Table 1. Summary of training intervention and changes in professional rugby league strength and power studies.
Study Competition Participant characteristics Performance measures Length of intervention Training stimulus Performance effect % ES
Pre-Season
O’Connor and Crowe, 200) NRL n = 8
24.9 2 1.5 yrs,
94.7 9 2.0 kg,		 3 RM bench press
3 RM deadlift
3 RM DB shoulder press
3 RM prone row
Chin ups
10 s leg power test		 6 weeks RT 3/wk (25-30 sets/session x 2-6 reps @ 80-95%)
Speed/power 1/wk
Con 4/week
TP 4/wk		 BP B 3.5 0.1
DL D 10.9 0.5
DB SP D 7.6 1.3
Row R 0.8 0.5
Chins C 3.4 1.7
W/kg / 6.8 1.0		 0.71
1.55
1.25
0.20
0.30
0.86
Rogerson et al., 2007 NRL n = 11
19.0 1 1.3 yrs,
87.6 8 9.0 kg,
1.81 1 0.05 m		 2 RM bench press
2 RM leg press
2 RM deadlift
2 RM seated row		 5 weeks RT 4/wk
LB (4 sets x 2-8 reps) Vol load: 15,394 8 2,085 kg
UB (4 sets x 2-8 reps and 2 sets x 20 reps) Vol load: 6,715 8 569 kg
Whole-body RT (4 sets x 1-4 reps) Vol load: 8,120 4 1,207 kg		 BP B 10.9 3.6
LP L 25.1 5.6
DL D 17.4 3.2
SR S 10.2 5.8		 0.78
1.15
0.84
0.69
Harris et al., 2008 NRL n = 18
21.8 2 4.0 yrs,
96.2 9 9.9 kg,
1.81 1 0.05 m		 1 RM hack-squat machine
Loaded hack-squat machine squat jumps @ 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80% of 1 RM		 7 weeks Machine squat jumps
5 sets x 5 reps @ 80% 2/wk (except week 4 1/wk)
UB 2/wk
Sprints*		 1 RM 1 16.6 3.2
1 RM/kg / 16.5 1.3
N N 8.8 9.9
N/kg / 9.9 8.8
W W 17.1 9.1
W/kg / 17.1 9.0		 0.86
0.99
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
7 weeks Machine squat jumps
6 sets x 10-12 reps @ individual PP output 2/wk (except week 4 1/wk)
UB 2/wk
Sprints*		 1RM 1 9.2 0.9
1RM/kg / 8.3 1.2
N N 2.2 10.1
N/kg / 4.5 10.1
W W 6.0 18.3
W/kg / 6.5 16.6		 0.47
0.40
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Comfort et al., 2012 Super league n = 19
96.2 9 11.11 kg,
1.84 1 0.06 m,		 1 RM back squat 8 weeks RT and TP 2/wk
Ag and Plyo1/wk
Weeks 1 – 4 strength (4 sets x 4-6 reps @ 85-90%)
Week 5 – 8 power (4 sets x 3-6 reps @ 85%)		 1 RM 1 17.7 3.7
1 RM/kg / 15.2 5.8		 1.04
0.84
de Lacey et al., 2014a NRL n = 9
24 2 3.6 yrs,
99.0 9 12.2 kg,
1.83 1 0.06 m		 Jump squats @ 25, 50, 75 and 100% body mass 3 weeks 7 wks, IRV 358.4/wk (6-15 reps at 65-83%)
6 wks, IRV 6 to 156.87/wk (3-6 reps at 80-95%)
3 wks, IRV 3 to 40.8/wk
Field sessions 60 mins 3-4/wk		 W/kg / 28.2 23.4
JH25% J 20.6 14.9
JH50% J 32.9 22.7
JH75% J 43.2 29.8
JH100% J 42.9 50.3		 0.82
0.88
1.05
0.99
0.89
Daniels et al., 2019 Super league n = 22
23.3 2 4.4 yrs,
91.6 9 8.9 kg,
1.81 1 0.07 m		 3 RM back squat
Prone pull ups
1 RM bench press
Bench throw
Jump squat		 7 weeks RT 4/wk
Wrestle 2/wk
TP 4/wk
Con 1/wk		 3 RM 3 9.9 1.1
Pull ups P 53.3 2.5
1 RM 1 4.0 0.3
BT PP B 6.0 0.6
SJ PP S 3.0 0.2		 0.63
