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Reading all the previews of this weekend's matches it seems nearly every team involved has injuries preventing players from being on the starting 15. From memory (not great I admit), I don't remember such a high level of injuries.
Is it heavier training, wrong training methods, or does the condensed season contribute to it.
From quick memory, Meath, Kerry, Dublin, Roscommon, Westmeath, all seem to be missing starting players.
bogger from meath (Meath) - Posts: 232 - 13/06/2026 14:46:09
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Replying To bogger from meath: "Reading all the previews of this weekend's matches it seems nearly every team involved has injuries preventing players from being on the starting 15. From memory (not great I admit), I don't remember such a high level of injuries.
Is it heavier training, wrong training methods, or does the condensed season contribute to it.
From quick memory, Meath, Kerry, Dublin, Roscommon, Westmeath, all seem to be missing starting players." It could be the new system that entails a lot of extra time being required combined with the condensed intercounty season.
Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 581 - 13/06/2026 17:26:45
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Replying To bogger from meath: "Reading all the previews of this weekend's matches it seems nearly every team involved has injuries preventing players from being on the starting 15. From memory (not great I admit), I don't remember such a high level of injuries.
Is it heavier training, wrong training methods, or does the condensed season contribute to it.
From quick memory, Meath, Kerry, Dublin, Roscommon, Westmeath, all seem to be missing starting players." Good question. Could be a lot of factors depending on how coaches plan the season to peak at different stages. The extra fitness needed for a faster game under the new rules. Maybe different stresses and strains on players with solo and go, from kicking 2 pointers, from more high fielding because some teams have an emphasis on kickouts. Along with games being condensed. Might be an interesting few podcasts to get a few intercounty players, coaches, S&C, medical, physios on to discuss how thy planned their season, what went well and what didn't.
GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 8614 - 13/06/2026 18:08:46
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Replying To bogger from meath: "Reading all the previews of this weekend's matches it seems nearly every team involved has injuries preventing players from being on the starting 15. From memory (not great I admit), I don't remember such a high level of injuries.
Is it heavier training, wrong training methods, or does the condensed season contribute to it.
From quick memory, Meath, Kerry, Dublin, Roscommon, Westmeath, all seem to be missing starting players." Players going down with cruciates every week it seems. Kinsella, mcginnis in football, Jordan molloy and ciarán Joyce in hurling. There's probably more too.
Condensed season has to be a factor
richiepmurphy (Kilkenny) - Posts: 109 - 13/06/2026 20:50:44
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Modern Gaelic football requires players to cover 10-12 km per match (often at 75-80% of top speed)- with 20-30 sprints (half of which might be at full speed) in that time frame.
An Olympic sprinter wouldn't do that. Nor would a cross country runner.
The demands on the players are very high - with no real recovery/rest time for the majority.
The focus on explosive power in the legs, is often not matched with strengthening of the tendons and ligaments at the joints.
There is also the problem that a lot of coaches demand sprints and runs in training, without coaching the skill of running/turning etc. So many GAA players run 10-12 km per match with a terrible gait and/or technique. These guys are asking for injuries.
The sport has become as attritional as Rugby, but for different reasons. You used to see a lot of hamstring injuries (5-6 weeks out) but they have been replaced by injuries to ligaments and tendons.
The general sports advice nowadays is to invest in S&C conditioning at 14-17 ages, specifically in tendons and ligament strenghening - not in senior players.
Only after the body has been conditioned to carry more muscle, then muscle should be added. Unfortunately, it is often done the other way around.
tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1890 - 16/06/2026 09:16:40
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Replying To tirawleybaron: "Modern Gaelic football requires players to cover 10-12 km per match (often at 75-80% of top speed)- with 20-30 sprints (half of which might be at full speed) in that time frame.
An Olympic sprinter wouldn't do that. Nor would a cross country runner.
The demands on the players are very high - with no real recovery/rest time for the majority.
The focus on explosive power in the legs, is often not matched with strengthening of the tendons and ligaments at the joints.
There is also the problem that a lot of coaches demand sprints and runs in training, without coaching the skill of running/turning etc. So many GAA players run 10-12 km per match with a terrible gait and/or technique. These guys are asking for injuries.
The sport has become as attritional as Rugby, but for different reasons. You used to see a lot of hamstring injuries (5-6 weeks out) but they have been replaced by injuries to ligaments and tendons.
The general sports advice nowadays is to invest in S&C conditioning at 14-17 ages, specifically in tendons and ligament strenghening - not in senior players.
Only after the body has been conditioned to carry more muscle, then muscle should be added. Unfortunately, it is often done the other way around." What muscles, if any, does kicking 2 pointers stress, compared to kicking from around 25 metres out?
GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 8614 - 16/06/2026 12:55:59
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Replying To tirawleybaron: "Modern Gaelic football requires players to cover 10-12 km per match (often at 75-80% of top speed)- with 20-30 sprints (half of which might be at full speed) in that time frame.
An Olympic sprinter wouldn't do that. Nor would a cross country runner.
The demands on the players are very high - with no real recovery/rest time for the majority.
The focus on explosive power in the legs, is often not matched with strengthening of the tendons and ligaments at the joints.
There is also the problem that a lot of coaches demand sprints and runs in training, without coaching the skill of running/turning etc. So many GAA players run 10-12 km per match with a terrible gait and/or technique. These guys are asking for injuries.
The sport has become as attritional as Rugby, but for different reasons. You used to see a lot of hamstring injuries (5-6 weeks out) but they have been replaced by injuries to ligaments and tendons.
The general sports advice nowadays is to invest in S&C conditioning at 14-17 ages, specifically in tendons and ligament strenghening - not in senior players.
