Home ground advantage is often talked about in AFL circles, but which clubs actually benefit the most?
Using AFL match data from 2022 to 2026, we’ve compared each club’s win rate at home versus away to identify where the biggest differences exist.
The results show that while home advantage is real, it doesn’t apply equally across the competition.
This article is part of our AFL home ground advantage series.
Read the full breakdown here: Home Ground Advantage in the AFL: Myth, Fortress or Measurable Edge?
The Biggest Home Ground Advantage Gaps
These clubs show the largest difference between home and away performance over the past five seasons:
| Club | Home Win % | Away Win % | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold Coast | 68.8% | 33.6% | +35.2 |
| Hawthorn | 63.4% | 35.3% | +28.1 |
| Port Adelaide | 66.9% | 43.6% | +23.3 |
| Adelaide | 59.3% | 39.1% | +20.2 |
| Geelong | 73.7% | 53.5% | +20.2 |
| Essendon | 49.1% | 31.6% | +17.5 |
| Richmond | 44.8% | 27.7% | +17.1 |
| Brisbane | 71.9% | 57.0% | +14.9 |
At the top of the list is Gold Coast, with a massive 35 percentage point difference between home and away performance. However, that gap needs context.
Big Gap Doesn’t Always Mean Strong Team
Gold Coast’s position highlights an important distinction: a large home advantage gap doesn’t necessarily mean a team is dominant — it can also reflect struggles away from home.
This is where clubs fall into different categories:
- True fortress teams – Strong at home and competitive away (Geelong, Brisbane)
- Home-reliant teams – Much stronger at home than away (Gold Coast, Hawthorn)
- Balanced teams – Similar performance home and away (Sydney, Carlton)
Understanding that difference is key to interpreting the data correctly.
The Strongest Home Records
Looking purely at home performance, a different group of clubs stands out:
- Geelong – 73.7% home win rate
- Brisbane – 71.9%
- Collingwood – 69.5%
- Port Adelaide – 66.9%
These teams don’t just benefit from home ground advantage — they are consistently strong regardless of venue.
This explains why their “gap” is often smaller: they win away as well.
Which Clubs Don’t Get Much of a Lift?
At the other end of the spectrum, some clubs show minimal — or even negative — home advantage:
- Western Bulldogs – Slightly worse at home than away
- Fremantle – Only a marginal difference between home and away
- Sydney – Just a small lift despite the SCG’s reputation
These results reinforce one of the key findings from the broader analysis: venue matters more than the concept of “home” itself.
Why the Differences Exist
Several factors influence how much a club benefits from playing at home:
- Travel demands – Interstate teams often experience larger swings
- Venue uniqueness – Grounds like Kardinia Park or UTAS Stadium create stronger advantages
- Shared venues – MCG and Marvel reduce familiarity advantages
- Team quality – Strong teams win everywhere, reducing the relative gap
This is why clubs based at shared venues tend to show smaller home ground advantages compared to interstate sides.
The Bigger Picture
The AFL is often described as one of the most even competitions in world sport, and home ground advantage plays a role in that balance.
For some clubs, it provides a genuine edge. For others, it is barely a factor.
The key takeaway from the data is simple:
Home ground advantage exists — but it depends heavily on where you play and how good you are.
Over the coming rounds, we’ll break this down further by looking at the AFL’s strongest venues and examining whether home advantage is changing in the modern game.
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SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 14: Lachie Neale of the Lions is tackled by Isaac Heeney of the Swans during the round one AFL match between Sydney Swans and Brisbane Lions at Sydney Cricket Ground, on March 14, 2026, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
