Okkulo: Training in the dark

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Image Credit: Okkulo

Sports technology is advancing at a record pace, with new innovations constantly changing the game. Among the frontrunners in sport technology innovation is Okkulo, a United Kingdom-based company.

Since they were founded in 2018, their mission has been to transform the sporting world forever by setting new standards, breaking records, and creating heroes.

They aim to do this by turning the ‘marginal gains’ of athletes into ‘exceptional gains’. Okkulo recognises the importance of training the body, but they believe visual perception training is what propels athletes to new heights.  

Visual perception training is delivered via the Okkulo Vision Performance LAB. The chamber is 8m long, 6m wide and 3.4m high, giving users ample room for movement.

Inside, athletes undergo pre-training benchmarks and multi-week training cycles before they are evaluated using a proprietary Vision Board.

The training, which is almost entirely kinaesthetic, leads to significant improvements across visual pillars such as perception and reaction time.

Okkulo’s methods, which are backed by the science of light, have benefits off the pitch too. Their advanced light systems reduce stress and support mental health.

For this reason, Okkulo’s founder, Mel O’Connor, envisions a future where this technology becomes accessible for everyday use for the general public.

How it works

Okkulo optimises the neural pathways that connect the eyes and the brain, maximising the efficiency of the body’s visual and motor systems.

There are two specialised cells in the retina, called rods and cones, that detect light and convert it into signals that our brain interprets to provide vision.

These cells usually work separately, but Okkulo unlocks the ability for them to work simultaneously.

When they work together, visual processing pathways are significantly enhanced. The biological responses of the eyes and brain are slower under low-light environments.

Okkulo uses this to their advantage as training in these conditions forces the body to adapt by accelerating reaction times.

Athletes begin adapting to the ambient light levels within just three minutes of exposure.

30 minutes of training per week triggers adaptive plasticity, enhancing the athlete’s visual and cognitive performance under normal playing conditions.

Normal playing conditions feel slower; therefore, their perception of the world is significantly enhanced.

In essence, the rod and cone function is manipulated, causing the brain to rewire and the visual system to overperform.

Evidence and statistics

Independent scientific testing, conducted in partnership with Durham University, confirmed that the Okkulo can drastically improve physical performance.

Reaction speeds were boosted by up to 23%, while the velocity at which athletes can comfortably respond increased by 16%.

Another independent study by researchers from Europe and the United States also found the Okkulo system to offer several cognitive and visual improvements.

The study involved 24 professional football players, aged 18 to 30.

The participants trained using Okkulo’s chamber twice a week, while the control group performed identical drills under normal lighting conditions.

The findings are as follows:

  • 4% improvement in identifying moving targets
  • Recognition time improved by 17.2% (from 439.7 ms to 364.1 ms)
  • Sensory reaction time decreased by 17.2% (from 439.7 ms to 364.1 ms)
  • Motor reaction time decreased by 30.7% (from 255.8 ms to 177.3 ms)
  • Peripheral identification increased by 10.9% in accuracy and speed

Okkulo worked closely with the women’s Sunderland AFC team, in what the company calls a side project.

The team was struggling to compete in the season prior to Okkulo’s intervention, finishing second last in the league.

In the season with Okkulo implemented into their training routine, the girls finished third, with the goalkeeper winning the Golden Glove with 21 clean sheets.

Use in the Australian football ecosystem

With the exception of Leeds United and the Sunderland AFC women’s team, Okkulo’s product has not seen much use in elite football.

Despite this, research clearly demonstrates its strong potential to enhance cognitive and visual ability, optimising overall athletic performance.

As such, teams at the top of the Australian football ecosystem could benefit greatly from getting in early and partnering with Okkulo.

The A-League is behind the international standard in terms of quality, but technologies like this have the potential to help bridge that gap and elevate the players to a higher level.

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South Melbourne Hellas Strengthens Its Future with Three Key Board Appointments

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Image Credit: South Melbourne FC
South Melbourne Hellas has taken another significant step in shaping its future, announcing the appointment of three highly accomplished professionals to its Board of Directors as the club continues to strengthen its leadership both on and off the field.

The Hon. Philip Dalidakis, John Karantzis and Associate Professor Marinis Pirpiris join the club at an important stage, bringing expertise across government, law, healthcare and corporate governance as South Melbourne continues to pursue its long-term ambitions.

Few football clubs in Australia can match South Melbourne’s proud history, but the club’s focus is firmly on the future. The latest appointments reflect a deliberate commitment to building a Board with the experience and strategic capability required to support sustained growth and success.

Dalidakis brings extensive experience across government, business and public policy. A former Victorian Cabinet Minister and C-suite executive, he is the Managing Partner of Orizontas and currently represents Australia on the APEC Business Advisory Council. He also holds board positions across the life sciences, defence and social impact sectors, and has chaired audit and risk committees across a range of organisations.

Karantzis is a Partner and Head of Personal Injury Law and Litigation at Carbone Lawyers, with more than 28 years of experience. Accredited as a Specialist in Personal Injury Law by the Law Institute of Victoria, he has also been recognised by Doyle’s Guide as one of Victoria’s leading plaintiff lawyers and litigators.

