FOLLOWING its second flag in three years, Richmond easily boasts the most premiership players in the competition.
Last month the premiership players' club welcomed six more Tigers – first-game phenomenon Marlion Pickett, former Gold Coast co-captain Tom Lynch, fellow big man Ivan Soldo and speedy trio Jayden Short, Liam Baker and Shai Bolton.
This boosted Richmond's premiership player stocks to 25 – six clear of nearest rival West Coast (19), followed by the Western Bulldogs (14), Hawthorn (nine), Collingwood (six) and Geelong (six).
Josh Kennedy is one of 19 premiership players at the Eagles.
This was despite the fact the Tigers farewelled three men who'd experienced flag glory, with dual premiership player Brandon Ellis joining Gold Coast, Dan Butler moving to St Kilda and veteran Shaun Grigg retiring.
Richmond's modern immortals have combined to win a total of 40 premierships between them, also comfortably a League high, ahead of Hawthorn (25), West Coast (20), the Bulldogs (16) and Geelong (11).
The Tigers also have the most players with Grand Final experience with that same imposing figure 25, leading Collingwood (23), West Coast (22), this year's runner-up Greater Western Sydney (22) and the Dogs (14) and Sydney (14).
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This year the Hawks and the Swans lost considerable premiership experience while Adelaide said goodbye to several members of its 2017 Grand Final team.
St Kilda has been boosted by the recruitment of three men who have played on the last Saturday in September, including premiership players Bradley Hill and Butler, while wooden spooner Gold Coast gained important big-game experience by securing ex-Tiger Ellis and former Crow Hugh Greenwood.
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Carlton lost Collingwood's 2010 premiership star Dale Thomas along with Alex Fasolo, a member of the Pies' 2011 Grand Final side, and if the Blues didn't lure homecoming hero Eddie Betts back from Adelaide they wouldn't have a single player on their list who'd competed in a Grand Final.
That's the predicament of North Melbourne, who last had a premiership player on its books in 2016, in the form of AFL games record-holder Brent Harvey, who was a member of the Kangaroos' most recent flag in 1999.
AFL lists are yet to be finalised and there could still be more movement, but at the moment the League features 177 players with Grand Final experience, including 95 premiership players.
PREMIERSHIP PLAYERS AT EACH CLUB
* New
25 premiership players: David Astbury (2 flags from 2 GFs), Nathan Broad (2/2), Josh Caddy (2/2), Jason Castagna (2/2), Trent Cotchin (2/2), Shane Edwards (2/2), Dylan Grimes (2/2), Bachar Houli (2/2), Kane Lambert (2/2), Dustin Martin (2/2), Toby Nankervis (2/2), Dion Prestia (2/2), Jack Riewoldt (2/2), Daniel Rioli (2/2), Nick Vlastuin (2/2), Liam Baker (1/1), Shai Bolton (1/1), Jack Graham (1/1), Tom Lynch (1/1), Kamdyn McIntosh (1/1), Marlion Pickett (1/1), Alex Rance (1/1), Jayden Short (1/1), Ivan Soldo (1/1), Jacob Townsend (1/1)
Total premierships: 40
Others with GF experience: 0
Departed: 3 – Dan Butler (1/1) to St Kilda, Brandon Ellis (2/2) to Gold Coast, Shaun Grigg (1/1) to retirement
19 premiership players: Lewis Jetta (2 flags from 3 GFs, inc. 1/1 with Sydney), Jamie Cripps (1/2), Jack Darling (1/2), Shannon Hurn (1/2), Mark Hutchings (1/2), Josh Kennedy (1/2), Jeremy McGovern (1/2), Will Schofield (1/2), Dom Sheed (1/2), Luke Shuey (1/2), Elliot Yeo (1/2), Tom Barass (1/1), Tom Cole (1/1), Liam Duggan (1/1), Jack Redden (1/1), Willie Rioli (1/1), Liam Ryan (1/1), Nathan Vardy (1/1), Daniel Venables (1/1)
Total premierships: 20
Others with GF experience: 3 – Andrew Gaff (1), Nic Naitanui (1), Brad Sheppard (1)
Departed: 1 – Chris Masten (1/2) to retirement
14 premiership players: Matt Suckling (2 flags from 3 GFs with Hawthorn), Taylor Duryea (2/2 with Hawthorn), Marcus Bontempelli (1/1), Zaine Cordy (1/1), Caleb Daniel (1/1), Tory Dickson (1/1), Josh Dunkley (1/1), Lachie Hunter (1/1), Jason Johannisen (1/1), Tom Liberatore (1/1), Jack Macrae (1/1), Toby McLean (1/1), Fletcher Roberts (1/1), Easton Wood (1/1)
Total premierships: 16
Others with GF experience: 0
Departed: 3 – Tom Boyd (1/1) to retirement, Dale Morris (1/1) to retirement, Liam Picken (1/1) to retirement
'The Bont' helped the Bulldogs to the 2016 flag.
