2021's Marathon Men (L-R): Sam Walsh, Ed Langdon, Andrew Gaff. Pictures: AFL Photos

CARLTON star Sam Walsh is the leader of the AFL's official 15km club and the League's new endurance king.

According to data released by the AFL's Telstra Tracker, Walsh is one of only four players who covered more than 15km a game in 2021, alongside Melbourne wingman Ed Langdon, Carlton teammate Matthew Cottrell and West Coast midfielder Andrew Gaff.

The Carlton star's average of 15.49km was more than the best single-game results at three other clubs, highlighting the 2021 club champion's incredible running power and consistency.  

Langdon (15.3 km a game), Cottrell (15.29km) and Gaff (15.03), who dominated the category in shortened matches last season, were his closest competition.  

Carlton's Sam Walsh runs with the ball during round 16, 2021. Picture: AFL Photos

It was the second of his three seasons in which Walsh has averaged more than 15km a game, going at 15.2km in his debut 2019 season (ranked No.4) before dropping to 12.4km in reduced game time in 2020.   

Adelaide running machine Lachlan Scholl registered the highest single game result in 2021, covering 17.26km against North Melbourne in round four when he collected a career-best 31 disposals.

The 21-year-old edged second-placed Walsh (17.13km in round seven) and had three of the top four matches for distances covered in 2021, also ticking over 17.05km in round one and 16.84km in round eight. 

It was not enough to surpass Gaff's 2019 effort of 17.6km in a single game, however, or get close to the record set by former Greater Western Sydney and Hawthorn running machine Tom Scully (18.9km).    

NEED FOR SPEED Telstra Tracker reveals the AFL's fastest players in 2021

Gaff's best single game result in 2021 was 16.51km (round 11), ranking second at West Coast behind hard-working half-forward Zac Langdon (16.53km in round 13).

Langdon's best result was 16.5km in the qualifying final against Brisbane, registering four of the Demons' top-five distances and ticking over 16.18km in the Grand Final.  

Half-forward/wingman Alex Neal-Bullen recorded 16.5km in the premiership decided to tie with Langdon for top spot at Melbourne.   

Other players to impress with top 10 single match results in 2021 were Brisbane star Hugh McCluggage (16.74km), Sydney ruck/forward Hayden McLean (16.74km), Cottrell (16.69km) and Adelaide forward Ned McHenry (16.58km).  

Top-five most distance covered per game in 2021

Ned McHenry, 14.28km
Ben Keays, 14.17km
Riley Thilthorpe, 14.04km
Rory Sloane, 13.51km
Tom Doedee, 13.40km

Top-five most distance covered in a game in 2021 

Lachlan Sholl, R4 v NM, 17.26km
Lachlan Sholl, R1 v Geel, 17.05km
Lachlan Sholl, R8 v PA, 16.84km
Ned McHenry, R15 v Carl, 16.58km
Ned McHenry, R16 v BL, 16.51km

Top-five most distance covered per game in 2021

Hugh McCluggage, 14.57km
Harris Andrews, 14.21km
Brandon Starcevich, 13.72km
Marcus Adams, 13.28km
Zac Bailey, 13.01km

Top-five most distance covered in a game in 2021

Hugh McCluggage, SF v WB, 16.74km
Hugh McCluggage, R6 v Carl, 16.46km
Harris Andrews, QF v Melb, 15.53km
Hugh McCluggage, R16 v Adel, 15.47km
Harris Andrews, R20 v Haw, 15.36km

Top-five most distance covered per game in 2021

Sam Walsh, 15.49km
Matthew Cottrell, 15.29km
Sam Docherty, 14.33km
Ed Curnow, 14.07km
Lochie O'Brien, 13.54km

Top-five most distance covered in a game in 2021

Sam Walsh, R7 v Ess, 17.13km
Matthew Cottrell, R7 v Ess, 16.69km
Sam Walsh, R4 v GC, 16.44km
Matthew Cottrell, R6 v BL, 16.41km
Matthew Cottrell, R4 v GC, 16.39km

