Giants, Suns AFL’s most frequent travellers as Vic clubs bristle over WA complaints

Complaints about travel and complaints about those complaints are on the AFL’s agenda, but the data is clear. The AFL’s non-Victorian sides are doing it tough, doing the league’s most travelling.

Which clubs across the AFL travel the most during the season?

The GWS Giants and Gold Coast Suns are officially the AFL’s most frequent flyers while the Dockers and Eagles easily amass the most kilometres in the air of any team in the competition.

Flights, travel time and the league’s competitive balance have firmly been in the spotlight following some clubs airing their frustrations over recent Western Australian clubs’ complaints.

The Dockers and Eagles have both complained about the amount of travel required from their respective sides, with the two Perth-based teams travelling more than 73,000 kilometres in 2024.

Compared to some of the Victorian clubs, like Carlton (16,928km) and Essendon (18,600km), Fremantle and West Coast are travelling almost five times more this year.

The six-most travelled sides in 2024 are based in Western Australia, Queensland and New South Wales, with eight of the top nine sides Victorian-based.

The Giants will take 14 flights this year, including three short trips for their home games in Canberra. That’s one more than the Suns who will make 13 trips to the airport.

At the other end of the spectrum, it’s clear the Victorian clubs won’t be generating as many points for seat upgrades with their limited travel throughout the season.

The Western Bulldogs have the fewest kilometres travelled at just 15,340 across the 24 rounds, almost five times less than West Coast. That also includes three road trips, such as their final round match-up against GWS in Ballarat.

Essendon has the fewest flights (5), while the Magpies, Dogs and Blues (6) are not far behind.

In the final eight weeks of the season, Collingwood has one of the easiest runs home out of all teams.

The Magpies storm home with seven games at the MCG of their final eight matches, with just one game interstate in the final two months of the home-and-away season.

Only St Kilda travels less in the final seven weeks, with a sole trip to Adelaide for a clash with the Crows a reason to leave Marvel Stadium.

Surprisingly, Melbourne has the seventh-highest travel distance this season, coming in above both South Australian teams. That’s despite staying in Adelaide for the week between their games against the Crows and Power.

North Melbourne and Hawthorn both make the most flights for Victorian-based teams, with trips to their home games in Tasmania.

Originally published as Giants, Suns AFL’s most frequent travellers as Vic clubs bristle over WA complaints