Relative age effects in Australian Football League national draftees

This study examined the birth distribution for adolescent (i.e. = 20 years) selected in the Australian Football League (AFL) National Draft between 2001 and 2012. Birth-date information was accessed for all first time AFL national draftees and players were then classified as either adolescent (N=736) or mature age (N=70) draftees. Chi-squared analysis showed a clear bias in the birth distribution of adolescent draftees towards players born in the first part of the classification period for both quartile (P<0.001) and half-year (P