THE STAR quality will be on Essendon's list as the club searches to finally break its September drought and record its first finals win in 16 years next season.
Champion Data stats recorded after last week's NAB AFL Draft show that Essendon has seven separate Virgin Australia AFL All Australians on its list going into season 2020, the most of any club behind the last two premiers in Richmond and West Coast (who have eight each).
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Michael Hurley will enter next season as a dual All Australian, while Joe Daniher, Zach Merrett, Dylan Shiel, Cale Hooker, Jake Stringer and Dyson Heppell all have one guernsey each.
But while the Bombers, the Tigers and the Eagles are well stocked for All Australian representatives, the Cats have the greatest number of total All Australian appearances by some margin.
Their 27 collective All Australian guernseys are clearly the most in the competition and come courtesy of some help from multiple nominations for Gary Ablett (eight appearances), Patrick Dangerfield (seven) and Joel Selwood (six).
Gold Coast is the only club without a single All Australian on its list going into next season, while North Melbourne and St Kilda only have two representatives each.
The Kangaroos are also the only club without a member of their playing list to have taken part in a Grand Final.
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While the Suns recruited two players who have featured on the biggest stage during the Telstra AFL Trade Period (Brandon Ellis and Hugh Greenwood) and the Blues recruited one (Eddie Betts), the Kangaroos remain without a Grand Finalist.
After winning two of the last three flags, Richmond has the greatest number of premierships on its list with 39. It is followed by Hawthorn (25), West Coast (20) and the Western Bulldogs (15).
Adelaide, Carlton, Melbourne and North Melbourne are the only clubs without a single premiership player in their squads going into 2020.
Aside from the Suns, the Blues also have the least finals experience of any side going into what looms as a pivotal campaign for young coach David Teague next year.
Carlton averages just 0.84 finals per player, narrowly in front of Gold Coast (0.80) as the only clubs not averaging at least one final per footballer next season.
Geelong (6.11 finals per player) averages the most in the League, closely followed by West Coast (5.52), Greater Western Sydney (5.44) and Hawthorn (5.11).
Team | AA Players | AA Total | Avg Finals | Total Grand Finals | Total Premierships |
Richmond | 8 | 16 | 4.32 | 39 | 39 |
West Coast Eagles | 8 | 16 | 5.52 | 34 | 20 |
Essendon | 7 | 8 | 1.5 | 1 | 1 |
Geelong Cats | 6 | 27 | 6.11 | 17 | 11 |
Hawthorn | 6 | 9 | 5.11 | 35 | 25 |
Adelaide Crows | 5 | 7 | 2.58 | 14 | 0 |
Brisbane Lions | 5 | 5 | 2.13 | 8 | 5 |
Collingwood | 5 | 11 | 4.8 | 36 | 7 |
GWS Giants | 5 | 7 | 5.44 | 27 | 2 |
Carlton | 4 | 7 | 0.84 | 1 | 0 |
Sydney Swans | 4 | 13 | 3.6 | 24 | 5 |
Fremantle | 3 | 5 | 1.78 | 6 | 1 |
Melbourne | 3 | 5 | 1.77 | 2 | 0 |
Port Adelaide | 3 | 7 | 1.8 | 4 | 1 |
Western Bulldogs | 3 | 4 | 2.33 | 16 | 15 |
North Melbourne | 2 | 2 | 2.27 | 0 | 0 |
St Kilda | 2 | 4 | 1.47 | 11 | 6 |
Gold Coast Suns | 0 | 0 | 0.8 | 3 | 2 |