The AFL has released its finalised club membership ladder for the 2023 season, as well as announced another record-breaking campaign for the league as a whole.
On Wednesday morning, the league revealed it had achieved a new all-time club membership record of 1,264,952 members this season. 2023's enormous tally bested last year's then-record 1,190,671 total club members.
The AFL confirmed club membership has improved 30 times in the past 32 years, with the exceptions coming in 2000 and the COVID-impacted 2020 season.
"Quite simply we have the greatest game in the world, and the most loyal and passionate fans in world sport," outgoing AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan said on Wednesday as part of the league's announcement.
"It has been a record-breaking season on so many levels, and it is club membership that is the marker that signifies our fans' deep connection with their clubs.
"The 18 clubs do an unbelievable job in creating a sense of belonging and bringing their fans along for the journey.
"On behalf of the AFL, I'd like to thank all our fans and every club member whose support is the backbone of our game."
With regard to this season's club membership ladder, the Magpies, after announcing on Tuesday they had broken the all-time VFL/AFL record for club membership, were confirmed as this year's cream of the crop.
Collingwood was closely followed by fellow 100,000-member barrier-breakers West Coast and Richmond, with the Tigers surpassing the 100,000 marker for the sixth-straight season after becoming the first AFL club to do so in 2018, while the Eagles have amassed four 100,000-plus tallies.
Additionally, 15 clubs broke their all-time membership records: the Adelaide Crows, Brisbane Lions, Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon, Fremantle, Geelong Cats, Gold Coast Suns, GWS Giants, Melbourne, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide, St Kilda, Sydney Swans, and the Western Bulldogs.
FULL 2023 CLUB MEMBERSHIP LADDER:
| Club Membership Ladder | ||
| CLUB | TOTAL | |
| 1 | Collingwood* | 106,470 |
| 2 | West Coast | 103,275 |
| 3 | Richmond | 101,349 |
| 4 | Carlton* | 95,277 |
| 5 | Essendon* | 86,274 |
| 6 | Geelong Cats* | 82,155 |
| 7 | Hawthorn | 80,698 |
| 8 | Melbourne* | 70,785 |
| 9 | Adelaide Crows* | 68,536 |
| 10 | Sydney Swans* | 65,332 |
| 11 | Port Adelaide* | 64,041 |
| 12 | Fremantle* | 62,064 |
| 13 | St Kilda* | 60,239 |
| 14 | Western Bulldogs* | 56,302 |
| 15 | Brisbane Lions* | 54,676 |
| 16 | North Melbourne* | 51,084 |
| 17 | GWS Giants* | 33,036 |
| 18 | Gold Coast Suns* | 23,359 |
| * Club Membership Record in 2023 | ||