How It Works - Tier 2 Advanced Data Set
· 2 min read
Starting with the 2026 season, the AFL API will providing an 'advanced' data set for select Tier 2 competitions. This is a brief explanation of what that means and how it works.
What is the Advanced Data Set?
This data set provides some of the more advanced analytical data elements to Tier 2 matches that we already provide for AFL and AFLW matches. This is achieved by performing graphical and pressure capture on Tier 2 matches, collecting where key events occurred on the ground and how much pressure was applied to them. With this data in place, the AFL API is able to generate statistics for metrics that depend on it.
The data set provides the following additional elements:
- Over 200 metrics
- Identifying if something occurred in the DM, CB or AM zones, rather than just broadly 'midfield'
- XY Locations
- Pressure Details
- Metres Gained
- Player Durability & Availability
Which Competitions?
The following competitions will receive the Advanced Data Set in 2026:
| Competition | League | Id | Level | Id |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VFL | Victorian Football League | 5 | Seniors | 1 |
| U18 Champs* | Under 18 Championship | 8 | Under-18 | 5 |
| U18 Champs AFLW* | AFLW Under 18 Championship | 9 | Under-18 | 5 |
| Coates Talent League Boys | Coates Talent League Boys | 10 | Under-18 | 5 |
| SANFL | South Australian National Football League | 12 | Seniors | 1 |
| SANFL Reserves | South Australian National Football League | 12 | Reserves | 2 |
| SANFL U18 | South Australian National Football League | 12 | Under-18 | 5 |
| WAFL | West Australian Football League | 16 | Seniors | 1 |
| WAFL Reserves | West Australian Football League | 16 | Reserves | 2 |
| WAFL Colts | West Australian Football League | 16 | Under-19 | 6 |
API Endpoints
The following endpoints return additional data as part of the Tier 2 Advanced Data Set:
| API Endpoint | XY Locations | Pressure | Metres Gained |
|---|---|---|---|
| Match Chains | Yes | Yes | |
| Match Entries | Yes | Yes | |
| Match Shots | Yes | Yes | |
| Match Transactions | Yes | Yes |
Player Durability & Availability
This data set will be delivered via a new API endpoint - its name and structure is currently TBD.
Metrics
The Advanced Data Set provides the following metrics:
| Category | Metrics |
|---|---|
