COLLINGWOOD'S win against West Coast last week saw them once again referred to as the competition's best travelling team.
But do the numbers back up the claim that the Magpies are the AFL's leading road warriors?
FULL FIXTURE Every round, every game
Nearly, but not quite. Champion Data's statistics show that it is in fact the Eagles who fly their nest better than any side in the League.
West Coast had its biggest interstate win of all in last year's Grand Final. Picture: AFL Photos
The records supplied show each club's results for its past 20 games the team has been the away side in an interstate game.
It means for clubs who regularly host games away from their home base, such as Hawthorn and North Melbourne in Tasmania, or Greater Western Sydney in Canberra, they are not counted as interstate trips in this exercise. Only the away club in those games added to these tallies.
For overseas games, all clubs who have participated in international clashes have been included in the data due to the lack of a 'home' ground help.
The same applies for the Western Bulldogs' 'home' games in Cairns and Melbourne's 'home' games in the Northern Territory, as they don't play at these venues regularly enough to establish an advantage.
West Coast tops all clubs for its games when away from Optus Stadium. Last year's premiers have won 13 of their past 20 games outside of Perth, including last year's Grand Final win over Collingwood.
The sample size has covered a period where the Eagles have been at the top of their game – they have won 12 of 18 games interstate since the start of 2018 – but it does highlight how being able to win away from home is the mark of a quality team.
Equally, it is not a surprise that Gold Coast sit at the bottom of the table, having won only three games on the road of its past 20.
Melbourne is ranked second, with a strong percentage, while Collingwood is in third place. As captain Scott Pendlebury said after the club's win over the Eagles, the Pies don't travel often, but they travel well.
The Pies won for the third time in three 2019 interstate matches last week. Picture: AFL Photos
Unlike the Eagles, who have played 18 of the 20 interstate games in the past two seasons, the Magpies' 20 trips dates back to late 2015. They have won their three trips this season, and seven of their nine since the start of 2018.
Perhaps the most surprising result is Richmond. The Tigers are ranked 11th for their success away from Victoria, despite the period being a strong one for Damien Hardwick's side.
| Pos. | Club | Wins | Draws | Losses | Pts | For | Ag | % |
1 | West Coast Eagles | 13 | 0 | 7 | 52 | 1537 | 1585 | 96.97 |
2 | Melbourne | 12 | 0 | 8 | 48 | 1830 | 1630 | 112.27 |
3 | Collingwood | 12 | 0 | 8 | 48 | 1810 | 1720 | 105.23 |
4 | Sydney Swans | 12 | 0 | 8 | 48 | 1624 | 1607 | 101.06 |
5 | Geelong Cats | 11 | 1 | 8 | 46 | 1847 | 1561 | 118.32 |
6 | North Melbourne | 11 | 0 | 9 | 44 | 1764 | 1649 | 106.97 |
7 | Hawthorn | 11 | 0 | 9 | 44 | 1652 | 1738 | 95.05 |
8 | Port Adelaide | 10 | 0 | 10 | 40 | 1654 | 1564 | 105.75 |
9 | Adelaide Crows | 9 | 0 | 11 | 36 | 1737 | 1714 | 101.34 |
10 | GWS Giants | 8 | 1 | 11 | 34 | 1517 | 1623 | 93.47 |
11 | Richmond | 8 | 0 | 12 | 32 | 1700 | 1869 | 90.96 |
12 | Western Bulldogs | 7 | 0 | 13 | 28 | 1393 | 1710 | 81.46 |
13 | Essendon | 7 | 0 | 13 | 28 | 1562 | 1983 | 78.77 |
14 | Brisbane Lions | 6 | 0 | 14 | 24 | 1607 | 1833 | 87.67 |
15 | St Kilda | 4 | 0 | 16 | 16 | 1382 | 1940 | 71.24 |
16 | Carlton | 4 | 0 | 16 | 16 | 1330 | 1931 | 68.88 |
17 | Fremantle | 4 | 0 | 16 | 16 | 1276 | 1884 | 67.73 |
18 | Gold Coast Suns | 3 | 0 | 17 | 12 | 1131 | 2044 | 55.33 |
Statistics: Champion Data.
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