WHEN it comes to experience, the Hawks' senior playing list understandably measures up with the best heading into the 2016 season.

With 19 of last year's premiership side still on the list - and all but one of them now aged 24 or older (Bradley Hill being the exception) - the Hawks enter this year with one of the oldest and most experienced groups according to Champion Data statistics.

In terms of age, the Hawks rank third with an average age of 24 years and 307 days per player, behind only Fremantle and North Melbourne.

Experience-wise, the Hawks are in second position behind the Kangaroos.

Despite losing more than 600 games of experience at the end of 2015 - due to the retirements of David Hale and Brian Lake, and Matthew Suckling's move to the Western Bulldogs - the Hawks still have an average of 86.6 games per senior player.

Only two of last year's finalists - Western Bulldogs and Adelaide - rank in the lower half of the table for both average age and games played.

Average Age
1. Fremantle – 25 years and 157 days
2. North Melbourne – 25 years and 55 days
3. Hawthorn – 24 years and 307 days
4. Essendon – 24 years and 259 days*
5. Geelong – 24 years and 201 days
6. West Coast – 24 years and 175 days
7. Sydney Swans – 24 years and 124 days
8. Richmond – 24 years and 95 days
9. Port Adelaide – 24 years and 40 days
10. Carlton – 24 years and 40 days
11. Adelaide – 24 years and 29 days
12. Collingwood – 23 years and 310 days
13. St Kilda – 23 years and 303 days
14. Western Bulldogs – 23 years and 270 days
15. Melbourne – 23 years and 241 days
16. Gold Coast – 23 years and 197 days
17. Greater Western Sydney – 23 years and 99 days
18. Brisbane Lions – 22 years and 343 days

Average Games Played
1. North Melbourne – 93.9
2. Hawthorn – 86.6
3. Fremantle – 86.3
4. West Coast – 77.9
5. Geelong – 77.3
6. Essendon – 75.5*
7. Port Adelaide – 72.9
8. Richmond – 71
9. Collingwood – 69.5
10. Sydney Swans – 68.4
11. Adelaide – 62.5
12. Carlton – 60.4
13. St Kilda – 60.2
14. Gold Coast – 59.1
15. Western Bulldogs – 57.7
16. Melbourne – 57.5
17. Greater Western Sydney – 56.9
18. Brisbane Lions – 49

*Essendon figures calculated on 2016 playing list prior to suspensions/inclusion of top-up players

Please note these figures do not include rookie-listed players