| Centre Bounce Attendance & Absence | ABSENCE_CENTRE_BOUNCE ABSENCE_CENTRE_BOUNCE_LOSS ABSENCE_CENTRE_BOUNCE_LOSS_PCT ABSENCE_CENTRE_BOUNCE_NEUTRAL ABSENCE_CENTRE_BOUNCE_NEUTRAL_PCT ABSENCE_CENTRE_BOUNCE_WIN ABSENCE_CENTRE_BOUNCE_WIN_PCT ATTENDANCE_CENTRE_BOUNCE ATTENDANCE_CENTRE_BOUNCE_LOSS ATTENDANCE_CENTRE_BOUNCE_LOSS_PCT ATTENDANCE_CENTRE_BOUNCE_NEUTRAL ATTENDANCE_CENTRE_BOUNCE_NEUTRAL_PCT ATTENDANCE_CENTRE_BOUNCE_WIN ATTENDANCE_CENTRE_BOUNCE_WIN_PCT |
| Possession Chain Metres Gained | CHAIN_METRES CHAIN_METRES_AVG CHAIN_METRES_BU CHAIN_METRES_BU_AVG CHAIN_METRES_BUTI CHAIN_METRES_BUTI_AVG CHAIN_METRES_CB CHAIN_METRES_CB_AVG CHAIN_METRES_INT CHAIN_METRES_INT_AVG CHAIN_METRES_KI CHAIN_METRES_KI_AVG CHAIN_METRES_NET CHAIN_METRES_NET_AVG CHAIN_METRES_NET_BU CHAIN_METRES_NET_BU_AVG CHAIN_METRES_NET_BUTI CHAIN_METRES_NET_BUTI_AVG CHAIN_METRES_NET_CB CHAIN_METRES_NET_CB_AVG CHAIN_METRES_NET_INT CHAIN_METRES_NET_INT_AVG CHAIN_METRES_NET_KI CHAIN_METRES_NET_KI_AVG CHAIN_METRES_NET_ST CHAIN_METRES_NET_ST_AVG CHAIN_METRES_NET_TI CHAIN_METRES_NET_TI_AVG CHAIN_METRES_REPLY CHAIN_METRES_REPLY_AVG CHAIN_METRES_REPLY_BU CHAIN_METRES_REPLY_BU_AVG CHAIN_METRES_REPLY_BUTI CHAIN_METRES_REPLY_BUTI_AVG CHAIN_METRES_REPLY_CB CHAIN_METRES_REPLY_CB_AVG CHAIN_METRES_REPLY_INT CHAIN_METRES_REPLY_INT_AVG CHAIN_METRES_REPLY_KI CHAIN_METRES_REPLY_KI_AVG CHAIN_METRES_REPLY_ST CHAIN_METRES_REPLY_ST_AVG CHAIN_METRES_REPLY_TI CHAIN_METRES_REPLY_TI_AVG CHAIN_METRES_ST CHAIN_METRES_ST_AVG CHAIN_METRES_TI CHAIN_METRES_TI_AVG |
| Defensive Ball Movement Lane | D50_BALL_MOVEMENT_BOUNDARY D50_BALL_MOVEMENT_BOUNDARY_PCT D50_BALL_MOVEMENT_CORRIDOR D50_BALL_MOVEMENT_CORRIDOR_PCT D50_BALL_MOVEMENT_WING D50_BALL_MOVEMENT_WING_PCT |
| Inside 50 Bomb Kicks | INSIDE_50_KICK_BOMB |
| Inside 50 Target Chance | INSIDE_50_TARGET INSIDE_50_TARGET_CHANCE INSIDE_50_TARGET_CHANCE_PCT INSIDE_50_TARGET_CHANCE_PLAYER_BEHI INSIDE_50_TARGET_CHANCE_PLAYER_BEHI_PCT INSIDE_50_TARGET_CHANCE_PLAYER_GOAL INSIDE_50_TARGET_CHANCE_PLAYER_GOAL_PCT INSIDE_50_TARGET_CHANCE_PLAYER_RETAIN INSIDE_50_TARGET_CHANCE_PLAYER_RETAIN_MARK INSIDE_50_TARGET_CHANCE_PLAYER_RETAIN_MARK_PCT INSIDE_50_TARGET_CHANCE_PLAYER_RETAIN_PCT INSIDE_50_TARGET_CHANCE_PLAYER_SCORE INSIDE_50_TARGET_CHANCE_PLAYER_SCORE_PCT INSIDE_50_TARGET_CHANCE_TEAM_BEHI INSIDE_50_TARGET_CHANCE_TEAM_BEHI_PCT INSIDE_50_TARGET_CHANCE_TEAM_GOAL INSIDE_50_TARGET_CHANCE_TEAM_GOAL_PCT INSIDE_50_TARGET_CHANCE_TEAM_RETAIN INSIDE_50_TARGET_CHANCE_TEAM_RETAIN_PCT INSIDE_50_TARGET_CHANCE_TEAM_SCORE INSIDE_50_TARGET_CHANCE_TEAM_SCORE_PCT |
| Forward Kicks | KICK_DIRECTION_FORWARD KICK_DIRECTION_FORWARD_NON_SET KICK_DIRECTION_FORWARD_PCT KICK_DIRECTION_FORWARD_PCT_NON_SET KICK_DIRECTION_FORWARD_PCT_SET KICK_DIRECTION_FORWARD_SET |
