Does it mean anything? I remember arguing about this with our favourite London based friend, and eventually agreeing to disagree... But today there was an article in the Sunday times today backing me up. I realise that it's biased towards WA players, but is there a basis to it beyond that?
Here's the article-
***********************************************
Footy stars winged in their prime by excessive plane travel, says doctor
By Kim Hagdorn
Saturday, August 05, 2000
RETIRING West Coast Eagles champion Guy McKenna would have achieved his 300-game dream if not for excessive travel, according to an internationally acclaimed sports medicine authority.
Dr Ken Fitch, who is also club doctor with the West Coast Eagles, believes that rigorous travel is reducing the careers of WA's AFL stars.
''Hopping on an aeroplane every fortnight and heading to the other side of the country takes a significant toll on the body of elite athletes in such a physical contact sport,'' Fitch said.
''I'd say, conservatively, it reduces their playing time by 10 to 15 per cent. I have no doubt Guy McKenna would have reached his 300 games without the heavy travelling schedule.''
McKenna succumbed to chronic back pain to end one of modern football's most distinguished careers.
At an emotional retirement announcement last week, the Eagles captain confessed that travelling contributed to him pulling the plug ''two years ahead of plan''.
Like so many of his team-mates, McKenna scaled football's highest mountain. But the legacy of travelling around the country every fortnight in a still-evolving national competition has taken a heavy toll on the Eagles.
McKenna joins a succession of stars who appeared to end their careers ahead of schedule, enhancing fears of the eternal travel bug.
The list includes courageous forward Brett Heady, rovers Don Pyke and Tony Evans, star full-forward Peter Sumich, champion winger Chris Mainwaring and robust forward Karl Langdon.
Fitch believes a similar fate awaits Fremantle as senior Dockers enter the twilight of lengthy careers.
Even in the 1992 and 1994 premiership years, Fitch says the Eagles suffered unexpected late-season losses because of travel fatigue.
He believes this season's trendsetter Essendon would be nursing more injuries if burdened with similar travel rosters as West Coast and Fremantle.
The tearaway premiership favourite played just four games outside Melbourne during the minor round, as did second-placed Carlton.
''Kevin Sheedy's Essendon could not possibly have avoided a heavier injury toll and more match losses if loaded with a similar travel schedule,'' Fitch said.
''There's no question that Essendon would be extremely vulnerable at this time of year if they had to contend with the amount of travel our WA teams cope with. Travel at high altitude has the worst-possible effect on players contending with injury immediately following a match.''
Fitch estimates that up to two days of rehabilitation time is lost on players nursing leg and soft tissue injuries after a four-hour return flight to Perth.
John Worsfold, a dual Eagles premiership captain and current Carlton assistant coach, is aware of the travel toll on modern-day footballers.
Worsfold's move to the Blues has hammered home the benefits of playing a majority of games in the one city.
''There's no doubt the travel takes a toll on players,'' Worsfold said.
''Since crossing to Carlton and living in Melbourne, it has hit home what we went through at the Eagles. Melbourne (based) players definitely claim they are more mentally fatigued and weary after an interstate game. At the Eagles I just always took that feeling for granted.''
His former teammate Heady, who ended his 150-game career because of serious back trouble, is reluctant to blame travel for his premature retirement.
He says travelling as a team enhanced a tight-knit camaraderie that was a hallmark of the Eagles' success in the trailblazing days of the early 1990s.
''You'd walk down the steps at Perth airport on a Saturday or Sunday night after a game feeling very stiff and sore,'' Heady said.
''It would take a day or two more to recover, but that was a strength within our team. We were all in it together and whatever had to be done to achieve success was done without complaint.''
Mainwaring retired last year following a lengthy battle with a horrific knee injury sustained four years ago.
''We did it hard by comparison to other AFL teams,'' he said.
''I'm not sure so much that it was a travel factor in shortening some careers. I reckon we had a bunch of tough, hard ball players who never flinched in giving everything they possibly could to lift a club into a position of respect. That, more than the travel, probably took a lot out of bodies and minds in the end.''
Dual premiership player Peter Wilson started at Richmond in 1987 before returning home to WA to join the Eagles when Mick Malthouse was appointed coach in 1990. Travelling to and from Melbourne never fazed the colourful forward, who escaped home-game hassles when on the road.
''Playing at home you had all the hassles of tickets for family and friends, getting your kids to a creche and added pressures associated with a match in Perth,'' Wilson said.
''Coming back from Melbourne, though, definitely hindered your recovery for next week. You probably lost 12 to 24 hours of quality recovery time in travelling back straight after an away match.''
After three years with Essendon, two at Port Adelaide and now two with the Eagles, goal ace Scott Cummings has experienced a broad spectrum of AFL travel.
''A four-hour plane flight back to Perth after a hectic game of footy is certainly a shock to the system,'' the 114-game veteran said.
''Sometimes it seems to take two days to recover after games away from Perth. The trip from Adelaide to Melbourne, being only about an hour, was nothing.''
Cummings believes the difference in playing for the Eagles, compared to a Melbourne club, would ''certainly shorten a player's survival''.
*************************************************
There was also a discussion on radio over here, on whether the number of games required to become an AFL life member should be decreased to 250 from 300. Because the intensity and professionalism has increased so greatly in the last decade or so, less players will make it to the 300 game milestone.