Top-five most distance covered per game in 2021

Jack Crisp, 14.42km
Steele Sidebottom, 14.09km
Will Hoskin-Elliott, 13.81km
Isaac Quaynor, 13.52km
Caleb Poulter, 13.36km

Top-five most distance covered in a game in 2021

Jack Crisp, R10 v PA, 15.80km
Jack Crisp, R12 v Adel, 15.48km
Caleb Poulter, R13 v Melb, 15.25km
Will Hoskin-Elliott, R10 v PA, 15.21km
Steele Sidebottom, R21 v Haw, 15.17km

Top-five most distance covered per game in 2021

Dyson Heppell, 14.80km
Will Snelling, 14.45km
Nick Hind, 13.59km
Zach Merrett, 13.49km
Harrison Jones, 13.47km

Top-five most distance covered in a game in 2021

Dyson Heppell, R8 v GWS, 15.88km
Harrison Jones, R14 v Haw, 15.85km
Dyson Heppell, R11 v WC, 15.84km
Will Snelling, R7 v Carl, 15.81km
Dyson Heppell, R19 v GWS, 15.76km

Top-five most distance covered per game in 2021

Darcy Tucker, 13.23km
Heath Chapman, 13.15km
Rory Lobb, 13.10km
Matt Taberner, 13.09km
Blake Acres, 13.03km

Top-five most distance covered in a game in 2021

Matt Taberner, R7 v WC, 15.39km
Matt Taberner, R8 v BL, 15.30km
Matt Taberner, R3 v Carl, 15.17km
Matt Taberner, R9 v Ess, 15.12km
Caleb Serong, R10 v Syd, 15.07km

Top-five most distance covered per game in 2021

Isaac Smith, 14.51km
Lachie Henderson, 14.19km
Mark Blicavs, 14.19km
Brad Close, 13.95km
Tom Atkins, 13.83km

Top-five most distance covered in a game in 2021

Mark Blicavs, R7 v Syd, 16.33km
Isaac Smith, R13 v PA, 16.21km
Isaac Smith, R23 v Melb, 16.18km
Isaac Smith, R14 v WB, 16.16km
Jake Kolodjashnij, R14 v WB, 16.16km

Top-five most distance covered per game in 2021

Touk Miller, 14.54km
Wil Powell, 13.87km
Brandon Ellis, 13.71km
Jack Lukosius, 13.67km
Jeremy Sharp, 13.58km

Top-five most distance covered in a game in 2021

Brandon Ellis, R17 v GWS, 16.08km
Brayden Fiorini, R23 v Syd, 16.05km
Touk Miller, R18 v WB, 16.05km
Jeremy Sharp, R20 v Melb, 15.97km
Touk Miller R4 v Carl, 15.96km

Top-five most distance covered per game in 2021

Josh Kelly, 14.36km
Tim Taranto, 14.36km
Lachie Whitfield, 14.19km
Adam Kennedy, 13.90km
Jake Stein, 13.53km

Top-five most distance covered in a game in 2021

Xavier O'Halloran, R8 v Ess, 16.21km
Josh Kelly, R3 v Melb, 16.13km
Tim Taranto, R6 v WB, 16.00km
Tim Taranto, R21 v Geel, 15.99km
Josh Kelly, SF v Geel, 15.94km

Top-five most distance covered per game in 2021

Lachlan Bramble, 14.04km
Tom Phillips, 13.83km
Jaeger O'Meara, 13.55km
Tom Mitchell, 13.47km
Dylan Moore, 13.30km 

Top-five most distance covered in a game in 2021

Lachlan Bramble, R20 v BL, 16.15km
Tom Phillips, R18 v Melb, 15.66km
Dylan Moore, R20 v BL, 15.30km
Tom Phillips, R9 v NM, 15.01km
Daniel Howe, R20 v BL, 14.95km

Top-five most distance covered per game in 2021

Ed Langdon, 15.30km
Christian Salem, 14.20km
Alex Neal-Bullen, 13.88km
Clayton Oliver, 13.61km
Jake Bowey, 13.33km

