Science for Sport Podcast

Fresh from pre-season camp in Australia, Richard Graves sits down with Stan Parker, Sports Scientist at the Western Bulldogs, to explore how tracking data, contextual analytics, and interdisciplinary collaboration shape performance in elite AFL.

Stan’s journey spans the Brisbane Broncos in the NRL, Queensland Rugby Sevens, and now five seasons embedded within the Bulldogs’ high-performance programme, including a PhD focused on contextualising tracking data beyond simple load metrics.

This episode moves beyond “distance covered” and “top speed” to examine how sports science actually influences coaching decisions, athlete development, injury management, and tactical execution. From peak demand analysis and real-world decision-making under fatigue, to AI readiness and workflow efficiency, this is a grounded, practitioner-led conversation about where elite sport is really heading.

In this episode you will learn:

Why contextualising tracking data matters more than collecting more of it

How to compare peak training demands to peak match demands

The role of vision and video in translating data for coaches and players

How to build buy-in when athletes aren’t “numbers learners”

The balance between availability and performance in weekly competition cycles

How interdisciplinary decision-making works inside an AFL club

Why isolated fatigue “flags” can be misleading

How gym-based physical development can be directly tied to on-field outcomes

The importance of soft skills in high-performance environments

Where AI realistically fits (and doesn’t fit) in elite sports science

About Stan Parker

Stan Parker is a Sports Scientist with the Western Bulldogs in the AFL. He has previously worked with the Brisbane Broncos and Queensland Rugby Sevens, building experience across multiple elite sporting codes in Australia.

Stan is also completing a PhD focused on the contextualisation of tracking data in team sports, exploring how movement patterns and peak demands can better explain performance impact rather than serving purely as load monitoring tools.

He is particularly interested in bridging the gap between data analytics, coaching vision, and real-world performance application.

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This episode explores what high performance really looks like inside two of the most demanding professional sporting environments in the world.

Richard Graves is joined by Brendan Fahrner, formerly Head of Sports Science at the South Sydney Rabbitohs, and previously a long-serving performance staff member at Richmond Football Club during one of the most successful periods in AFL history.

Across a career spanning AFL and NRL, Brendan has worked inside premiership-winning programs, navigated the evolution of GPS and performance analytics, and seen firsthand how elite sport has shifted from data accumulation to data translation.

In this conversation, he strips back the noise around technology and shares why soft skills, trust, and clarity of message ultimately drive performance outcomes. From simplifying GPS dashboards to building credibility with senior coaches, Brendan offers a grounded, practical perspective on what actually moves the needle in team sport.

He also speaks candidly about practitioner burnout, self-worth, and why sustainability in high performance careers is just as important as physical robustness in athletes.

This episode will resonate with sports scientists, S&C coaches, performance managers and aspiring practitioners looking to build impact in elite environments.

In this episode you will learn

Why high performance is more about relationships than periodisation

How to build trust quickly when entering a new club environment

The importance of simplifying data for coaches and athletes

How to align performance metrics with a coach’s game model

Why most GPS reports contain too much irrelevant data

How to identify the few variables that truly influence coach perception

Practical strategies for athlete-centric monitoring in squad settings

The crossover principles between AFL and NRL performance environments

How to translate analytics into language players understand

Why self-care and professional boundaries matter in elite sport

The importance of valuing yourself as a practitioner

About Brendan Fahrner

Brendan Fahrner is a high performance practitioner with extensive experience in elite Australian sport.

He began his career in the early adoption phase of GPS in the AFL, working with Richmond and later Geelong during a period of sustained premiership success. He spent the majority of his career at Richmond Football Club, contributing to three premiership titles and multiple finals campaigns.

Most recently, Brendan worked in the NRL with the South Sydney Rabbitohs, applying performance principles across codes and leading athlete monitoring and sports science integration within rugby league.

He has developed a strong reputation for simplifying complex performance data, building trust with athletes and coaches, and creating athlete-centred systems in high-pressure team environments.

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Richard Graves welcomes former England fast bowler Ryan Sidebottom to the Science for Sport Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation on longevity, resilience, and the evolution of elite cricket.

Across a first-class career spanning more than 20 years, Ryan experienced the game at every level — from sweeping floors and laying bricks in the winter to winning a T20 World Cup with England. In this episode, he reflects on how professional cricket changed during his career, why physical preparation became essential for longevity, and how mindset, curiosity, and self-analysis shaped his success.

Ryan speaks openly about setbacks, selection disappointments, returning to the England setup after six years away, and the hard, often unseen work that underpinned his performances. It’s an honest insight into elite performance, long careers, and what really matters behind the scenes.

