2024 RTP round - Making the most of the AFL draft: 10yrs of talent selection, identification and development to inform career success.

Status: Closed

Applications open: 7/07/2023
Applications close: 25/08/2023

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About this scholarship
Description/Applicant information

Talent selection and the development of talent is a major focus of all professional and Olympic sporting organisations. The notion of cost-effective talent selection was highlighted in the highly successful movie “Moneyball”, which is a fictional retelling of an actual series of events surrounding the development and use of data science and insight to inform athlete roster selection in professional baseball. There is a paucity of systematic literature that has examined and analysed player development competition wide in AFL from draft position to outcome (i.e., AFL debut, consistency of selection AFL games versus the total number of games possible to play and the player ratings across their career) as provided by Champion Data. Further to this broad analytical approach to understanding the relative spread of talent success and development is to analyse the trajectory of different types of players (positions/ height/ body mass/ demographic). This analysis can then assist in better informing how clubs should use their draft capital and what value should be allocated to each of these. This project would undertake a prospective analysis of players drafted across the last ten seasons, to consider systematic career trajectories. 

1. To develop a deeper more informed understanding of the career trajectories of players (afl debut / consistent AFL games / player ratings across career etc) based on their physical characteristics and playing position from the previous 10 seasons of the AFL draft.
2. To model these outcomes and develop risk reward ratios to support investment and developmental focus against an ‘ideal’ playing career.
3. To compare the performance outcomes and risk ratios for playing position. 

1. To establish a data driven approach to the talent selection, development and retention process that improves the consistency of player longevity.
2. To systematically determine the factors that contribute to player development competition wide in AFL from draft position to outcome.
3. To compare and contrast the player performance data across positions to consider whether positional differences exist in player career trajectories. 

The project has been directly proposed by the Fremantle Football Club and as such is extremely relevant to their requirements and will assist in solving a real-world problem that is limiting the optimisation of their talent selection, development and retention. This research will also address a significant gap in the current understanding of player career trajectory and some of the contributing factors to success. By better understanding the success of talent selection and development as captured by Champion Data it is envisaged that team performance outcomes, and sustained success of the club can be improved. 

This project may provide an internship opportunity. 

The successful candidate will be embedded full-time at the Fremantle Football club, to be immersed in their daily high performance training environment working alongside, and being mentored by, professionals across the fields of sport science and sport medicine. 

Student type

• Future Students

Faculty

• Faculty of Science & Engineering
  • Science courses
  • Engineering courses

Course type

• Higher Degree by Research

Citizenship

• Australian Citizen
• Australian Permanent Resident
• New Zealand Citizen
• Permanent Humanitarian Visa

Scholarship base

• Merit Based

Value

The annual scholarship package (stipend and tuition fees) is approx. $60,000 - $70,000 p.a.

Successful HDR applicants for admission will receive a 100% fee offset for up to 4 years, stipend scholarships at the 2023 RTP rate valued at $32,250 p.a. for up to a maximum of 3 years, with a possible 6-month completion scholarship. Applicants are determined via a competitive selection process and will be notified of the scholarship outcome in November 2023. 

For detailed information, visit: Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarships | Curtin University, Perth, Australia.

Scholarship Details
Maximum number awarded

1

Eligible courses

All applicable HDR courses

Eligibility criteria

We are seeking self-motivated PhD applicants with a passion for sport and data science. An applicant with an understanding and interest in talent identification and development is desirable but not essential, while excellent organisation, problem solving skills and experience in data wrangling, modelling and visualisation using R or Python is essential. Applicants must be eligible to enrol in PhD programs at Curtin University. 

Application process

If this project excites you, and your research skills and experience are a good fit for this specific project, you should contact the Project Lead (listed below in the enquires section) via the Expression of Interest (EOI) form. ahead of the closing date. Please note you should apply as soon as possible, as once a suitable candidate has been identified this opportunity will no longer be available to receive an EOI.

Enrolment Requirements

Eligible to enrol in a Higher Degree by Research Course at Curtin University by March 2024.

Recipients must complete their milestone 1 within 6 months of enrolment and remain enrolled on a full-time basis for the duration of the scholarship.

Enquiries

To enquire about this project opportunity that includes a scholarship application, contact the Project lead Ritu Gupta via the EOI form above.

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