Most Wins at Different AFL Grounds

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They’ve won everywhere, man

There has been a lot of talk this year about how Greater Western Sydney play a brand of footy that “travels well” because they have won at nine different grounds this year. This is the most of any team in 2023, ahead of Sydney (six different venues), and seven other teams who have recorded wins at five different venues.

In case you missed it, they have won at least one game at each of the following venues:

  • Adelaide Oval
  • Bellerive Oval (Blundstone Arena, Tasmania)
  • Eureka Stadium (Mars Stadium, Ballarat)
  • Kardinia Park (GMHBA Stadium, Geelong)
  • Manuka Oval (Canberra)
  • Norwood Oval (Adelaide)
  • SCG
  • Sydney Showground (Giants Stadium)
  • Traeger Park (Alice Springs)

While winning at nine different grounds is impressive during the home and away season, it’s not a record. There have been three occasions where a team has won at 10 different grounds during the home and away season: Collingwood in 1929 and 1973, and Hawthorn in 1977. All three of these teams won the flag that year, so if you’re a fan of the big, big sound, you’ll be hoping the Giants can sneak into finals with that tenth win.

We then must ask the question, can GWS still tie that record, or have they missed their chance?

With three games left, the Giants play Port at Adelaide Oval tomorrow, Essendon at Giants Stadium in Round 23, and Carlton at Marvel Stadium in the final game of Round 24. After a quick look at the list above, it will come down to the last game of the regular season for the Giants to register a win at the tenth different venue, and potentially make the eight.

However, GWS could have already tied – and claimed – the record, given their losses at the remaining grounds this year:

  • West Coast at Optus Stadium (Perth), Round 2
  • Essendon at Marvel Stadium, Round 4
  • Collingwood at the MCG, Round 9

I bet they really regret getting beaten by the Eagles earlier this year, although the regret will probably be more about potentially missing the eight than missing out on an obscure and useless record.

If the Giants don’t beat Carlton in the final home and away game, they will become the 33rd club to win at nine different grounds in year. It could also mean they become the first team in V/AFL history to win at nine different grounds and not make finals, as shown below.

Nine win list

The pressure is on.

And just for fun, the record for the most different venues a team has won a game in any year (including finals) is 10, which has happened on eight different occasions:

Team Year(s)
Carlton 1932**
Collingwood 1928*, 1929*, 1973***
Hawthorn 1977*
North Melbourne 1976*
Richmond 1931**, 1940**

*Premiers; **Grand Finalist; ***Preliminary Finalist

As always, apologies to anyone who has already looked at this stat!