Pirpiris is an internationally recognised orthopaedic surgeon, academic and healthcare leader. A consultant surgeon at Epworth and Cabrini Hospitals, he specialises in robotic hip and knee replacement, arthritis management and sports injury care, and is a Fellow of both the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and the Australian Orthopaedic Association.

Co-Presidents Bill Papastergiadis and Andrew Mesourouni said the appointments were about more than adding credentials to the Board.
“Philip, Marinis and John are exactly the kind of people South Melbourne Hellas needs at Board level right now,” they said.
“Each brings exceptional expertise in their respective fields, but just as importantly, they understand what this club represents. Their connection to South Melbourne’s values, history and community makes them a natural fit as we continue building for the future.”

The appointments form part of an ongoing renewal of the club’s leadership, reinforcing South Melbourne’s commitment to strong governance as it builds on its proud football tradition.

Mizuno’s Australian gamble: can a 120-year-old brand break through?

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Image Credit: Mizuno

When Mizuno unveiled a mural of Socceroos captain Harry Souttar on a Richmond wall during the 2026 World Cup, the company’s name did not appear on the artwork. The artist, Rory Ledge, painted Souttar as the “Minister of Defence” behind a brick wall. Channel 7 and Channel 9 turned up. The Herald Sun ran it in their Saturday edition. Mizuno’s brand director called it “mainstream awareness” without paid media.

The mural sat within a broader push by the Osaka-based company to expand in Oceania. For the fiscal year ending March 2026, Mizuno reported sales of ¥259 billion, up 7.8 per cent year-on-year, with net income of ¥18.4 billion representing 20.5 per cent growth . Operating profit rose to ¥22.6 billion. The Asia and Oceania segment is central to the company’s medium-term plan, which targets net sales of ¥290 billion by fiscal 2027.

The growth imperative

Australian football has not historically been kind to specialist boot brands. Nike, Adidas and Puma dominate retail shelves. A-Leagues collective bargaining agreements and club deals have locked in incumbents. For a brand without the marketing budgets of its competitors, the path to relevance runs through the players.

Mizuno has grown its Australian ambassador base from one athlete to around 20 across the A-Leagues in recent seasons. Melbourne City’s Tolgay Arslan, who played in the Bundesliga and Serie A before arriving in Australia, told Front Page Football: “If I discovered these boots ten years ago, I would wear these boots overseas in my career.” Western United midfielder Angus Thurgate called them “the comfiest boots I’ve ever worn”.

The mural moment

Richmond was chosen for the mural because of its location. The suburb sits at the centre of Melbourne’s sporting precinct, five minutes’ walk from the MCG and AAMI Park. It is already home to murals of AFL players. Rowena Corner Store owner Con, who agreed to host the artwork, had previously welcomed murals of Dusty Martin and an AFLW player.

“We didn’t have access to Harry because he was in the US competing,” brand director Rishi said. “We couldn’t do a photoshoot. So we had to be clever. The best ideas come from real time, aligned with what the public discourse looks like. Once we saw his Wikipedia page updated to refer to him as the Minister of Defence, we knew we could play into this.”

Ledge incorporated an existing window into the design to create a net behind Souttar’s figure. The mural appeared the morning of the Paraguay match, when Australia’s clean sheet sent them into the knockout phase.

The World Cup provided a massive backdrop. The Socceroos’ run captivated the nation: 4.84 million Australians tuned in to the Paraguay match, making it the most-watched World Cup match in SBS history at the time, with an average audience of 3.086 million . The final reached 5.26 million viewers, and cumulative tournament reach hit 18.04 million— 64 per cent of Australia’s population. SBS director of sport Ken Shipp said: “We’ve never seen engagement at this level.” Mizuno spent comparatively little and had Channel 7 and Channel 9 on site.

The commercial question

For a brand with limited marketing firepower, organic PR coverage is the prize. The question for the company’s Oceania division, still in growth mode, is whether a mural and a handful of player endorsements can convert into sustained commercial traction. Retail partnerships with Ultra Football, which has created a dedicated Mizuno space at its Melbourne store, suggest the company is thinking beyond campaigns.

Mizuno’s European expansion has taken a different path. The company signed a five-year deal to become AS Monaco’s technical equipment partner from the 2025-26 season, its first entry into Ligue 1. It already has a presence in Germany’s Bundesliga and Italy’s Serie A. In Australia, institutional partnerships are harder to secure. The approach has been slower: build through athletes, then through community, then through culture.

The Queensland government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Mizuno in March 2026 to explore the Japan-Australia Sports & Health Innovation Exchange (JASHIE), a two-year partnership focused on sport and health innovation . The agreement supports Queensland’s preparations for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The mural campaign reflected a broader trend in sporting brand marketing, where IP restrictions and athlete availability increasingly demand creative solutions. “I love what Levi’s did because they were able to lean into their brand codes and tell what I believe to be the most memorable advertising story from the World Cup,” Rishi said. “This is a different page out of fundamentally the same playbook.”

Mizuno’s boots are not cheap. The Made-in-Japan models retail well above competitors’ offerings. The brand’s pitch rests on quality and heritage, not price or volume. That is a harder sell in a country where discounting dominates and cost-of-living pressures are squeezing households.

The Souttar mural will eventually fade or be painted over. Mizuno is betting that by the time it does, enough Australian football fans will have noticed the three stripes’ quieter rival.

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