The Western Bulldogs will go into the 2018 season with the fifth youngest list in the competition it’s been revealed after final playing lists were finalised this week.
With veterans Robert Murphy, Matthew Boyd and Travis Cloke retiring, the Dogs average age in Round 1 will be 23.72, with only St.Kilda (23.55), North Melbourne (23.42), Brisbane (23.28) and Gold Coast younger.
And when the Dogs run out to face the Giants in Canberra in Round 1 next season, the average number of games played will be just 56, with only three teams boasting a lower number.
This despite only seven teams having a list that has played more finals.
The Dogs do, however, boast the competition’s third-oldest player in evergreen defender Dale Morris. The former Rookie will be 35 in December and is set to break through the 250 game barrier next season, the 12th Bulldog in history to do so.
Summary of 2018 AFL club lists
CLUB | AVERAGE AGE (YEARS, DAYS) | AVERAGE GAMES | FINALS | 100+ GAMES | YET TO DEBUT | FROM OTHER AFL CLUBS | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ADEL | Adelaide | 24 | 192 | 68 | 165 | 14 | 13 | 10 |
BL | Brisbane Lions | 23 | 128 | 54 | 65 | 9 | 11 | 12 |
CARL | Carlton | 23 | 244 | 56 | 56 | 7 | 8 | 19 |
COLL | Collingwood | 24 | 98 | 68 | 116 | 13 | 10 | 12 |
ESS | Essendon | 23 | 355 | 58 | 63 | 9 | 9 | 11 |
FRE | Fremantle | 23 | 292 | 63 | 144 | 13 | 12 | 8 |
GEEL | Geelong | 24 | 95 | 65 | 209 | 13 | 12 | 10 |
GCFC | Gold Coast | 23 | 22 | 60 | 31 | 7 | 9 | 10 |
GWS | Greater Western Sydney | 24 | 16 | 64 | 143 | 10 | 11 | 11 |
HAW | Hawthorn | 24 | 179 | 74 | 265 | 17 | 9 | 11 |
MELB | Melbourne | 23 | 335 | 57 | 44 | 8 | 9 | 12 |
NMFC | North Melbourne | 23 | 117 | 52 | 107 | 10 | 11 | 9 |
PORT | Port Adelaide | 24 | 50 | 73 | 109 | 17 | 10 | 13 |
RICH | Richmond | 23 | 255 | 62 | 114 | 11 | 8 | 8 |
STK | St Kilda | 23 | 201 | 53 | 32 | 10 | 10 | 13 |
SYD | Sydney | 23 | 343 | 66 | 303 | 11 | 12 | 4 |
WCE | West Coast | 23 | 282 | 64 | 169 | 15 | 16 | 8 |
WB | Western Bulldogs | 23 | 259 | 56 | 129 | 9 | 7 | 6 |
AVERAGE | 23 | 338 | 62 | 126 | 11 | 10 | 10 |