Top-five most distance covered in a game in 2021

Ed Langdon, QF v BL, 16.50km
Alex Neal-Bullen, GF v WB, 16.50km
Ed Langdon, R19 v WB, 16.37km
Ed Langdon, R8 v Syd 16.18km
Ed Langdon, GF v WB, 16.18km

Top-five most distance covered per game in 2021

Nick Larkey, 13.14km
Jy Simpkin, 13.09km
Ben McKay, 13.02km
Josh Walker, 12.94km
Luke Davies-Uniacke, 12.89km

Top-five most distance covered in a game in 2021

Shaun Atley, R4 v Adel, 15.95km
Shaun Atley, R2 v GC, 15.58km
Jy Simpkin, R4 v Adel, 14.98km
Todd Goldstein, R4 v Adel, 14.89km
Jack Mahony, R1 v PA, 14.85km

Top-five most distance covered per game in 2021

Karl Amon, 13.95km
Tom Jonas, 13.80km
Xavier Duursma, 13.47km
Travis Boak, 13.34km
Connor Rozee, 13.33km

Top-five most distance covered in a game in 2021

Tom Jonas, R17 v Melb, 15.39km
Karl Amon, R17 v Melb, 15.20km
Karl Amon, R5 v Carl, 15.20km
Karl Amon, R8 v Adel, 15.07km
Karl Amon, R22 v Carl, 15.06km

Top-five most distance covered per game in 2021

Ryan Garthwaite, 14.96km
Jack Graham, 14.06km
Nathan Broad, 13.85km
Kane Lambert, 13.63km
Jayden Short, 13.61km

Top-five most distance covered in a game in 2021

Ryan Garthwaite, R18 v BL, 16.05km
Nathan Broad, R7 v WB, 15.73km
Kamdyn McIntosh, R1 v Carl, 15.69km
Jack Graham, R23 v Haw, 15.65km
Jayden Short, R1 v Carl, 15.48km

Top-five most distance covered per game in 2021

Callum Wilkie, 14.01km
Jack Sinclair, 13.79km
Jack Billings, 13.74km
Bradley Hill, 13.58km
Sebastian Ross, 13.35km

Top-five most distance covered in a game in 2021

Jack Sinclair, R4 v WC, 15.35km
Jack Billings, R13 v Adel, 15.20km
Bradley Hill, R15 v Rich, 15.19km
Daniel McKenzie, R6 v PA, 15.11km
Callum Wilkie, R12 v Syd, 15.04km

Top-five most distance covered per game in 2021

Callum Mills, 14.03km
Lewis Melican, 13.55km
Dane Rampe, 13.49km
Harry Cunningham, 13.45km
Errol Gulden, 13.38km

Top-five most distance covered in a game in 2021

Hayden McLean, R7 v Geel, 16.74km
Errol Gulden, R5 v GWS, 16.27km
Hayden McLean, R8 v Melb, 15.79km
Oliver Florent, R18 v GWS, 15.53km
Sam Wicks, R12 v StK, 15.37km

Top-five most distance covered per game in 2021

Andrew Gaff, 15.03km
Liam Duggan, 13.89km
Jack Darling, 13.68km
Jarrod Brander, 13.63km
Josh Rotham, 13.27km

Top-five most distance covered in a game in 2021

Zac Langdon, R16 v Syd, 16.53km
Andrew Gaff, R11 v Ess, 16.51km
Zac Langdon, R12 v Carl, 16.32km
Andrew Gaff, R2 v WB, 16.21km
Andrew Gaff, R8 v Haw, 16.13km

Top-five most distance covered per game in 2021

Marcus Bontempelli, 14.52km
Lachie Hunter, 13.83km
Caleb Daniel, 13.64km
Jack Macrae, 13.40km
Josh Bruce, 13.39km

Top-five most distance covered in a game in 2021

Marcus Bontempelli, SF v BL, 15.91km
Lachie Hunter, R14 v Geel, 15.82km
Caleb Daniel, R18 v GC, 15.71km
Jack Macrae, R2 v WC, 15.64km
Josh Bruce, R6 v GWS, 15.53km