Still Kicking: Playing Over 35s Footy at 44 with Mordialloc Superules

Playing Footy in Your 40s:

How Preparation, Conditioning, and Myotherapy Keep Me Going

At the ripe age of 44, some may be winding things down, but not me. I lace up the boots every fortnight and take the field with the Mordialloc Superules Over 35s team, competing in the AFL Vic Masters and Superules football leagues. Playing Aussie Rules footy in your 40s comes with its fair share of challenges, but the passion never fades. That’s why preparation, conditioning, and professional support through Myotherapy in Botanic Ridge, Cranbourne, Langwarrin, and Frankston have become essential to staying strong, injury-free, and performing at my best in Melbourne’s South East community football scene.

Preparation: More Than Just Turning Up

Preparation isn’t just about rocking up to training and hoping for the best. For players in their 30s, 40s, and beyond, it’s about understanding your body, planning ahead, and respecting recovery.

To stay physically fit and reduce the risk of injury across a full Mordialloc Superules season, these key steps are essential:

• Structured Pre-Season Training: Gradually building intensity and volume over 8–10 weeks ensures your body adapts to the demands of Superules football, avoiding overuse injuries.

• Recovery Management: Ice baths, stretching, quality sleep, and regular Myotherapy support soft tissue recovery and injury prevention.

• Mobility Work: Pre-training mobility drills, foam rolling, and dynamic warm-ups help prevent common soft tissue injuries that occur in community football.

• Fuel & Hydration: Proper nutrition and hydration allow you to perform at your best on match day, rather than just surviving each contest.

Strength & Conditioning: The Backbone of Durability

Aussie Rules footy isn’t a sport you can fake your way through, especially in your 40s. With its explosive, contact-heavy, and fast-paced nature, strength and conditioning are critical for injury management and rehabilitation.

Key areas to focus on include:

• Lower Body Strength: Squats, lunges, deadlifts, and step-ups build the power needed to accelerate, change direction, and absorb contact.

• Core Stability: A strong trunk supports everything from kicking to tackling. Planks, anti-rotation work, and cable chops protect the spine and hips.

• Aerobic Conditioning: Interval running, tempo runs, and footy-specific drills maintain endurance deep into the last quarter.

• Explosive Power & Agility: Box jumps, sled pushes, ladder drills, and short sprints prepare the body for rapid changes of direction typical of Mordialloc Superules and AFL Vic Masters football.

This kind of preparation isn’t about aesthetics - it’s about feeling confident in contests, reducing the risk of injury, and bouncing back stronger after every hit.

Individual Training & Goal Setting: The Game Within the Game

No team thrives without personal responsibility. Beyond team sessions, individual training and goal setting are crucial for maintaining performance, preventing injuries, and supporting recovery as the body ages.

• Cardiovascular Health: Running, cycling, swimming, or HIIT workouts improve endurance, body composition, and recovery between games.

• Skill Refinement: Practising kicking, handballing, and goal-kicking routines 2–3 times per week keeps skills sharp for community footy leagues in Melbourne’s South East.

• Mental Goals: Short- and long-term targets, such as completing sessions injury-free or hitting personal benchmarks, keep motivation high and support injury prevention and rehabilitation.

Proud to Bleed Red & White: Supporting the Mordialloc Superules

The Mordialloc Superules Football Club is more than just a team - it’s a community. Players of all ages come together for the love of the game, sharing camaraderie, laughs, and fierce competition in the Superules and AFL Vic Masters leagues.

Essbee Myotherapy is proud to support the Mordialloc Superules for Season 2025, providing expertise in injury management, injury prevention, recovery, and performance care for players across Melbourne’s South East, including Frankston, Langwarrin, Cranbourne, and Botanic Ridge.

We welcome anyone interested to join training every Wednesday night from 6 pm during the regular season. Better yet, come watch the Bloods in action at their next home games:

WOMEN’S 35s

❣️ Official 2026 fixture coming soon

MEN’S 35s

❣️ Official 2026 fixtures coming soon.

Whether you’re returning to footy or supporting community football in Melbourne’s South East, age doesn’t have to slow you down. With the right preparation, conditioning, and Myotherapy support in Cranbourne, Botanic Ridge, Langwarrin, and Frankston, you can keep playing, performing, and enjoying the game you love.

#MordySupers # EssbeeMyotherapy #AFLMastersFooty #StillGotIt #SuperulesStrong