Exploration of a novel tackle mechanics framework in junior Australian football

Tackling is the skill in junior Australian football (AF) most associated with injury, although it has previously been poorly described. A detailed tackle mechanics framework was designed for junior AF and applied across a total of eight hundred (n = 800) randomly selected tackles (n = 100 per age-group; under [U]9-14) from twenty-eight (n = 28) games. Generalised linear models were developed to evaluate how variables changed across age (boy's only) or between sexes (matched for age). Ball-carrier and tackler speeds, jumper/arm hold tackles, second motion movements, ball-carrier head contact on the ground, and players landing on their side all increased with age (all P < 0.05). However, younger players experienced landing on their front or back, and tackler head contact as often as older players (both P > 0.05), with young players less likely to dispose of the ball (P = 0.005). Compared to boys, girls exhibited slower tackler speeds, ball-carriers remained standing more often, and more ball-carriers dropped the ball or were held up (all P < 0.05). Given these results, policy makers may consider investing in targeted coaching or umpiring intervention to improve adherence and familiarity to the modified tackle rules. Girls may also benefit from the introduction of modified tackling rules to their pathway to enhance confidence and skill learning.