With the bye rounds done and dusted for yet another year, we've decided to go back through the record books and work out just how helpful the week off has been for your side over recent years.
Since the inclusion of the bye in 2011 (Gold Coast's first AFL season) teams have had at least one bye in every season, with teams enjoying two byes in the 2011 campaign.
That equals a total of eight byes over the past seven seasons, and it's a week off that Hawthorn benefit from the most.
The Hawks have lost just one match following a week off, with Alastair Clarkson leading his side to a league-high seven wins after a bye (It also helps Hawthorn won three premierships during that time frame).
Surprisingly, West Coast are the only other side in the competition with a positive record after the bye, with the Eagles winning six from eight since 2011.
Adelaide, St Kilda and Fremantle are the three other sides to not have a losing record in their post-bye fixtures, with the trio recording four wins and four losses.
Eight teams have a 3-5 record and two others sit with just two wins from eight games, while Geelong joins the two other expansion clubs with just one win after a bye.
Your team's win-loss record in matches after a bye since 2011
Team | W/L |
Hawthorn | 7-1 |
West Coast | 6-2 |
Adelaide | 4-4 |
St Kilda | 4-4 |
Fremantle | 4-4 |
Melbourne | 3-5 |
Carlton | 3-5 |
Sydney | 3-5 |
Essendon* | 3-5 |
Port Adelaide | 3-5 |
Western Bulldogs | 3-5 |
Collingwood | 3-5 |
North Melbourne | 3-5 |
Brisbane | 2-6 |
Richmond | 2-6 |
GWS** | 1-5 |
Geelong*** | 1-6 |
Gold Coast | 1-7 |
Notes: * Essendon had a bye in round 24, 2011, meaning their next fixture was the Elimination Final against Carlton. They lost by 62 points.
** GWS have only played in six post-bye matches, given they entered the competition in 2012, a year after byes were first introduced.
*** Geelong played one less game because their round 14 clash in 2015 against Adelaide was cancelled due to the passing of Crows coach Phil Walsh. Both teams were awarded two points.