NO MATTER which way you cut the numbers, playing after the mid-season bye proved a disadvantage in 2023.

From the moment Hawthorn ran the legs off Brisbane at the MCG in round 13, by-and-large the teams that were rested, were indeed rusty the following week.

The AFL restructured its fixture mid-year so that byes were staggered over a four-week period from rounds 12 to 15.

Of the 14 occasions in which a team coming off the bye played a team that had competing the week before, the latter won 10 times.

Sydney and St Kilda (round 13) as well as Collingwood and Adelaide (round 15) played each other following a week off.

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Digging a little deeper, and the numbers were not skewed to 'favourites' losing after their break.

In fact, of the 10 losses, five of them were by teams ranked higher entering the round.

Hawthorn beat Brisbane, Richmond got past Fremantle in Perth, Gold Coast was mauled by Carlton at the MCG, Melbourne was beaten by Geelong at the Cattery and Essendon stumbled against the Dockers.

Andrew McGrath walks from the field after Essendon was defeated by Fremantle at Optus Stadium in round 15, 2023. Picture: Getty Images

It wasn't just that teams lost after their bye, it was the nature of the performances that was often perplexing.

On multiple occasions when the underdogs lost, they were well below par. Hawthorn capitulated against the Suns, the Tigers folded against the Lions and despite its horror season, West Coast's record-breaking loss against Sydney was on a whole new level.

Although each match deserves individual context – for example Geelong winning on its home ground against the Demons is not a major shock – it's hard to refute the overall numbers.

How the AFL sets up the 2024 mid-season bye, and just how teams attack it will be worth watching following this year's data.

How post-bye teams fared in 2023

ROUND 13
Brisbane lost to Hawthorn by 25 points
St Kilda def Sydney by 14 points
Fremantle lost to Richmond by 15 points

ROUND 14
Geelong lost to Port Adelaide by 38 points
Gold Coast lost to Carlton by 59 points

ROUND 15
Melbourne lost to Geelong by 15 points
West Coast lost to Sydney by 171 points
Essendon lost to Fremantle by 32 points
Collingwood def Adelaide by two points
Hawthorn lost to Gold Coast by 67 points 

ROUND 16
Carlton def Hawthorn by 60 points
Greater Western Sydney def Melbourne by two points
North Melbourne lost to Adelaide by 66 points
Port Adelaide def Essendon by four points
Richmond lost to Brisbane by 81 points
Western Bulldogs def Fremantle by 29 points