Only after the body has been conditioned to carry more muscle, then muscle should be added. Unfortunately, it is often done the other way around." Been saying your 2nd last paragraph gor years now. Its very important to gain muscle mass at an earlier age while your ligaments and tendons are still growing also.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20006 - 16/06/2026 14:30:49
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Nothing to do with condensed season. There's more injuries at club level now than ever before as well. It's the increased training load all around. More and more being asked of players at all levels. Underage is gone way OTT. Any teenagers involved in county at underage are doing way, way too much now. That also carries through to senior level.
TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8866 - 16/06/2026 15:00:27
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Replying To tirawleybaron: "Modern Gaelic football requires players to cover 10-12 km per match (often at 75-80% of top speed)- with 20-30 sprints (half of which might be at full speed) in that time frame.
An Olympic sprinter wouldn't do that. Nor would a cross country runner.
The demands on the players are very high - with no real recovery/rest time for the majority.
The focus on explosive power in the legs, is often not matched with strengthening of the tendons and ligaments at the joints.
There is also the problem that a lot of coaches demand sprints and runs in training, without coaching the skill of running/turning etc. So many GAA players run 10-12 km per match with a terrible gait and/or technique. These guys are asking for injuries.
The sport has become as attritional as Rugby, but for different reasons. You used to see a lot of hamstring injuries (5-6 weeks out) but they have been replaced by injuries to ligaments and tendons.
The general sports advice nowadays is to invest in S&C conditioning at 14-17 ages, specifically in tendons and ligament strenghening - not in senior players.
Only after the body has been conditioned to carry more muscle, then muscle should be added. Unfortunately, it is often done the other way around." GAA players all too often expected to play for and train accordingly for far too many teams during the year and train too much for all those teams.
talking about rugby is completely wrong. it isnt as attritional as rugby
yes more strength and conditioning needs to happen at 14-17 years of age but more than that the expectations of what players in their teens and early 20s especially needs to be reduced. as in they shouldnt be expected to play for as many teams and train forall these teams
KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3983 - 16/06/2026 16:58:35
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Replying To tirawleybaron: "Modern Gaelic football requires players to cover 10-12 km per match (often at 75-80% of top speed)- with 20-30 sprints (half of which might be at full speed) in that time frame.
An Olympic sprinter wouldn't do that. Nor would a cross country runner.
The demands on the players are very high - with no real recovery/rest time for the majority.
The focus on explosive power in the legs, is often not matched with strengthening of the tendons and ligaments at the joints.
There is also the problem that a lot of coaches demand sprints and runs in training, without coaching the skill of running/turning etc. So many GAA players run 10-12 km per match with a terrible gait and/or technique. These guys are asking for injuries.
The sport has become as attritional as Rugby, but for different reasons. You used to see a lot of hamstring injuries (5-6 weeks out) but they have been replaced by injuries to ligaments and tendons.
The general sports advice nowadays is to invest in S&C conditioning at 14-17 ages, specifically in tendons and ligament strenghening - not in senior players.
Only after the body has been conditioned to carry more muscle, then muscle should be added. Unfortunately, it is often done the other way around." Given that work rate, GAA HQ should decide what is a reasonable 'regular season' match count per team, prior to the AI Series (is 12, combining League and AIC, good)?
omahant (USA) - Posts: 3455 - 17/06/2026 23:13:13
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Replying To TheFlaker: "Nothing to do with condensed season. There's more injuries at club level now than ever before as well. It's the increased training load all around. More and more being asked of players at all levels. Underage is gone way OTT. Any teenagers involved in county at underage are doing way, way too much now. That also carries through to senior level." The pre-season in GAA is just way too much.
Professional footballers train for 6-7 weeks before the season. GAA players start in November for "serious" matches in April.
Nobody needs that much training.
I played Aussie Rules for the last few years and yes it was equivalent to club level GAA but we trained for 5 weeks before the season started and I had all my metrics from GAA days and I was FITTER than I ever was playing GAA. I keep myself in good shape, train well all year, gym work etc but the training ratio in GAA is completely out of whack.
But as long as managers are on a nightly rate, it will continue.
StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 2103 - 18/06/2026 10:55:29
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Replying To StoreysTash: "The pre-season in GAA is just way too much.
Professional footballers train for 6-7 weeks before the season. GAA players start in November for "serious" matches in April.
Nobody needs that much training.
I played Aussie Rules for the last few years and yes it was equivalent to club level GAA but we trained for 5 weeks before the season started and I had all my metrics from GAA days and I was FITTER than I ever was playing GAA. I keep myself in good shape, train well all year, gym work etc but the training ratio in GAA is completely out of whack.
But as long as managers are on a nightly rate, it will continue." While I agree with some of that the link to manager payments is totally over exaggerated. Clubs with managers from within not taking money are all trying to follow other top clubs. There's more and more training being done in gym and on pitch. And it's starting from an earlier age. Madness.
TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8866 - 18/06/2026 11:51:15
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Replying To StoreysTash: "The pre-season in GAA is just way too much.
Professional footballers train for 6-7 weeks before the season. GAA players start in November for "serious" matches in April.
Nobody needs that much training.
I played Aussie Rules for the last few years and yes it was equivalent to club level GAA but we trained for 5 weeks before the season started and I had all my metrics from GAA days and I was FITTER than I ever was playing GAA. I keep myself in good shape, train well all year, gym work etc but the training ratio in GAA is completely out of whack.
But as long as managers are on a nightly rate, it will continue." Far too much training these days.
Club players are dropping like flies with injuries also.
It will only shorten the Gaa players playing career imo.
Fionn (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 18/06/2026 12:28:32
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