title: A comparison of the physical and anthropometric qualities explanatory of talent in the elite junior Australian football development pathway.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the physical and anthropometric qualities explanatory of talent at two developmental levels in junior Australian football (AF).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional observational.
  
  
  METHODS
  From a total of 134 juniors, two developmental levels were categorised; U16 (n=50; 15.6±0.3 y), U18 (n=84; 17.4±0.5 y). Within these levels, two groups were a priori defined; talent identified (U16; n=25; 15.7±0.2 y; U18 n=42; 17.5±0.4 y), non-talent identified (U16; n=25; 15.6±0.4 y; U18; n=42; 17.3±0.6 y). Players completed seven physical and anthropometric assessments commonly utilised for talent identification in AF. Binary logistic regression models were built to identify the qualities most explanatory of talent at each level.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A combination of standing height, dominant leg dynamic vertical jump height and 20m sprint time provided the most parsimonious explanation of talent at the U16 level (AICc=60.05). At the U18 level, it was a combination of body mass and 20m sprint time that provided the most parsimonious explanation of talent (AICc=111.27).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite similarities, there appears to be distinctive differences in physical and anthropometric qualities explanatory of talent at the U16 and U18 level. Coaches may view physical and anthropometric qualities more (or less) favourably at different levels of the AF developmental pathway. Given these results, future work should implement a longitudinal design, as physical and/or anthropometric qualities may deteriorate (or emerge) as junior AF players develop.
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Sport and Exercise Science, James Cook University, Australia. Electronic address: carl.woods@jcu.edu.au.
authors.forename: Carl T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Woods
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, The University of Notre Dame, Australia.
authors.forename: Ashley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cripps
authors.affiliation: Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Edith Cowan University, Australia.
authors.forename: Luke
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hopper
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, The University of Notre Dame, Australia.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Joyce
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000886:Anthropometry; D001076:Aptitude; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D001315:Australia; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005538:Football / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models
keywords: Performance outcome assessments; Regression; Talent identification; Youth sport