Sydney list manager Kinnear Beatson has given his thoughts on the outlawing of skinfold tests for AFL draftees.
Channel Seven reported over the weekend the AFL would stop teams from using skinfold testing ahead of November’s National Draft to protect draftees, with the decision so far receiving widespread criticism.
Beatson is part of the Swans’ team involved with recruiting draftees and therefore relies on testing data gathered before the draft.
He’s come up with two solutions that the AFL hasn’t “done well enough” in the past that could either fix the problem or prevent it in the first place.
“I think what needs to happen, and it wasn’t probably been done well enough in the past, is to educate the players on the benefit of having them (skinfold tests) done and how it can enhance their physical performance by them understanding how what they’re eating will have an impact on their skinfold readings, and will then in time have an influence on their endurance abilities,” he told SEN Drive.
“We also probably in the past haven’t held the results private enough.
“I do know nowadays is that with the medical testing … the only people that get access to that are our doctor and our physio.
“The only person that sees the psychological profiling (now) is our psychologist.
“If they were going to go back and do the skinfold readings, perhaps those readings have to go to a qualified dietician, and then they can give us some kind of summary.
However, he also believes the body-fat measurement is “part and parcel” of the game.
“One of the things about playing elite sport, the whole thing’s challenging,” he said.
“You rock up to pre-season training and you’re going to be put through a two kilometre time trial, or a beep test or yo-yo test, whatever the clubs choose, that’s part and parcel of it.
“No one’s forcing you to do it, if you don’t want to put yourself in that environment, don’t put your hand up for it.
“Someone else will take your place.”
Sydney’s first selection in the National Draft falls at pick 16, with draftees’ dreams to be realised on November 24 and 25.
The rookie and pre-season drafts will be held a day later on November 26.