Sports Does AFL require more physical endurance than soccer?

[vivien]

Im just wondering which one?

 

[Lazarus]

AFL easily. 3 reasons:
1) Longer games
2) Bigger playing field
3) Positions are less defined

 

[pacemaker]

Yes AFL because of this ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[lions_den]

AFL easily. 3 reasons:
1) Longer games
2) Bigger playing field
3) Positions are less defined

4) Pacemaker's sister

 

[Caesar]

It did before unlimited interchanges.

 

[crowsarethebest]

I've played both sports... and I'd say soccer need more endurance. AFL is more of a 'burst' sport due to the stoppages while soccer is more of continuous running at one pace. Sometimes you might go for a sprint in soccer but AFL is more 'burst' than soccer. Generally soccer players have higher beep testing results as well.

 

[vapid1]

i remember watchin a game where buckley ran something like 20km+ .. no other football code in the world can compare with that.

 

[Caesar]

i remember watchin a game where buckley ran something like 20km+ .. no other football code in the world can compare with that.

It's not all about distance covered though. Footballers run further. Soccer players generally have better beep test results. Football has more physical tackling. Soccer has less interchanges. Football has a bigger field. Soccer has less players. Football has more burst play. Soccer has more continuous movement. And so on.

It's really hard to say.

 

[vivien]

Thanks! and how long is a break between a soccer game at half time?

 

[Caesar]

It used to be 10 minutes, but I'm pretty sure it was changed to 15 a couple of years ago (someone will have to confirm).

 

[Benno_900]

Half time break in soccer is 15 minutes.

Tough to say.

Although AFL players are interchanged more, in soccer, the team has to keep shape and formation so they are not required to run around as much as AFL players.

Soccer players are also capable of playing 60+ matches a season.

The better teams in soccer regularly play three games in 7-9 days. Breaks in between games can only be 2 days. It's incredible how many games they play a season and still show no signs of burnout. And after the season is finished, they go and play International football.

Compare that to AFL clubs who complain when they only get a 6 day break ... not sure if that means soccer matches require less endurance or soccer players are more fit (more likely the former).

 

[Shell]

Soccer players are also capable of playing 60+ matches a season.

).

I know their schedules are crazy imo. I have a friend over in England, massive Gunners fan- its almost like there isnt even an off season for that code, its played almost all year round.

 

[EaglesFlyingHigh]

Yes because of heavy physical contact.

I would say that soccer players would do the same amount of running though.

 

[Benno_900]

I know their schedules are crazy imo. I have a friend over in England, massive Gunners fan- its almost like there isnt even an off season for that code, its played almost all year round.

Yep, the EPL season runs from August to May (no breaks other than International breaks where most players are representing their countries anyway).

Offseason is supposed to be June and July but again many players are off representing their countries in World Cup / Continental Cup / Qualifiers.

And most pre-season matches start in mid-July.

 

[cannons]

I played both sports and found soccer much more demanding in terms of endurance. probably because of the 45 minute halves.

You also tend to be a lot more involved in the play because of the smaller pitch and the lesser number of players.

 

[footy_4_life]

It has already been said that footy is all about gut running and burts. Endurance is a bigger factor in soccer but soccer is pretty much the same pace for the entire game.

You are more fatigued in footy due to the burst running as apposed to the much more constant but far slower movement in soccer.

 

[vivien]

i think AFL because there are tackling and probably afl players are more fit as they are tank. Am i right?

 

[samuel2003]

AFL easily. 3 reasons:
1) Longer games
2) Bigger playing field
3) Positions are less defined

*afl games dont go for longer as a game goes for 80 minutes, it is pointless to count breaks and disruptions as players arent actually playing in those situations. A soccer game can go from at least 90 to 120 mins
*there are 18 players onfield so it is more appropriatly obvious to have a larger field

 

[samuel2003]

i remember watchin a game where buckley ran something like 20km+ .. no other football code in the world can compare with that.

sure but that probably will never happen again, whereas in soccer the average distance ran by a player is from 7km to 13km

 

[samuel2003]

Thanks! and how long is a break between a soccer game at half time?

15 mins

 

[phantom13]

Think "physical endurance" is a little too vague. Cardiovascular endurance would be soccer hands down. Dudes are constantly moving but more around the 70-80% of max HR, AFL is burst so probably less total KM's but more at 90% max HR, however "physical" implies more muscle endurance which given the much more physical nature of Aussie Rules would make AFL easily the more demanding sport. This is abit like asking who is fitter, a marathon runner or a powerlifter, theyre going to flog each other in certain areas and the question cant be answered.

 

[kaiserchief13]

Endurance yes physical no

 

[Quixote]

My money is on soccer, there's is much less rest time during play and no interchange as such.
Also, I played just one full game of competitive soccer as an adult and I was cooked hard. Never remembered footy being that demanding on a cardio level.

 

[perthblue]

It's not all about distance covered though. Footballers run further. Soccer players generally have better beep test results. Football has more physical tackling. Soccer has less interchanges. Football has a bigger field. Soccer has less players. Football has more burst play. Soccer has more continuous movement. And so on.

It's really hard to say.

Yeah this.

At the highest level though, I'd say soccer purely because of the amount of games they have to play. League games + cup games + continental games + International duty. crazy schedule. Off-season is much shorter than AFL too.

 

[M Malice]

The physical one on one contested possession battle in Australian Rules really takes it out of you, in soccer most of the time if there's any sort of physical contact one of them falls over like a feather and writhes in agony like they have been shot.

Using strength and endurance at the same time tips the scales in Aussie Rules favour IMO.