ABSTRACT
The Australian Football League (AFL) National Draft Camp annually screens approximately 70 of the most talented young players in the country on a variety of measures, such as basic anthropometry, physical fitness, psychomotor ability and psychological aptitude. To date, some association between an athlete's performance during the Draft Camp and their subsequent likelihood of being drafted has been established (Pyne et al., 2005). Additionally, it is also recognised that playing position may influence the Draft Camp test performance (Pyne et al.,2006). With such predictors evident, Weston et al., (2007) examined whether test performances during the Draft Camp may also predict future career success (determined as playing >40 games in the AFL); with only weak associations evident. Despite this, Weston et al., (2007) did not consider positional roles when assessing the relationship between Draft Camp performance and subsequent career success. As such, this investigation aimed to assess the association between AFL Draft Camp test scores and being drafted, draft position, number of games played and career success of drafted players (including those still playing), with players separated into positional categories.
