Using cooperative networks to analyse behaviour in professional Australian Football. Issue 3 (March 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sheehan, William B.; Tribolet, Rhys; Watsford, Mark L.; Novak, Andrew R.; Rennie, Michael J.; Fransen, Job
• Is Part Of: Journal of science and medicine in sport. Volume 23:Issue 3(2020)
• Page Start: 291
• Page End: 296
• Publication Date: 2020-03
• Subjects: Performance analysis -- Tactics -- Social network -- Player interaction -- Principal component analysis; Sports sciences -- Periodicals; Sports medicine -- Periodicals; Exercise -- Physiological aspects -- Periodicals; Sports -- physiology -- Periodicals; Sports Medicine -- Periodicals; Sportgeneeskunde; 617.102705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jsams.2019.09.012
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1440-2440

Abstract

Abstract: Objectives: Reducing the dimensionality of commonly reported complex network characteristics obtained from Australian Football League (AFL) games to facilitate their practical use and interpretability. Design: Retrospective longitudinal design where individual players' interactions, determined through the distribution and receipt of kicks and handballs, during official AFL games were collected over three seasons. Methods: A principal component analysis was used to reduce the number of characteristics related to the cooperative network analysis. Results: The principal component analysis derived two individual-based principal components pertaining to in- and out-degree importance and three team-based principal components related to connectedness and in- and out-degree centralisation. Conclusions: This study is the first to provide a simplified, novel method for analysing complex network structures in an Australian Football context with both the team- and individual-derived metrics revealing useful information for coaches and practitioners. This may consequently guide opposition analysis, training implementation, player performance ratings and player selection.