AFTER Essendon's win over North Melbourne on Sunday, Bombers coach Brad Scott was quick to point out his team's young demographic.
"There's an interesting narrative. When you really focus on the facts and not just what people externally talk generally about, we had 17 players who hadn't played 100 games out there tonight," he said.
"We're a pretty young and inexperienced team ourselves."
The perception and reality of young and old teams in the competition don't always match up. But the average age and games played for each team speaks for itself as the barometer for clubs in contention, those on the rise and others not meeting expectations.
As of the end of round 11, before clubs embarked on the bye periods of the season, Hawthorn sat last for average age (24.4 years) and games played (69) this season.
However, there are other better performing teams who are in the lower rungs for both categories.
Adelaide has been the equal second youngest team (24.7 years) this season and the third lowest average games played (79), while Fremantle is also making a charge to the finals and has the second-lowest average games played (77) and the equal second-youngest average age.
The Bombers are sitting sixth on the ladder at the midway point of their season but are in the bottom five for average age and games played.
At the other end of the rebuild ladder, reigning premier Geelong is the oldest average team (27.4 years) and games played (131 games), while flag-favourite Collingwood is second for age and third for games played, showing the Pies to be in a prime position to strike for the flag.
Richmond, having added Giants pair Tim Taranto and Jacob Hopper, is also in the top-three for both experience measures, while 18th-placed West Coast ranks 10th for both as well, placing it mid-table.
Carlton is eighth for average age but seventh for average games played, while North Melbourne has been the ninth oldest side this season on average and eighth most experienced team.
2023 average age per team
27.4 years – Geelong
26.9 – Collingwood
26.7 – Richmond
26.6 – Western Bulldogs
26.2 – Brisbane
25.9 – Melbourne
25.6 – Port Adelaide
25.5 – Carlton
25.4 – North Melbourne
25.3 – West Coast
25.2 – Sydney
25.2 – St Kilda
25.2 – Greater Western Sydney
25.2 – Essendon
25.1 – Gold Coast
24.7 – Fremantle
24.7 – Adelaide
24.4 – Hawthorn
2023 average games played per team
131 games – Geelong
117 – Richmond
116 – Collingwood
115 – Brisbane
113 – Melbourne
109 – Western Bulldogs
100 – Sydney
98 – North Melbourne
95 – Port Adelaide
89 – West Coast
87 – St Kilda
86 – Carlton
85 – Greater Western Sydney
83 – Gold Coast
82 – Essendon
79 – Adelaide
77 – Fremantle
69 – Hawthorn
