ROBBIE Gray and Matthew Nicks are participating in an elite sport science hydration testing program in New York this week.

Conducted by the Gatorade Sports Science Institute, the research will help develop customised hydration technology for individual elite endurance athletes - coming to Australia soon. 

The program sees six International Rules players undergo sweat and VO2Max testing, wearing smart sweat patches to record hydration level information as they train.

The players, including Luke Hodge (Hawthorn), Grant Birchell (Hawthorn), Jake Stringer (Western Bulldogs), Andrew Gaff (West Coast Eagles), Harry Taylor (Geelong) and Port Adelaide’s Robbie Gray, will be the first Australian athletes involved in the sports science experience.

Following the four day long program they'll fly to Dublin to compete in the International Rules competition, putting into practice the newly developed, customised hydration plans.

Port Adelaide’s very own assistant coach, Matthew Nicks, was also invited to coach the group in football-based drills and training throughout the testing sessions.  

Nicks jumped at the opportunity to be involved, citing the new technology as a pioneering innovation in sports science.

He also said there’s a lot to be learned from some of the game’s greats.

“I’m looking forward to the chance to work with some of these players and seeing how they operate,” Nicks told portadelaidefc.com.au.

“You see the best of the best with us – Travis Boak, Robbie Gray etcetera – but to see how someone like Luke Hodge works, and Harry Taylor, who’s been in the game for so long, will be a great way for me to compare them with some of our younger guys.”

Results of the testing are set to see customised hydration strategies developed for individual AFL players, based on personalised fuel, fluid and electrolyte needs.

Kicking off on Wednesday, the program will run through until Sunday, November 8.