In this episode you will learn:

How professional cricket evolved from semi-professional roots to a fully supported high-performance environment

Why strength & conditioning became critical to Ryan’s longevity as a fast bowler

How he managed long periods outside the England setup and stayed mentally engaged

The role of self-analysis, questioning, and learning from senior players

What elite environments can learn from England’s 2010 T20 World Cup turnaround

Why curiosity and asking questions accelerate development in elite sport

How mindset, confidence, and preparation influence consistency over time

About Ryan Sidebottom

Ryan Sidebottom is a former England international fast bowler with a first-class career spanning over two decades. He represented England in Test cricket and was part of the 2010 ICC World T20-winning squad. At domestic level, Ryan enjoyed success with Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire, winning multiple County Championship titles and taking over 1,000 career wickets. Since retiring, he has remained closely involved in the game through media, hospitality, and ambassadorial roles, with a growing interest in coaching and player development.

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​ Improve Your Athletes' Performance

​ Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes

​ Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

Behind every high-performance environment are people, personalities, and decisions that shape outcomes. This week on the Science for Sport Podcast, Richard Graves is joined by former England international and Premier League defender Warren Barton, speaking from California.

Warren reflects on a career that spanned very different eras of elite football, from coming through non-league and the famously demanding culture of Wimbledon’s “Crazy Gang”, to becoming a record signing at Newcastle United during the Entertainers era. Across the conversation, Warren offers a rare, first-hand perspective on the psychology of professional sport: rejection, resilience, team identity, leadership, and how elite environments shape behaviour.

The discussion also moves into modern high-performance sport, exploring how man-management, culture, and trust still sit alongside data, technology, and sports science. Warren shares thoughtful insights on coaching, communication, player wellbeing, and why asking an athlete how they feel still matters just as much as what the numbers say.

A wide-ranging, honest conversation that will resonate with practitioners working in elite sport, as well as those interested in the human side of performance.

In this episode you will learn

How early rejection and non-academy pathways can shape resilience and long-term success

Why strong team culture and shared identity can create psychological advantages over more talented opponents

Lessons from Wimbledon’s “Crazy Gang” environment and what modern teams can still learn from it

How elite managers like Kevin Keegan, Kenny Dalglish, and Sir Bobby Robson differed in leadership and man-management

Why man-management remains central to performance, even in data-rich environments

How elite players and coaches balanced intuition, experience, and emerging sports science practices

The importance of trust, togetherness, and players “having each other’s backs” in high-pressure environments

Where modern football may be losing connection with basic human communication

Warren’s perspective on technology, VAR, and how decision-making affects the athlete and fan experience

How coaches can better integrate data with athlete feedback and lived experience

About Warren Barton

Warren Barton is a former England international footballer who played at the highest level of English football during the 1990s. His career included spells at Wimbledon and Newcastle United, where he became part of Kevin Keegan’s iconic “Entertainers” side and captained the club during one of its most influential Premier League eras.

Since retiring from playing, Warren has built a career in broadcasting and coaching, working extensively in the United States as a football analyst and pundit, including coverage of major international tournaments. He holds his UEFA Pro Licence and continues to work across elite football, combining practical experience with a deep understanding of performance, psychology, and leadership.

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​ Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery

​ Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In

​ Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese

​ Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More

​ Improve Your Athletes' Performance

​ Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes

​ Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research

In this episode of the Science for Sport Podcast, host Richard Graves is joined by John Noonan, a highly experienced performance coach whose career spans elite football, rugby league and union, Winter Olympic sports, and the world of Formula One.

John describes himself as a “gypsy of sport” driven by curiosity, problem-solving, and a deep interest in what actually moves the needle in elite performance. From his early days in football and rugby to supporting drivers in the most intense performance environment in global sport, John shares how his thinking has evolved beyond programmes and protocols, towards relationships, skill execution, and consistency under pressure.

The conversation explores how elite performers prepare for the biggest moments, why world-class athletes are “uncommonly consistent,” and how performance staff can better integrate physical, technical, and psychological elements to support athletes when it matters most. John also lifts the lid on working in motorsport, a sport decided by millimetres, milliseconds, and mental control, and reflects on burnout, travel fatigue, and managing performance across relentless global calendars.

This is a thoughtful, experience-led discussion for practitioners working at the top end of elite sport, as well as anyone fascinated by what separates the very best from the rest.

In this episode you will learn

Why elite performance is ultimately a people business, not a programming problem

How working across multiple sports shapes better decision-making as a performance coach

What “uncommon consistency” really looks like in world-class athletes

Why skill execution, not physical capacity, often determines success at the highest level

How performance staff can influence athletes who don’t need to listen to them

Lessons from Formula One on pressure, precision, and decision-making under fatigue

How interdisciplinary teams can improve performance communication in real time

Practical insights into managing burnout, travel, jet lag, and long competitive calendars

About John Noonan

John Noonan is a performance coach and sports scientist with over two decades of experience working across elite sport. His background includes roles in professional football, rugby league and union, Winter Olympic sports, and long-term work within Formula One.

Now the founder of Noonan Performance, John works with elite athletes and teams to improve performance through smarter physical preparation, better communication, and a strong emphasis on skill execution and decision-making under pressure. He is known for his relationship-led approach, his ability to work across disciplines, and his focus on solving the right performance problems.

FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL

SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241

​ Learn Quicker & More Effectively

​ Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery

​ Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In

​ Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese

​ Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More

​ Improve Your Athletes' Performance

​ Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes

​ Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research