The 2024 age and experience rankings are here ahead of the 2024 AFL season.
Reigning premiers, Collingwood will enter their title-defending campaign with the oldest and most experienced list in the competition, just like Geelong did this time last year.
The Cats (2nd oldest) are joined by Richmond (5th) and the Western Bulldogs (7th) in ranking among the top eight oldest clubs in the AFL this year despite missing out on a finals spot in 2023.
North Melbourne has the youngest and least experienced side in the league for 2024, while 2023 wooden spooners West Coast have continued their trend of joining the bottom few clubs for both categories after being toward the top end for age and experience in years gone by.
Here's where each club sits on the AFL age and experience ladder ahead of the 2024 season.
Adelaide
Average Age: 24.3 years (14th oldest)
Average Games: 61.6 games (15th highest)
Home to an exciting young crop, Matthew Nicks' squad should be primed for a top eight return this season.
The Crows were 17th for both categories this time last year, with another season under their belt seeing the South Australian club mature a touch.
Veteran pair Rory Sloane and Taylor Walker both turn 34 this year, keeping the age average up, while the Crows are home to 14 players 21 or under for 2024.
Brisbane
Average Age: 25.1 years (4th)
Average Games: 78.8 games (4th)
The Lions draw a similar age to last year but have lost some experience with the departure of Daniel Rich, whose 275 games are removed from their experience totals.
The Lions added four new faces through the National Draft to see their average age remain at 25.1 years, while former captain Dayne Zorko is at the other end of the spectrum as he plans to turn 35 in February.
The Lions will have a total of nine players passed the 30-year mark in 2024, with Charlie Cameron and Oscar McInerney joining the veterans club in July.
Carlton
Average Age: 25.0 years (6th)
Average Games: 63.9 games (14th)
In the top third for age but bottom third for experience, the Blues' list demographic is a peculiar one.
Once again set to compete, their lack of experience is aided by the cool heads of Sam Docherty, Patrick Cripps and Adam Saad, who can help steer the ship.
The Blues also have nine players yet to earn their AFL debut, with these youngsters afforded time to develop while Michael Voss' incumbents continue to impress.
Collingwood
Average Age: 26.1 years (1st)
Average Games: 92.1 games (1st)
The reigning premiers enter the season of their flag defence with the oldest and most experienced list by some margin.
Collingwood veteran Scott Pendlebury is now the oldest player in the competition following Lance Franklin's retirement, while Steele Sidebottom, Jeremy Howe, Mason Cox, Jamie Elliott, Brody Mihocek, Tom Mitchell, Will Hoskin-Elliott and Jack Crisp are also over 30 this year.
A lack of draft additions, having added just two over the off-season, has also factored into seeing the Pies placed as the oldest club in the game.
Essendon
Average Age: 24.5 years (12th)
Average Games: 25.5 games (7th)
A good ranking for experience given where they sit on the age ladder, the Bombers can be excited by the level of games their young core already has under their belt.
Despite the addition of veteran ruckman Todd Goldstein, the Bombers have the seventh-youngest list in the league.
With 16 players 22 and under this year, there's plenty of promise for the future at Tullamarine.
Fremantle
Average Age: 24.1 years (15th)
Average Games: 56.6 games (17th)
It might be unfair to expect the Dockers to suddenly return to the September frame, with their level of experience placed second lowest in the league.
Perhaps it's more a factor of who than how much that has the Purple Army rallying for a top-eight spot.
With 22 players aged 23 and under this year after a few heavy years at the draft, there are clear reasons why the Dockers have the fourth youngest list.
Geelong
Average Age: 25.5 years (2nd)
Average Games: 88.6 games (2nd)
After taking the top spot for both categories last year, the Cats have fallen a rung in both age and experience to new premiers Collingwood.
Their average age has remained the same from this time last year; however, they have lost four games of experience per player following the departures of Isaac Smith, Jonathon Ceglar and Sam Menegola.
The Cats were able to add seven players through the draft period during the off-season, however more than half of those were mature-aged additions.
Gold Coast
Average Age: 24.7 (9th)
Average Games: 69.8 games (10th)
The Suns sit in the midriff of the AFL age and experience ladder for 2024 as they prepare for their maiden season under new coach Damien Hardwick.
The Suns' average age of 24.8 last year was the oldest in their history, with the Queensland club going down in age for just the second time since their inception.
By the end of the year, Gold Coast will have nine players past the 30-age mark, led by 34-year-old Levi Casboult.
GWS
Average Age: 24.3 years (13th)
Average Games: 64.7 games (12th)
The Giants haven't seen their squad's average age drop below 24.2 years or above 24.7 years since 2016, remaining on a steady line since first breaking into premiership contention.
With another top-four finish to their name last year, the Giants haven't looked to mend what worked under Adam Kingsley and decided to work through a quiet off-season.
