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Exploring stressors in elite rugby league (NRL/NRLW) players
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Exploring stressors in elite rugby league (NRL/NRLW) players

Courtney Humphreys, Scott G. Goddard and Dylan Poulus
Journal of applied sport psychology, Vol.First online, pp.1-23
07/05/2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10413200.2025.2500963
Appears in  Recent Faculty of Health Publications
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Published (Version of record)CC BY V4.0,  Open

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Abstract

Elite athletes in the National Rugby League (NRL) in Australia experience mental health challenges at rates higher than the general population. Stress plays a crucial role in triggering symptoms of mental health, yet knowledge gaps remain about the stressors these athletes face. Additionally, sports psychology research shows a gen-der disparity, with females being underrepresented. This study aimed to understand stressors experienced by NRL (male) and NRLW(women) players. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12elite players (M age ¼ 27.92, SD ¼ 3.90) contracted across eight clubs in the NRL (n ¼ 7, male) and NRLW (n ¼ 5, female). Data were analyzed using directed content analysis, revealing three primary stressor categories: organizational, competitive and personal. Under-explored themes were identified, such as coach turnover and recur-ring losses. A significant contribution of this study is the identification of the interconnected nature of stressors, with organizational stressors amplifying competitive and personal stressors, leading to alack of psychological safety. The analytic process elucidates how cultural background shapes experiences with themes like coaching style and how coaching style and teammates can influence themes such as off-field incidents. The theme ingrained culture of toughness also interacts with themes such as social media discrimination. NRLW players highlighted additional unique themes, including a lack of credibility and navigating gender dynamics within a male-dominated sport. The findings underscore the need for further research into the organizational environment to understand and foster culturally appropriate psychological safety and provide tailored support for NRL and NRLW players.

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