Nine premiership players: Shaun Burgoyne (4 flags from 6 GFs, inc. 1/2 with Port Adelaide), Luke Breust (3/4), Jack Gunston (3/4), Paul Puopolo (3/4), Liam Shiels (3/4), Isaac Smith (3/4), Ben Stratton (3/4), Ben McEvoy (2/3), James Frawley (1/1)
Total premierships: 25
Others with GF experience: 1 – Tom Mitchell (0/1 with Sydney)
Departed: 3 – Grant Birchall (4/5) to Brisbane, Jarryd Roughead (4/5) to retirement, Ryan Schoenmakers (1/2) to retirement
Six premiership players: Travis Varcoe (2 flags from 4 GFs, inc. 2/3 with Geelong), Scott Pendlebury (1/4), Steele Sidebottom (1/4), Ben Reid (1/3), Dayne Beams (1/2), Jordan Roughead (1/1 with Western Bulldogs)
Total premierships: 7
Others with GF experience: 17 – Taylor Adams (1), Mason Cox (1), Jack Crisp (1), Jordan De Goey (1), Levi Greenwood (1), Brodie Grundy (1), Will Hoskin Elliott (1), Jeremy Howe (1), Tom Langdon (1), Brayden Maynard (1), Chris Mayne (2), Brody Mihocek (1), Tom Phillips (1), Brayden Sier (1), Jaidyn Stephenson (1), Josh Thomas (1), Adam Treloar (1)
Departed: 2 – Tyson Goldsack (1/2) to retirement, James Aish (0/1) to Fremantle
Skipper Scott Pendlebury played in the Pies' 2010 triumph.
Six premiership players: Joel Selwood (3 flags from 4 GFs), Gary Ablett junior (2/3), Harry Taylor (2/3), Tom Hawkins (2/2), Luke Dahlhaus (1/1 with Western Bulldogs), Mitch Duncan (1/1)
Total premierships: 11
Others with GF experience: 2 – *Josh Jenkins (1 with Adelaide), Gary Rohan (2 with Sydney)
Departed: 0
Four premiership players: *Bradley Hill (3 flags from 3 GFs with Hawthorn), Dan Hannebery (1/3 with Sydney), *Dan Butler (1/1 with Richmond), Nathan Brown (1/2 with Collingwood)
Total premierships: 6
Others with GF experience: 2 – *Zak Jones (1 with Sydney), Shane Savage 1 with Hawthorn)
Departed: 0
Former Docker and new Saint Bradley Hill won three straight flags at the Hawks.
