VALIDATION OF THE MINIMAXX TACKLE DETECTION FEATURE

Tim Gabbett, PhD Brisbane Broncos Rugby League Football Club

Background * The high number of physical collisions and tackles performed by collision sport (e.g. rugby league, rugby union, Australian football) athletes significantly increases the demands of training and competition. * An understanding of these contact demands allows coaches to tailor training programs to ensure that players receive adequate recovery and are adequately prepared for competition. * The introduction of microtechnology (specifically accelerometers and gyroscopes) into the sporting environment has allowed the automatic coding of tackle events.

Aim * To perform an independent validation of the Logan Plus tackle detection feature for collision sports using the MinimaxX units.

Method * A total of 237 collision events (tackles, hit-ups, decoy runs, and support runs) were coded from training sessions and matches. * Collisions that were automatically recorded via the MinimaxX units were compared to those coded from video recordings of the tackle events.

Results * No significant (P>0.05) differences were detected in the number of mild, moderate, and heavy collisions detected via the MinimaxX units and those coded from video recordings of the events (Table 1). * A strong correlation (r = 0.96) was observed between collisions recorded via the MinimaxX units and those coded from video recordings of the events (Figure 1). * On average, a small (6.3%) difference was observed between the two collision detection methods.

For further information, please contact: Dr. Tim Gabbett Brisbane Broncos RLFC Email: timg@broncos.com.au

July 14, 2009

Table 1. Comparison of MinimaxX and video methods for recording mild, moderate, and heavy collisions. Mild MinimaxX 2.1 1 to 14 27 0.89 Moderate Video MinimaxX 3.1 3.4 1 to 15 1 to 16 37 41 0.97 Heavy MinimaxX 10.5 1 to 39 115 0.99

Collisions Mean Range Total Correlation

Video 2.2 1 to 10 28

Video 10.8 1 to 35 119

Figure 1. Comparison of MinimaxX and video methods for recording collisions. 40 r = 0.96

30 MinimaxX

20

10

0 0 10 20 Video 30 40

Summary * The MinimaxX units, in combination with the Logan Plus software, offer a valid method of detecting the contact demands of collision sports.

For further information, please contact: Dr. Tim Gabbett Brisbane Broncos RLFC Email: timg@broncos.com.au

July 14, 2009