HAWTHORN’S premiership window remains wide open for years to come as the AFL’s clubs released their official lists for 2015.

A breakdown of the age profile of all lists shows Fremantle (No.1) and North Melbourne (No.2) have the oldest lists in the competition.

Both of them have an average age over 25, the first time in Champion Data history any side has recorded an average list age of that experience.

Essendon nearly hits that age profile too given its average age of 24.96 under James Hird in 2015.

media_camera Fremantle are the oldest list in the AFL.

But it is the Hawks, aiming for a three-peat in 2015, that have the perfect list profile for the future, let alone the coming season.

They are only the fifth-oldest side in the competition and also have the best collection of 21-24 year-olds according to Champion Data’s rankings system.

Champion Data’s Glenn Luff believes they are set to maintain the rage for years to come.

media_camera GWS Giants remain the youngest list in the AFL.

“The last six premierships have been won by teams in the top five for age, but if you look at their under 25s they have Luke Breust, Jack Gunston, Liam Shiels, Taylor Duryea, Will Langford and Bradley Hill who are established and haven’t hit their peak. I don’t think they are going too far.”

He said clubs were increasingly not afraid to recruit mature-aged players and were hanging on to their kids after the domination of the expansion sides in the draft.

North Melbourne has been able to draft kids but also top up with experienced players, meaning they are locked in for a premiership assault.

media_camera After losing Ryan Griffen and Adam Cooney the Bulldogs are a very young list. Picture: Colleen Petch

“North Melbourne are in it for now — they have topped up with Jarrad Waite, Shaun Higgins and Nick Dal Santo in the last two years.”

The Western Bulldogs might be expected to surge up the ladder but on average games played they are younger than the Gold Coast.

Geelong also has a huge chasm — nine players over 30 and 26 under 25 but only five in the 25-to-29 age bracket.

“Those are the peak years. Geelong has five and the AFL average is 11.3 players in that 25-to-29 bracket so it is lopsided. The question is how good their 18 players in the 21-24 age bracket are. They need them to replace a few of their 30-year-olds.”

The full breakdown of club lists will be available in Champion Data’s AFL prospectus, available to pre-order.

YOUR LIST AVERAGE AGE

1. Fremantle 25.40

2. North Melb. 25.35

3. Essendon 24.96

4. Hawthorn 24.84

5. Sydney Swans 24.64

6. Geelong Cats 24.60

7. Carlton 24.45

8. Adelaide 24.21

9. Richmond 24.19

10. Melbourne 23.95

11. West Coast 23.91

12. Port Adelaide 23.61

13. Collingwood 23.61

14. St Kilda 23.42

15. Brisbane 23.36

16. West Bulldogs 23.21

17. Gold Coast 22.90

18. GWS Giants 22.42

Source: Champion Data