Four premiership players: Lance Franklin (2 flags from 5 GFs, inc. 2/3 with Hawthorn), Josh Kennedy (1/3), Luke Parker (1/3), Sam Reid (1/2)
Total premierships: 5
Others with GF experience: 10 – Jake Lloyd (2), Dane Rampe (2), Harry Cunningham (1), Isaac Heeney (1), George Hewett (1), Callum Mills (1), Sam Naismith (1), Tom Papley (1), Callum Sinclair (1 with West Coast)
Departed: 5 – Jarrad McVeigh (1/4) to retirement, Heath Grundy (1/3) to retirement, Kieren Jack (1/3) to retirement, Nick Smith (1/3) to retirement, Zak Jones (0/1) to St Kilda
Two premiership players: Heath Shaw (1 flag from 4 GFs, inc. flag with Collingwood), Shane Mumford (1/2, the flag with Sydney),
Total premierships: 2
Others with GF experience: 20 – Matt de Boer (2, including 1 with Fremantle), Jeremy Cameron (1), Aidan Corr (1), Brent Daniels (1), Phil Davis (1), Jeremy Finlayson (1), Toby Greene (1), Nick Haynes (1), Harry Himmelberg (1), Jacob Hopper (1), *Sam Jacobs (1 with Adelaide), Josh Kelly (1), Adam Kennedy (1), Daniel Lloyd (1), Harry Perryman (1), Sam Reid (1), Tim Taranto (1), Sam Taylor (1), Lachie Whitfield (1), Zac Williams (1)
Departed: 1 – Adam Tomlinson (0/1) to Melbourne
Heath Shaw played in the Giants' 2019 Grand Final loss, but tasted victory with the Pies in 2010.
Two premiership players: *Grant Birchall (4 flags from 5 GFs with Hawthorn), Allen Christensen (1/1 with Geelong)
Total premierships: 5
Others with GF experience: 2 – Charlie Cameron (1 with Adelaide), Lachie Neale (1 with Fremantle)
Departed: 1 – Luke Hodge (4/5 with Hawthorn) to retirement
One premiership player: Joel Hamling (1 flag from 1 GF with Western Bulldogs)
Total premierships: 1
Others with GF experience: 5 – *James Aish (1 with Collingwood), Nat Fyfe (1), Stephen Hill (1), David Mundy (1), Michael Walters (1)
Departed: 3 – Bradley Hill (3/3 with Hawthorn) to St Kilda, Hayden Ballantyne (0/1) to retirement, Aaron Sandilands (0/1) to retirement
Joel Hamling is the only player on the Dockers' list that has tasted the ultimate success.
One premiership player: *Brandon Ellis (2 flags from 2 GFs with Richmond)
Total premierships: 2
Others with GF experience: 1 – *Hugh Greenwood (one GF with Adelaide)
Departed: 0
One premiership player: Jake Stringer (1 flag from 1 GF with Western Bulldogs)
Total premierships: 1
Others with GF experience: 1 – Zac Clarke (1 with Fremantle)
Departed: 0
Can Jake Stringer help the Bombers break their September drought?
One premiership player: Scott Lycett (1 flag from 1 GF with West Coast)
Total premierships: 1
Others with GF experience: 3 – Travis Boak (1), Justin Westhoff (1), Cam Sutcliffe (1 with Fremantle)
Departed: 0
Zero premiership players
Total premierships: 0
Others with GF experience: 14 – Rory Atkins (1), Luke Brown (1), Brad Crouch (1), Matt Crouch (1), Kyle Hartigan (1), Jake Kelly (1), Riley Knight (1), Rory Laird (1), Tom Lynch (1), David Mackay (1), Paul Seedsman (1), Rory Sloane (1), Daniel Talia (1), Taylor Walker (1)
Departed: 5 – Eddie Betts (0/1) to Carlton, Richard Douglas (0/1) to retirement, Hugh Greenwood (0/1) to Gold Coast, Sam Jacobs (0/1) to GWS, Josh Jenkins (0/1) to Geelong, Andy Otten (0/1) to retirement
Rory Sloane and Daniel Talia both played in the Crows' 2017 Grand Final loss.
Zero premiership players
Total premierships: 0
Others with GF experience: 2 – Jake Lever (1 with Adelaide), Adam Tomlinson (1 with GWS)
Departed: 1 – Jordan Lewis (4 flags from 5 GFs with Hawthorn)
Zero premiership players
Total premierships: 0
Others with GF experience: 1 – Eddie Betts (1 with Adelaide)
Departed: 2 – Dale Thomas (three GFs for one flag with Collingwood), Alex Fasolo (one GF) to retirement
Zero premiership players
Total premierships: 0
Others with GF experience: 0
Departed: 0