0.89
0.26
0.36
0.45
Competition
Baker, 2001b NRL n = 14
24.5 2 3.5 yrs,
93.7 9 10.1 kg,
1.82 1 0.07 m		 1 RM bench press
Bench throw @ 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80 kg
Jump squats @ 40, 60, 80 and 100 kg		 29 weeks RT 2 whole-body/wk
1st session strength maintenance
2nd session power maintenance
Con 2-3 x 20-30 min/wk
TP 3-5 x 60 min/wk
1 match/wk		 1 RM 1 1.2 1.1
BT Pmax B 0.3 5.6
JS Pmax J 1.2 0.3		 -0.11
-0.02
-0.07
Crewther et al., 2011 Super league n = 12
23.4 2 3.6 yrs,
95.4 9 11.0 kg,
1.83 1 0.55 m		 Countermovement jump height
Isometric mid-thigh pull		 6 weeks 6 days/wk
12 sessions/wk
RT, Con, TP, recovery x 45-90 min/session
1-2 matches/wk		 CMJ JH C 4.17 1.59
IMTP PF I 1.07 0.93		 0.3
-0.1
Longitudinal
Baker and Newton, 2006 NRL n = 12
21.3 2 1.4 yrs,
95.5 9 10.4 kg,
1.86 1 0.05 m		 1 RM bench press
Bench throw @ 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80 kg		 4 years General preparation
UB RT 2/wk
LB RT 2/wk
Con 5/wk
Specific preparation
UB RT 2/wk
LB RT 2/wk
Con 2-3/wk
Competition
RT 2 whole-body/wk
1st session strength maintenance
2nd session power maintenance
Con 2-3 x 20-30 min/wk
TP 3-5 x 60 min/wk		 1 RM 1 6.0 0.5
Pmax P 5.0 2.7		 0.55
0.39
Baker and Newton, 2008a NRL n = 6
19.3 1 1.0 yrs,
95.8 9 9.8 kg,
1.85 1 0.05 m		 1 RM back squat
Jump squats @ 40, 60, 80 and 100 kg		 4 years 1RM 1 14.1 0.3
Pmax P 13.3 6.2
P40 P 15.3 8.9
P60 P 15.2 8.9
P80 P 12.1 3.9
P100 P 5.3 11.6		 0.65
0.64
0.73
0.78
0.54
0.25
Baker and Newton, 2008b NRL n = 11
20.3 2 1.7 yrs,
97.8 9 9.7 kg,
1.87 1 0.05 m		 1 RM bench press
Bench throw @ 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80 kg		 6 years 1 RM 1 11.1 0.6
Pmax P 14.9 3.2		 0.68
0.70
Baker, 2013 NRL n = 6
19.3 1 1.6 yrs,
95.8 9 14.6 kg,
1.86 1 0.07 m		 1 RM bench press
Bench throw @ 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80 kg		 10 years 1 RM 1 22.3 13.0
Pmax P 23.1 0.9		 1.09
1.17
*denotes limited information presented in study, NRL; national rugby league, RM; maximal strength, RT; resistance training, Con; aerobic conditioning, TP; team practice, BP; bench press, DL; deadlift, DB SP; dumbbell shoulder press, PP; peak power, LB; lower body, UB; upper body, LP; leg press, SR; seated row, RM/kg; relative maximal strength, /; increase, ;; decrease, W; peak power, W/kg; relative peak power, N; peak force, N/kg; relative peak force, Ag; agility training, Plyo; plyometric training, IRV; mean intensity relative volume, Pmax; maximal power, JH; jump height, BT; bench throw, SJ; jump squat, CMJ; counter movement jump, JH; jump high, IMTP; isometric mid-thigh pull, PF; peak force, P40; power output at 40 kg, P60; power output at 60 kg, P80; power output at 80 kg, P100; power output at 100 kg.