Why sleep will be a key tactical difference in Melbourne’s NFL match

A leading sleep expert says the Los Angeles Rams will have a crucial adrenaline edge over the San Francisco 49ers after making the bold decision to arrive only the day before their historic NFL clash at the MCG.

ESPN have confirmed the Rams are due to complete their 15-hour flight and arrive only 24 hours before their Friday morning game on September 11 (10.35am AEST kick-off) in Melbourne, while fierce NFC divisional rivals the 49ers have opted for a more conventional approach, arriving a week out from the clash.

The Rams are treating this trip like all of their away games, and have road-tested the best way to avoid deep jet lag. They have sent employees to Australia and back within a pre-planned time to determine the best way to handle the trip, given Los Angeles is 17 hours behind Melbourne.

Sleep expert Leon Lack, a professor of psychology at Flinders University in South Australia, said the Rams had made the right call.

“I think they [Rams] are probably right, and I think it will give them a slight advantage over the 49ers because the game is scheduled for 10.30am – a pretty early start,” Lack said.

“ There is a [17-hour, with LA still on the previous day] difference between the west coast of the States and Melbourne which means their body clock will be seven hours later than when they first arrive in Australia. What that means for the Rams contingent is that 10.30am is likely to be 5.30pm for their body clocks.

“Their body clocks will likely not have changed very much in that one day.”

Lack said the reaction time and muscle strength of players is at its best late in the afternoon.

He said the Rams could go to bed early on Thursday night in Melbourne, and wake about 4am on Friday, which would be late morning on Thursday at home, giving them something of a typical lead-in they would normally have.

Lack said the 49ers’ body clocks would adjust to the local time through their week here, but they would have to prepare for an unusual early morning start.

“They will be playing the game quite early in their body-clock day compared to late afternoon for the Rams,” he said.

“I think the San Francisco 49ers have made a mistake, in thinking that they will adjust their body clocks, not taking into account it’s a very early start to the game.

“The 49ers will be facing a very early start according to their body clocks, which have delayed over the prior week, and they will not be in the best position to be as strong and as fast as the Rams.”

But Stephanie Rogers, the 49ers’ chief marketing officer, said they, too, had been guided by experts.