Does game-day circadian misalignment or environmental temperature influence team performance in the Australian Football League? An examination of historical data

• Published in: Journal of science and medicine in sport 2022-07, Vol.25 (7), p.593-598
• Main Authors: Roberts, Spencer S.H., Bowe, Steven J., Evans, Lauren, Tran, Jacqueline, Warmington, Stuart
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Archives & records; Athletes; Australian football; Body temperature; Circadian rhythm; Climate; Exercise; Football; Heat; Heat acclimatisation; Home advantage; Humans; Team Sports; Temperature; Time; Travel; Victoria
• ISSN: 1440-2440; 1878-1861
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jsams.2022.03.001

Examine Australian Football League results for evidence that game-day circadian misalignment or environmental temperature influence games with competing teams from each of Western Australia and Victoria. Retrospective observational study. Data were obtained for games (n = 791) contested by Western Australian and Victorian teams; including game location, start time, and outcome. Start times were categorised as afternoon, twilight, or night. Game-day maximum temperature (°C) for afternoon games was obtained from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology. Mixed effects generalised linear models examined evidence for a circadian advantage to Victorian teams in afternoon games, and to Western Australian teams in night games. Models examined evidence for an advantage to Western Australian teams as game-day temperature increases. Odds of winning and point margin for home games played in the afternoon, twilight, and night, were not different between Victorian and Western Australian teams (p > 0.05). For afternoon games, each 1 °C increase in temperature improved odds of Western Australian teams winning by 11% (p