attachment to football serve as a bridging device for traversing different textualities, for protecting the curated online self, and for managing expectations within pre-existing online communities. Identified via a corpus-assisted discourse studies (CADS) analysis of 71,332 posts drawn from official match day hashtags for the AFLW's inaugural 2017 season, #sportsball fans represent a significant contribution to our understanding of mediated fan practices and online identity construction.

Reliability of lower limb strength assessment in female team sport athletes

BackgroundLower limb injury rates have increased dramatically in line with increased female sport participation levels. Muscle strength is a modifiable lower limb injury risk factor, guiding performance monitoring and rehabilitation. ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to investigate the test-retest reliability of isokinetic and isometric lower limb peak torque to body mass of muscles acting on the hip, knee, and ankle in female team sport athletes. It was hypothesised the test-retest reliability would be good (intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) ≥ 0.75). MethodsThirty-eight female athletes (Australian Rules Football = 18, netball = 12, soccer = 8) aged 16–35 years participated in this study. Participants performed isokinetic (60°/s and 120°/s) and isometric testing on a Biodex Isokinetic Dynamometer on three separate days. ResultsPoor to good reliability was demonstrated for all joint movements (ICC = 0.38–0.88) with small to moderate effect sizes (0.00–0.43) and typical errors (5.65–24.49). ConclusionDifferences in peak torque to body mass were observed between sessions one and two and/or one and three, demonstrating a learning effect. Therefore, three testing sessions, and/or the inclusion of a familiarisation session, is recommended for future assessments in populations unfamiliar with dynamometry.

The Double Folds of Racism and History

Abstract Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men have been overrepresented proportionately in specific sports—boxing, rugby league, and Australian rules football—that have been associated with concussion, but there is little written material, research, scholarship, commentary, or understanding about how they have been affected by traumatic brain injuries related to their participation. This article addresses this silence by examining two overlapping folds of history. The first fold explores the general silences about sport concussion that existed until recently. The second fold is centered on the traumatic consequences of colonization on the health and well-being of Australia's First Nations peoples. While the first silence is being addressed in a multitude of complex ways, the second silence remains a disturbing feature of contemporary sport. We argue that for the recognition, diagnoses, and treatment of concussion and brain injuries in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, there needs to be an appreciation of the continuing consequences of colonization and significant changes in the Western health system.

The Eye in the Sky—A Method to Obtain On-Field Locations of Australian Rules Football Athletes

The ability to overcome an opposition in team sports is reliant upon an understanding of the tactical behaviour of the opposing team members. Recent research is limited to a performance analysts’ own playing team members, as the required opposing team athletes’ geolocation (GPS) data are unavailable. However, in professional Australian rules Football (AF), animations of athlete GPS data from all teams are commercially available. The purpose of this technical study was to obtain the on-field location of AF athletes from animations of the 2019 Australian Football League season to enable the examination of the tactical behaviour of any team. The pre-trained object detection model YOLOv4 was fine-tuned to detect players, and a custom convolutional neural network was trained to track numbers in the animations. The object detection and the athlete tracking achieved an accuracy of 0.94 and 0.98, respectively. Subsequent scaling and translation coefficients were determined through solving an optimisation problem to transform the pixel coordinate positions of a tracked player number to field-relative Cartesian coordinates. The derived equations achieved an average Euclidean distance from the athletes’ raw GPS data of 2.63 m. The proposed athlete detection and tracking approach is a novel methodology to obtain the on-field positions of AF athletes in the absence of direct measures, which may be used for the analysis of opposition collective team behaviour and in the development of interactive play sketching AF tools.

Comparing the healthy development of youth Australian Rules Footballers across talent development and community settings

ObjectivesThis study aimed to compare talent development athletes to community-level athletes in Australian Rules Football across various markers of healthy youth development.MethodsSurvey data were collected from 363 youth athletes (126...

REGULAR LOW-DOSE CAFFEINE SUPPLEMENTATION DURING TRAINING DOES NOT PROVIDE ADDITIONAL BENEFIT TO SUBSEQUENT EXERCISE PERFORMANCE IN AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL ATHLETES

INTRODUCTION &amp; AIMS Acute caffeine supplementation can improve exercise types like those completed by Australian Rules football (ARF) players during training. Hypothetically athletes could implement caffeine supplementation prior to training, allowing them to complete more training volume, improving adaptation and subsequent exercise performance. This study aimed to investigate the effect of regular low-dose caffeine ingestion pre-training during a training block on subsequent exercise performance. METHODS Twenty-nine male semi-professional ARF players were randomly allocated to a caffeine or placebo group. The four-week intervention period involved participants ingesting 2 mg·kg·BM-1 of caffeine or a placebo 60 min prior to two of their three weekly training sessions, which incorporated sport-specific conditioning and skills training. To assess exercise performance, a battery of tests was used before and after the intervention period including the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 2 (YYIRT2), 20 m sprint and vertical jump (VJ). Performance differences were assessed using a linear mixed-effect model. RESULTS Mean session rating of perceived exertion (p = .24) and total training load (p =.53) were not different between caffeine and placebo groups over the intervention. There were no significant time x condition interaction effects for YYIRT2 accumulated distance (p = .87), or 5, 10 and 20 m sprint times (p =.06 - .44), however both caffeine and placebo groups improved YYIRT2 distance and sprint times following four weeks of training (p &amp;lt; 0.01). There was a significant effect for time showing decreased VJ performance (p &amp;lt; 0.01), with greater reductions in the placebo group (p = .03). CONCLUSION It is more beneficial to implement an effective training program for athletes rather than focusing effort on regular low-dose caffeine supplementation to augment the training stimulus. The training stimulus itself is typically greater for developing endurance and sprint effort performance, with supplemental caffeine showing no additional performance benefit.

Disruptions to sleep and circadian rhythms are associated with poorer athlete mental health in female, but not male, elite Australian Rules footballers.

Elite athletes are vulnerable to sleep and circadian disruption and associated mental health symptoms. This study aimed to investigate sex differences in sleep, circadian rhythms, and mental health, as well as the moderating role of sex in the prediction of mental health, among male professional and female semi-professional elite athletes. Participants were 87 elite Australian Rules football (ARF) athletes (43% female; mean [standard deviation] age 24.0 [4.1] years). Participants completed baseline questionnaires, 2 weeks of sleep/wake monitoring via actigraphy, and a circadian phase assessment (dim-light melatonin onset [DLMO]). Cross-sectional data were collected in training-only Australian Football League (AFL) Men's and Women's pre-season periods, with 53 providing data in two pre-seasons. Female athletes, relative to males, reported poorer mental health (a higher athlete psychological strain score), had a later mid-sleep time (by 28 min), reported a greater preference towards eveningness, and displayed a later circadian phase (by 33 min). For female athletes, lower sleep efficiency and lower sleep regularity were associated with poorer mental health. For female athletes, there were U-shaped relationships between both morningness-eveningness and phase angle (interval between sleep onset and DLMO time) and mental health. No significant relationships were found for male athletes. In summary, elite female ARF athletes reported poorer mental health, relative to males, especially when experiencing sleep or circadian disruption. Lifestyle factors associated with sex differences in ARF professionalism (scheduling, finances, supports) may contribute to these findings. Programmes to improve sleep, circadian alignment, and mental health among female semi-professional elite athletes should be strongly considered.