Only Stephen Coniglio, Toby Greene, and Callan Ward enter the new season as part of Kingsley's best side and are over the age of 30, while the Giants have 25 players 23 and under this year.
Hawthorn
Average Age: 23.7 years (17th)
Average Games: 59.6 games (16th)
The Hawks were ranked 18th for both age and experience in 2023, with a further year of development and a busy off-season seeing them lift off the bottom.
The additions of Mabior Chol, Jack Ginnivan, Massimo D'Ambrosio and Jack Gunston helped transition Sam Mitchell's side into a more mature list for the year ahead.
Ahead of North Melbourne in both categories and Fremantle for experience, the Hawks could surprise a few in where they finish on the ladder this year compared to their age and experience rankings.
Melbourne
Average Age: 25.2 years (3rd)
Average Games: 84.9 games (3rd)
The Demons have plateaued in their average games per player rating for this year, amassing a similar mean to this time last year despite getting another year of experience under their belt.
The departures of Michael Hibberd, Brodie Grundy, James Harmes and Luke Dunstan clear some of that experience, while the club's average age also remains similar to last season.
The additions of Jack Billings, Kynan Brown, Tom Fullarton, Shane McAdam, Koltyn Tholstrup and Caleb Windsor provide a mixed bag of new faces that impact the club's age and experience ratings.
North Melbourne
Average Age: 23.4 years (18th)
Average Games: 49.2 games (18th)
North Melbourne has lost almost 11 games of experience per player since this time last year despite getting a full season of matches into their squad.
The departures of Todd Goldstein, Jack Ziebell, Ben Cunnington and Aaron Hall play a key part in the drop as the Roos dive deeper into their rebuild.
The youngest squad in the league has 26 players who are 23 or under at January 1 this year, with nine of those teenagers.
Port Adelaide
Average Age: 24.6 years (11th)
Average Games: 70.6 games (9th)
The Power are another side that sits right in the middle of the competition for both age and experience, however both metrics have risen since this time last year.
The additions of Brandon Zerk-Thatcher, Esava Ratugolea, Ivan Soldo and Jordon Sweet give the Power some additional experience and age, while the departures of Scott Lycett and Trent Dumont helped balance those inclusions.
Veteran midfielder Travis Boak turns 36 in August and will be the fourth oldest player in the AFL this year.
Richmond
Average Age: 25.0 years (5th)
Average Games: 71.1 games (8th)
While being among the top five clubs for average age, the Tigers just sit inside the top half of the competition for experience.
More than half of Richmond's squad were 23 or under at the recent turn of the new year, with the Punt Road club turning to the future after a dynastic period.
The departures of 300-game club icons Trent Cotchin and Jack Riewoldt have also seen the Tigers' games per player rating fall by 12 matches per player heading into 2024.
St Kilda
Average Age: 24.6 years (10th)
Average Games: 69.4 games (11th)
The Saints had the same rankings for both metrics this time last year, seeing a small increase in average age and a minor decrease in experience.
Ross Lyon's squad gained an injection of youth during the trade, free agency and draft periods while also losing some experienced talent in the form of Jack Billings and Dan McKenzie.
Contending the finals last year, the Saints will be hoping their off-season of change is for the best as they embark on another season under Lyon.
Sydney
Average Age: 24.7 years (8th)
Average Games: 78.4 games (5th)
The Swans have added almost ten games per player in experience heading into the new season, having added the likes of Brodie Grundy, Taylor Adams and Joel Hamling to their list.
The departure of Lance Franklin significantly worked against that rise, while the retirements of Tom Hickey and Paddy McCartin would've also played their part.
The Swans have nine players who will be passed the 30 mark this year, but it's their young crop of stars, including Errol Gulden, Chad Warner and Logan McDonald, that headline their list.
West Coast
Average Age: 23.9 years (16th)
Average Games: 63.9 games (13th)
The Eagles had the ninth oldest list this time last year after having the fourth oldest the year prior, showcasing their rapid transition into a rebuild.
Bidding farewell to veterans Nic Naitanui, Luke Shuey and Shannon Hurn greatly impacted their average age and experience metrics for 2024, while another busy draft period also played its part.
The Eagles now have just five players over 30 and 21 who are 21 years of age or young, including 12 teenagers.
Western Bulldogs
Average Age: 24.9 years (7th)
Average Games: 76.3 games (6th)
With Josh Bruce, Tim O'Brien and Hayden Crozier among their outs, the Dogs' age and experience have both dropped for the year ahead.
They remain in the top third of the completion for experience and are well placed for their average age, with another expected finals push to come in 2024.
The Dogs have 20 players 23 and under this year to start the new season, giving Luke Beveridge plenty of exciting depth options to consider for the future.
