Mental fatigue, skill performance and activity profile in elite male Australian Football match play

The aim of this study was to identify relationships between mental fatigue (MF), match activity profile and skill execution in elite Australian Football (AF) match play. Thirty-nine elite male AF athletes (24.6 ± 4.5y) rated their MFs on a visual analogue scale on each training day of a 25 week, 23 match seasons. Match activity profile was measured by global navigation satellite system (GNSS) and match statistics measured by official Australian Football League (AFL) statistics in 23 AFL matches. Match statistics were coded based on an offensive or defensive skill and association with positive or negative outcomes. Linear mixed models were used to determine relationships between weekly median MF, measures of match activity profile and match statistics. Increased MF was significantly associated with decreased match running intensity, low velocity running intensity and PlayerLoad™ intensity (all p < 0.001). Increased MF was associated with increased handballs per match (p = 0.02), but no other individual skill measure. There was no impact of MF on positive or negative skill outcome, nor offensive or defensive skill types. Increased subjective MF during a week modifies activity profile but not skill performance in elite AF match-play.