Where does your AFL club sit on the 2017 membership ladder?

THERE is plenty to be excited about if you’re a football fan at this time of year. But which clubs are cashing in? Check out the 2017 early membership ladder.

Hawthorn has the most members for 2017. Picture: Getty Images

PRE-season is a great time of year to be a football fan.

There are hardly any injuries, new recruits look great, draftees are exciting and all signs point to a big next season.

So which clubs are cashing in on the membership front?

Check out the Christmas membership ladder.

1. HAWTHORN: 61,028

Sam Mitchell and Jordan Lewis have left town but that hasn’t stopped the Hawthorn faithful from signing up for 2017 in droves. The Hawks posted a record membership number in 2016 and they are well and truly on track to top that figure.

2015 Total: 72,924

2016 Total: 75,351

2. ADELAIDE: 61,000

After back-to-back finals appearances, the Crows are flying. Adelaide enjoyed record breaking membership numbers in 2016 and that trend will continue for 2017.

2015 Total: 52,920

2016 Total: 54,307

3. WEST COAST: 54,661

Nic Naitanui is set to miss most of 2017 but there is plenty of excitement out west. Is it the Sam Mitchell factor?

2015 Total: 60,221

2016 Total: 65,188

Nic Naitanui is unlikely to play in 2017. Picture: Mitch Bear

4. RICHMOND: 52,401

The Tigers might be coming off their worst season since 2012 but the additions of Dion Prestia and Josh Caddy into a new look midfield has given the fans plenty of reason to hope for a quick return up the ladder.

2015 Total: 70,809

2016 Total: 72,278

5. PORT ADELAIDE: 50,027

Long gone are the days when Port Adelaide had to cover seats at their home games because of low crowd numbers. Despite missing the finals for the past two years, the Power is on track for huge membership numbers in 2017.

2015 Total: 54,057

2016 Total: 53,743

6. ESSENDON: 45,536

How many Bomber fans want to be part of the comeback story? With the supplements saga finally behind the club, Essendon supporters can go into 2017 feeling very optimistic. With Michael Hurley, Jobe Watson and Cale Hooker joining number one draft pick Andrew McGrath, finals are on the agenda.

2015 Total: 60,818

2016 Total: 57,494

7. GEELONG: 43,007

Another year of having the best midfield one-two punch in the game has Geelong up and about for 2017. The Cats broke the 50,000 membership barrier last year and they are just 7,000 shy of that number already. Their total of 43,007 is the highest membership number the Cats have had at Christmas. “Our target for 2017 is 57,000 members so we are heading in the right direction to achieve that goal,” Geelong’s chief executive Brian Cook said.

2015 Total: 44,312

2016 Total: 50,571

8. CARLTON: 33,270

Next year is shaping up as a tough one for Carlton. The Blues won just one of their final 11 games in 2016 and there could be more short term pain on the way while the likes of Jack Silvagni, Jacob Weitering and Caleb Marchbank continue to develop.

2015 Total: 47,305

2016 Total: 50,130

Jack Silvagni is still developing for the Blues. Picture: Getty Images

9. SYDNEY: 31,046

The Sydney Swans enjoyed a massive jump in membership from 2015 to 2016, rising a whopping 15.74 per cent. Can that trend continue? They may have lost Tom Mitchell in the off-season but with Lance Franklin still in his prime and young stars like Isaac Heeney and Callum Mills on the way through, the good times are showing no signs of slowing down.

2015 Total: 48,836

2016 Total: 56,523

10. ST KILDA: 31,000

The Saints are marching towards a return to September action and their fans know it. St Kilda’s membership numbers jumped a league high 16.07 per cent between 2015 and 2016 and the club is on track for another big tally. The Saints are well and truly on track to break last year’s mark of 38,009.

2015 Total: 32,746

2016 Total: 38,009

11. WESTERN BULLDOGS: 30,000

Fresh off last season’s flag heroics, the Dogs are eager for more success in 2017. For the first time in the club’s history, the Western Bulldogs have reached the 30,000 member mark before Christmas. The club has enjoyed a 16 per cent increase on reserved seat members and a 42 per cent increase on social club memberships from this time last year.

2015 Total: 35,222

2016 Total: 39,459

12. MELBOURNE: 29,426

It has taken a little while but the Melbourne rebuild is finally complete and the club is charging towards a top eight spot. With Jordan Lewis coming on board, the Demons are just 10,000 members shy of topping their 2016 mark.

2015 Total: 35,953

2016 Total: 39,146

What impact will Jordan Lewis have at Melbourne? Picture: Getty Images

13. NORTH MELBOURNE: 27,481

Is it a full rebuild at North Melbourne or can the Kangaroos play finals in 2017? After breaking their all-time membership record in 2016, the Roos face a tough challenge to top that mark next season.

2015 Total: 41,012

2016 Total: 45,014

14. BRISBANE: 14,877

A new coach, a new football manager and maybe a new captain, there is plenty to be excited about at Brisbane. Chris Fagan and David Noble are rebuilding the Lions from the ground up.

2016 Total: 25,408

15. GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 10,002

An early Christmas present for the Giants with the club reaching 10,000 members before Christmas. Having made a preliminary final last season, the Giants will go into 2017 as the premiership favourites meaning now is the perfect time to jump on board the expansion club. It could be your best chance at securing guaranteed Grand Final tickets.

2015 Total: 13,480

2016 Total: 15,312

16. GOLD COAST: 7,294

The Gold Coast will be desperate to get their membership numbers going the right way. The Suns dropped 5.78 per cent between 2015 and 2016. So far they are well behind fellow expansion club GWS despite being in the AFL an extra year.

2015 Total: 13,643

2016 Total: 12,854

*Collingwood and Fremantle have not made their membership numbers public.

Originally published as Where does your AFL club sit on the 2017 membership ladder?