TABLE 2.
Comparison of activity demands between trial and in-season matches in semi-professional, male, rugby league players (n = 39).
| Outcome variable | Marginal mean ± SE |
Statistical comparison |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trial | In-season | β (95% CI) | p | d, interpretation | |
| Playing duration (min) | 50.3 ± 2.2 | 63.1 ± 3.5 | 12.8 (8.2, 17.5) | < 0.001* | 0.64, moderate |
| Total distance (m) | 4266 ± 193 | 5477 ± 308 | 1,211 (812, 1,610) | < 0.001* | 0.69, moderate |
| Average speed (m · min-1) | 85.5 ± 0.8 | 87.5 ± 0.9 | 1.9 (0.5, 3.4) | 0.008* | 0.31, small |
| HSR distance (m) | 306 ± 22 | 392 ± 34 | 86 (43, 129) | < 0.001* | 0.45, small |
| Relative HSR distance (m · min-1) | 6.02 ± 0.30 | 6.12 ± 0.30 | 0.09 (-0.42, 0.61) | 0.72 | 0.04, trivial |
| LSR distance (m) | 3957 ± 177 | 5086 ± 283 | 1,129 (759, 1,500) | < 0.001* | 0.70, moderate |
| Relative LSR distance (m · min-1) | 79.4 ± 0.9 | 81.3 ± 1.0 | 2.0 (0.6, 3.2) | 0.005* | 0.31, small |
| Peak speed (m · s-1) | 7.63 ± 0.11 | 7.75 ± 0.09 | 0.12 (-0.03, 0.26) | 0.11 | 0.17, trivial |
| Impacts (count) | 13.3 ± 0.9 | 15.2 ± 1.2 | 2.0 (-0.1, 4.0) | 0.06 | 0.25, small |
| Relative impacts (count · min-1) | 0.29 ± 0.02 | 0.26 ± 0.02 | -0.02 (-0.06, 0.02) | 0.27 | -0.13, trivial |
| Accelerations (count) | 210 ± 9 | 265 ± 15 | 55 (35, 75) | < 0.001* | 0.65, moderate |
| Relative accelerations (count · min-1) | 4.32 ± 0.11 | 4.30 ± 0.12 | -0.02 (-0.15, 0.12) | 0.80 | -0.02, trivial |
| High-intensity accelerations (count) | 45.5 ± 2.0 | 54.6 ± 2.8 | 9.1 (4.6, 13.6) | < 0.001* | 0.51, small |
| Relative high-intensity accelerations (count · min-1) | 0.95 ± 0.04 | 0.91 ± 0.04 | -0.04 (-0.09, 0.01) | 0.15 | -0.15, trivial |
| Decelerations (count) | 205 ± 9 | 260 ± 14 | 55 (35, 75) | < 0.001* | 0.67, moderate |
| Relative decelerations (count · min-1) | 4.20 ± 0.10 | 4.21 ± 0.11 | 0.01 (-0.12, 0.14) | 0.87 | 0.02, trivial |
| High-intensity decelerations (count) | 56.7 ± 2.5 | 69.2 ± 3.8 | 12.5 (7.0, 18.0) | < 0.001* | 0.56, small |
| Relative high-intensity decelerations (count · min-1) | 1.19 ± 0.05 | 1.17 ± 0.06 | -0.03 (-0.09, 0.03) | 0.41 | -0.07, trivial |
Note: Comparisons are presented as in-season match vs. trial match (reference category). Player entered as random effect and match type entered as fixed effect with team used as a covariate in linear mixed models.
*
denotes significant difference with alpha set at < 0.05.
Abbreviations: SE = standard error; β = unstandardized regression coefficient; CI = confidence intervals; HSR = High speed running (> 18 km · h-1); LSR = low speed running (< 18 km · h-1).