The AFL has released its 2016 club membership figures with Hawthorn now overtaking Collingwood as the largest-supported club in the competition with a total membership of 75,351, edging past Collingwood on 74,643.

The league also announced that total 2016 membership across all clubs had increased by 4.67% on 2015 to a record total of 875,197, marking a 16th consecutive year of membership growth.

The membership breakdown of all 18 clubs comprised 740,793 club access members with match-day entry (compared to 724,410 in 2015) and 134,404 non-access members (compared to 111,726 in 2015).

Positive growth was achieved by 13 of the 18 clubs, while Brisbane Lions, Collingwood, Essendon, Gold Coast Suns and Port Adelaide all suffered falls.

St Kilda recorded the highest percentage growth in membership for 2016.

Announcing the findings, AFL Chief Executive Gillon McLachlan stated "to reach a record for AFL club membership with a rate of retention across the industry of 86% is a tremendous result."

Table shows the AFL's club membership breakdown and the comparison figures for 2015:

Main image: Players celebrate Hawthorn's 2013 AFL Premiership.

1st April 2016 - ONE THIRD OF AUSTRALIAN WOMEN BACK AN AFL CLUB

4th January 2016 - AFL CLAIMS MASSIVE GROWTH IN PARTICIPATION IN 2015

2nd October 2015 - HAWTHORN WIN BATTLE OF AFL GRAND FINAL’S MOST DEDICATED FANS

27th August 2015 - AFL ANNOUNCES RECORD CLUB MEMBERSHIP FIGURES

25th June 2015 - RICHMOND TIGERS BREAK MEMBERSHIP RECORDS TOPPING 70,000 BARRIER

3rd March 2015 - RESEARCH REVEALS THE SOCIAL VALUE OF A FOOTBALL CLUB

1st October 2014 - HAWTHORN PREMIERSHIP BOOSTS MERCHANDISE SALES

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