Laidley push for GPS technology in games
14 December 2006Herald-Sun
Damian Barrett
DEAN Laidley wants AFL match statistics to include players' heart rates and distance covered.
Hi-tech: Kangaroo Brent Harvey wears a GPS device during training at Arden St yesterday. Picture: Michael Klein
So impressed is the Roos coach with training-track data produced instantly via Global Positioning System (GPS) technology that he hopes the AFL allows it in games.
"To me, it is a natural next step with this technology," Laidley said. "It would benefit coaches and players. Instantly, we know how hard a player is working and has been working.
"We can get that information live from this system. We are not guessing on a player's work-rate or how much time he has spent in a particular (energy output) zone.
"As it stands, those types of judgments in a match are made by the eye.
"It would be great to remove that guesswork and go with the science that is readily available.
"We get marks, handballs and kicks as they happen, it would be great to also get the distance a player has covered, his heart rate, know his fatigue levels."
The Kangaroos have used the GPS devices during their intensive pre-season training.
Football clubs have been using GPS data for some years, but the Roos say their system, which instantly produces feedback, is a significant development.
Readings from a device attached to a player's arm are deciphered by a satellite and sent back to the player's wrist watch and computers operated by conditioning staff.
"We're getting the results in real time, we don't have to wait to download them," Laidley said.
"Straight away, we know who has done enough work in a session and who needs a bit more.
"We are well aware that we needed to get better in a lot of areas and this pursuit was one of those areas.
"With it, we believe we are preparing our players the best we can."
AFL football operations manager Adrian Anderson said several clubs provided matchday GPS data for annual research provided to the Laws of the Game Committee.
"It has been very useful in outlining player movement and emerging trends in the game," he said.
"It has shown us forwards and defenders are covering more ground, that midfielders are covering less ground but are covering that ground at a higher intensity.
"In terms of using the information as it happens in a match, we really haven't given a lot of thought to it."
G. Baker Y12PE_CH 5 Technology