Some of Australia’s best young footballers are being put to the ultimate test at the Australian Football League’s Draft Combine at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) this week in Canberra.

The AIS is hosting the AFL’s Draft Combine (formerly known as ‘Camp’) for the 12th year, which is testament to the reputation and success of the Institute as the nation’s centre for elite athlete development.

AIS sports scientists are assisting the AFL in testing and assessing the skills and ability of more than 100 talented footballers as part of this year’s combine and their potential to play at the code’s top level.

The AFL is looking for a combination of athletic ability, skills and mental toughness needed to succeed at the AFL’s elite level.

This year AIS-AFL assistant coach Matthew Lloyd has helped devise a ‘clean hands test’ for monitoring marking and handballing skills. As part of this test, each player receives six takes (marks) and six handballs to various targets selected randomly by the assessor.  

 ‘The test looks for players with a clean take of the ball at varying heights, quick execution of a handpass with perfect spin and ability to reach the target,’ Lloyd said. 

‘The accurate execution of the fundamental skills of the game is still the key to success in AFL football, and the introduction of skills tests at the Draft Combine sends a message to all aspiring players: practice your hand and foot skills.’

The partnership between the AFL and the AIS continues to be invaluable in supporting the development of the Australia’s elite football talent.

The players are put through a variety of tests conducted by AIS sports scientists to assess their skills and abilities for AFL football, including:

• fitness assessments (height, skin folds, arm length, hand span)
• psychomotor tests (reaction time, decision-making and peripheral awareness)
• sprint, agility, vertical jump testing
• shuttle run (the gruelling beep test)
• three-kilometre time trial.

The majority of 2011 AFL draftees will emerge from this talent pool.
 
The AIS is recognised for its cutting-edge sports science and technological innovation, making a significant contribution to Australia’s sporting success, which includes identifying and developing the nation’s best football talent through the AIS-AFL Academy.