SSA Vic & Tas September 2024 Event

Title: “Are AFL players peaking in performance at a younger age?”

Speaker: Dr Shane A. Richards
Dr Shane A. Richards is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Natural Sciences and has a PhD in mathematics. His research interests involve ecology and evolution. Specific interests include: evolutionary and community ecology, animal behaviour, life-history theory, disease dynamics, plant-pollinator interactions, and conservation biology. He has also worked on sports analytics. He has developed and combined his quantitative skills and research interests to form an international career in the areas of mathematical biology and statistical ecology. His research involves collaborations with a diversity of scientists (incl. ecologists, cell biologists, microbiologists) where a range of biological hypotheses are described and tested, often leading to real-world application (e.g. disease control, biological conservation).

Abstract: 
With the AFL finals underway, it’s an opportune moment to apply statistical methods to evaluate player performance and challenge our intuitions. Recently, very young players like Harry Sheezel and Nick Daicos have consistently performed exceptionally well despite their limited match experience. But is this trend becoming the new norm? In this talk, I will present a statistical analysis using match-day data to examine whether age-dependent match performance has evolved in recent years and assess the value of match experience. These insights are important for effective list management. Additionally, this analysis will objectively identify the best AFL players in recent years.

Venue:
CSIRO Auditorium Hobart (3 Castray Esplanade Battery Point) https://www.csiro.au/en/about/locations/state-locations/tas/hobart
Melbourne Hub - RMIT, Building 15 Level 3 Room 10
https://www.rmit.edu.au/content/dam/rmit/documents/maps/pdf-maps/rmit-melbourne-city-campus-map.pdf

(also online via Teams)

Time: Tuesday 17^th September 6-7pm

We will be heading out to dinner after the talk with the speaker (details to follow).
We will also be heading out to dinner at the Melbourne hub after the talk. 
Please note that the meal is at your own expense.

Non-CSIRO attendees will need to sign in to access the building, so we suggest you arrive at 5:45pm to avoid any delays. If you have any questions or want to alert our hub host that you are attending, please contact Paul Burch via Paul.Burch@csiro.au. If you arrive late you can contact Paul on 0421 569 189.