Worth considering or not?
Here's the article-
***********************************************
Footy stars winged in their prime by excessive plane travel, says doctor
By Kim Hagdorn
Saturday, August 05, 2000
RETIRING West Coast Eagles champion Guy McKenna would have achieved his 300-game dream if not for excessive travel, according to an internationally acclaimed sports medicine authority.
Dr Ken Fitch, who is also club doctor with the West Coast Eagles, believes that rigorous travel is reducing the careers of WA's AFL stars.
''Hopping on an aeroplane every fortnight and heading to the other side of the country takes a significant toll on the body of elite athletes in such a physical contact sport,'' Fitch said.
''I'd say, conservatively, it reduces their playing time by 10 to 15 per cent. I have no doubt Guy McKenna would have reached his 300 games without the heavy travelling schedule.''
McKenna succumbed to chronic back pain to end one of modern football's most distinguished careers.
At an emotional retirement announcement last week, the Eagles captain confessed that travelling contributed to him pulling the plug ''two years ahead of plan''.
Like so many of his team-mates, McKenna scaled football's highest mountain. But the legacy of travelling around the country every fortnight in a still-evolving national competition has taken a heavy toll on the Eagles.
McKenna joins a succession of stars who appeared to end their careers ahead of schedule, enhancing fears of the eternal travel bug.
The list includes courageous forward Brett Heady, rovers Don Pyke and Tony Evans, star full-forward Peter Sumich, champion winger Chris Mainwaring and robust forward Karl Langdon.
Fitch believes a similar fate awaits Fremantle as senior Dockers enter the twilight of lengthy careers.
Even in the 1992 and 1994 premiership years, Fitch says the Eagles suffered unexpected late-season losses because of travel fatigue.
He believes this season's trendsetter Essendon would be nursing more injuries if burdened with similar travel rosters as West Coast and Fremantle.
The tearaway premiership favourite played just four games outside Melbourne during the minor round, as did second-placed Carlton.
''Kevin Sheedy's Essendon could not possibly have avoided a heavier injury toll and more match losses if loaded with a similar travel schedule,'' Fitch said.
''There's no question that Essendon would be extremely vulnerable at this time of year if they had to contend with the amount of travel our WA teams cope with. Travel at high altitude has the worst-possible effect on players contending with injury immediately following a match.''
Fitch estimates that up to two days of rehabilitation time is lost on players nursing leg and soft tissue injuries after a four-hour return flight to Perth.
John Worsfold, a dual Eagles premiership captain and current Carlton assistant coach, is aware of the travel toll on modern-day footballers.
Worsfold's move to the Blues has hammered home the benefits of playing a majority of games in the one city.
''There's no doubt the travel takes a toll on players,'' Worsfold said.
''Since crossing to Carlton and living in Melbourne, it has hit home what we went through at the Eagles. Melbourne (based) players definitely claim they are more mentally fatigued and weary after an interstate game. At the Eagles I just always took that feeling for granted.''
His former teammate Heady, who ended his 150-game career because of serious back trouble, is reluctant to blame travel for his premature retirement.
He says travelling as a team enhanced a tight-knit camaraderie that was a hallmark of the Eagles' success in the trailblazing days of the early 1990s.
''You'd walk down the steps at Perth airport on a Saturday or Sunday night after a game feeling very stiff and sore,'' Heady said.
''It would take a day or two more to recover, but that was a strength within our team. We were all in it together and whatever had to be done to achieve success was done without complaint.''
Mainwaring retired last year following a lengthy battle with a horrific knee injury sustained four years ago.
''We did it hard by comparison to other AFL teams,'' he said.
''I'm not sure so much that it was a travel factor in shortening some careers. I reckon we had a bunch of tough, hard ball players who never flinched in giving everything they possibly could to lift a club into a position of respect. That, more than the travel, probably took a lot out of bodies and minds in the end.''
Dual premiership player Peter Wilson started at Richmond in 1987 before returning home to WA to join the Eagles when Mick Malthouse was appointed coach in 1990. Travelling to and from Melbourne never fazed the colourful forward, who escaped home-game hassles when on the road.
''Playing at home you had all the hassles of tickets for family and friends, getting your kids to a creche and added pressures associated with a match in Perth,'' Wilson said.
''Coming back from Melbourne, though, definitely hindered your recovery for next week. You probably lost 12 to 24 hours of quality recovery time in travelling back straight after an away match.''
After three years with Essendon, two at Port Adelaide and now two with the Eagles, goal ace Scott Cummings has experienced a broad spectrum of AFL travel.
''A four-hour plane flight back to Perth after a hectic game of footy is certainly a shock to the system,'' the 114-game veteran said.
''Sometimes it seems to take two days to recover after games away from Perth. The trip from Adelaide to Melbourne, being only about an hour, was nothing.''
Cummings believes the difference in playing for the Eagles, compared to a Melbourne club, would ''certainly shorten a player's survival''.
*************************************************
There was also a discussion on radio over here, on whether the number of games required to become an AFL life member should be decreased to 250 from 300. Because the intensity and professionalism has increased so greatly in the last decade or so, less players will make it to the 300 game milestone.
Worth considering or not?
