Last weekend alone gave us a striking example, with big-name players like Christian Petracca, Tom Lynch, Connor Rozee, Toby Nankervis, Callum Ah Chee and Tom Liberatore all sidelined with hamstring strains.
These injuries follow several others in the preceding weeks, prompting the question: is this just bad luck, or a genuine trend?
Before jumping to conclusions, it’s important to look at the bigger picture.
The AFL publishes injury data each season, and historically each club averages around seven hamstring injuries per year, which is roughly 126 across the competition.
We also know these injuries are more common early in the season, as players adjust to match intensity.
So while the current spike feels alarming, it may not actually be unusual for this time of year.
We’ll need to monitor the numbers over the coming months and compare to previous years to determine if 2026 is truly different.
That said, if injury rates are rising, a couple of factors may be contributing.
Firstly, the modern game is faster than ever.
Players are covering more ground at high speed, and repeated sprint efforts place significant strain on the hamstrings.
It’s not just the frequency of these efforts, but their intensity and duration, which increases fatigue and injury risk.
Secondly, preparation may be playing a role.
With the season starting earlier and players having longer breaks at the end of the year, pre-seasons are effectively shorter than in the past.
From a physiological perspective, hamstrings require gradual exposure to high-speed running over several months to build resilience.
If that progression is rushed, muscles may be underprepared for early-season demands.
While these are elite athletes, the same principles apply at the local level.
Sudden spikes in training load and inadequate preparation remain key risk factors.
For now, we watch and wait, but it’s a timely reminder that preparation and load management are critical at every level of the game.
Pat Arnold is a director and sports physiotherapist at Echuca Moama Physiotherapy. Appointments with Pat and his colleagues can be made by phoning 5480 0860 or book online at echucamoamaphysio.com.au
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