THEY are pushing to be flag contenders, but Fremantle was the youngest and least experienced team in the AFL on average every week of the first half of this season.

AFL.com.au's data shows that the Dockers, who will be vying for a top four berth if they can beat North Melbourne this week, were ranked 18th for age and experience on average for the 23-man team they selected between rounds 1-12.

The data shows the Dockers' average age was 24.6 years – slightly younger than Richmond on average (24.7), West Coast (24.8) and Essendon (24.9) – at the halfway mark of 2025.

But Fremantle was also the least experienced side with an average of 78 games per player, even less experienced than bottom-three teams Richmond and West Coast (both an average of 79 games) and the injury-hit Essendon (89 games).

At the other end of the scale, Collingwood was two years older than the second-oldest team on average each week with an average age of 28.5 years for the first half of the season, ahead of Geelong and Brisbane at 26.5 years and Carlton at 26.2 years.

Remarkably, the gap between the Magpies and Cats in second (two years) is greater than the gap between the Cats and the 18th placed Dockers (1.9 years).

The Pies were also well on top of the average games per team ladder, averaging 152 games a player, ahead of reigning premiers Brisbane (131 games), Sydney (112), Melbourne (111) and Geelong (111).

The list demographics ladder show the sweet spot of premiership contending but also give a truer picture of where clubs are really at in their respective list builds.

Hawthorn, for instance, is mid-table on both fronts, showing they are still not through their build despite being a flag fancy at the start of the season. Gold Coast, similarly, is still young and its best players are yet to peak, with the fifth least experienced team on average and seventh youngest.

Adelaide is coming through the other side of its longer rebuild and has risen up the list in terms of average age – they are 10th for average age now – but they remain the seventh least experienced team on average as they head towards a return to the finals.

Average age per team

Collingwood – 28.5 years
Geelong – 26.5
Brisbane – 26.5
Carlton – 26.2
Sydney – 26.1
Western Bulldogs – 26
Melbourne – 25.9
GWS – 25.8
Hawthorn – 25.7
Adelaide – 25.6
Port Adelaide – 25.4
Gold Coast – 25.3
St Kilda – 25.2
North Melbourne – 25.1
Essendon – 24.9
West Coast – 24.8
Richmond – 24.7
Fremantle – 24.6

Average games per team

Collingwood – 152
Brisbane – 131
Sydney – 112
Melbourne – 111
Geelong – 111
Carlton – 109
GWS – 105
Hawthorn – 104
North Melbourne – 100
Western Bulldogs – 99
Port Adelaide – 96
Adelaide – 95
St Kilda – 94
Gold Coast – 94
Essendon – 89
West Coast – 79
Richmond – 79
Fremantle – 78