How We Track and Classify AFL Injuries
Public data sources, OSIICS-graded classification, and the editorial process behind every record.
Our Approach
AFL injury news is everywhere, but real understanding is rare. InjuryIQ classifies, tracks, and analyses every AFL injury so fans can read the injury list with the depth a professional analyst would — not just react to the latest headline. It's an independent hobby project, not affiliated with the AFL.
We don't rely on a single source. Every injury record on InjuryIQ is built by combining multiple independent public sources, cross-referencing them, and classifying them against a globally-recognised medical standard.
The result is a longitudinal record — one that's consistent across players, clubs, and seasons — so trends and patterns can be compared honestly.
Data Sources
We aggregate data from multiple public sources across the AFL ecosystem:
These sources are publicly available and maintained by official AFL bodies. We don't have access to confidential medical records or internal club assessments—our analysis is based on what's publicly observable, same as you.
Quality Standards
We maintain strict quality benchmarks to ensure reliable data:
We identify nearly all reported injuries within 24 hours
Injuries are properly categorized using medical standards
Updates reflect the latest available information
For detailed performance analysis, see our Accuracy page.
Medical Classification Standard
Every injury is classified using OSIICS (Orchard Sports Injury and Illness Classification System)—the globally-recognized standard for sports injury categorization.
This standardization allows us to:
OSIICS © John Orchard — Used with acknowledgment
Squad-Health Metrics
Beyond individual records, we publish squad-health metrics that summarise how injuries are affecting each club. Two sit side by side:
Cumulative across the season to date — squad availability, value-weighted injury burden, and injury incidence, combined into a single 0–100 score.
Point-in-time (0–100) — how depleted a squad is entering a given round, based only on who is currently unavailable. The league average drifts down as the season wears on, so low late-season numbers are normal.
Both metrics weight absences by player value— losing a key contributor counts for more than losing a fringe player. We don't have access to clubs' internal player ratings, so we use a transparent public proxy: each player's recent on-field scoring output (AFL Fantasy points), normalised by position so key-position players aren't undervalued against midfielders, with a durability-based fallback when a player has too few recent games. It's a proxy for on-field involvement — not a fantasy-coaching signal, and InjuryIQ isn't a fantasy product.
Load-managed rests are recorded as injury records but excluded from both health metrics — a chosen rest isn't the same as a forced absence.
Important Disclaimers
Best-Effort Accuracy
Despite rigorous quality controls, our data may contain gaps or errors. Public sources are only updated periodically, and injury information can be reported with delays or corrections. We do our best, but we're not infallible.
Multiple Source Aggregation
Each injury record is pieced together from multiple public sources. When sources disagree, we apply editorial judgement to reconcile differences. This means our records may not perfectly match any single source.
Player Risk Score
Each player's 1–100 injury-risk score blends injury history, age, and recent availability — higher means greater predicted risk. The current algorithm is a heuristic placeholder; an ML model is in development. We surface it directionally, not as a precise next-game forecast.
For Informational Use Only
InjuryIQ is for informational and analytical use — not medical diagnosis. We don't have access to confidential medical assessments or internal return-to-play timelines. Always verify through official AFL channels before acting on any information here.