| Short and Long Kicks | KICK_DISTANCE_LONG KICK_DISTANCE_LONG_EFFECTIVE KICK_DISTANCE_LONG_EFFECTIVE_PCT KICK_DISTANCE_LONG_NON_SET KICK_DISTANCE_LONG_PCT KICK_DISTANCE_LONG_PCT_NON_SET KICK_DISTANCE_LONG_PCT_SET KICK_DISTANCE_LONG_SET KICK_DISTANCE_SHORT KICK_DISTANCE_SHORT_EFFECTIVE KICK_DISTANCE_SHORT_EFFECTIVE_PCT KICK_DISTANCE_SHORT_PCT |
| Kick Intent | KICK_FOR_DISTANCE KICK_FOR_GOAL KICK_FOR_GOAL_SMOTHERED |
| Kick Pressure | KICK_NON_SET KICK_SET |
| Kick Target | KICK_TO_BACK_LEAD KICK_TO_COVERED KICK_TO_FORWARD_LEAD KICK_TO_LEAD KICK_TO_OPEN KICK_TO_PACK |
| Leading | LEAD_DEFENDER LEAD_TARGET |
| Long Down the Line Kicks | LONG_DOWN_LINE LONG_DOWN_LINE_BEHI LONG_DOWN_LINE_BEHI_PCT LONG_DOWN_LINE_GOAL LONG_DOWN_LINE_GOAL_PCT LONG_DOWN_LINE_IN50 LONG_DOWN_LINE_IN50_PCT LONG_DOWN_LINE_LOSS LONG_DOWN_LINE_LOSS_PCT LONG_DOWN_LINE_OPPORTUNITY LONG_DOWN_LINE_PCT LONG_DOWN_LINE_RETAIN LONG_DOWN_LINE_RETAIN_PCT LONG_DOWN_LINE_SCORE LONG_DOWN_LINE_SCORE_PCT LONG_DOWN_LINE_STOPPAGE LONG_DOWN_LINE_STOPPAGE_PCT |
| Metres Gained | METRES_GAINED METRES_GAINED_ASSISTED METRES_GAINED_DISPOSAL METRES_GAINED_DISPOSAL_AVG METRES_GAINED_DISPOSAL_COUNT METRES_GAINED_EFFECTIVE METRES_GAINED_HANDBALL METRES_GAINED_HANDBALL_AVG METRES_GAINED_HANDBALL_COUNT METRES_GAINED_KICK METRES_GAINED_KICK_AVG METRES_GAINED_KICK_COUNT METRES_GAINED_NET METRES_GAINED_OTHER METRES_GAINED_RETAIN |
| Midfield Ball Movement Lane | MID_BALL_MOVEMENT MID_BALL_MOVEMENT_BOUNDARY MID_BALL_MOVEMENT_BOUNDARY_PCT MID_BALL_MOVEMENT_CORRIDOR MID_BALL_MOVEMENT_CORRIDOR_PCT MID_BALL_MOVEMENT_WING MID_BALL_MOVEMENT_WING_PCT |
| One on One Contests | ONE_ON_ONE_DEFENDER ONE_ON_ONE_DEFENDER_LOSS ONE_ON_ONE_DEFENDER_LOSS_MARK ONE_ON_ONE_DEFENDER_LOSS_MARK_PCT ONE_ON_ONE_DEFENDER_LOSS_PCT ONE_ON_ONE_DEFENDER_NEUTRAL ONE_ON_ONE_DEFENDER_NEUTRAL_PCT ONE_ON_ONE_DEFENDER_WIN ONE_ON_ONE_DEFENDER_WIN_MARK ONE_ON_ONE_DEFENDER_WIN_MARK_PCT ONE_ON_ONE_DEFENDER_WIN_PCT ONE_ON_ONE_RESULT ONE_ON_ONE_TARGET ONE_ON_ONE_TARGET_LOSS ONE_ON_ONE_TARGET_LOSS_MARK ONE_ON_ONE_TARGET_LOSS_MARK_PCT ONE_ON_ONE_TARGET_LOSS_PCT ONE_ON_ONE_TARGET_NEUTRAL ONE_ON_ONE_TARGET_NEUTRAL_PCT ONE_ON_ONE_TARGET_WIN ONE_ON_ONE_TARGET_WIN_MARK ONE_ON_ONE_TARGET_WIN_MARK_PCT ONE_ON_ONE_TARGET_WIN_PCT |
| Pressure Acts | PRESSURE_ACT PRESSURE_ACT_BASE PRESSURE_ACT_CHASING PRESSURE_ACT_CLOSING PRESSURE_ACT_CORRALLING PRESSURE_ACT_FORCED_TURNOVER PRESSURE_ACT_FORCED_TURNOVER_BEHI PRESSURE_ACT_FORCED_TURNOVER_BEHI_PCT PRESSURE_ACT_FORCED_TURNOVER_GOAL PRESSURE_ACT_FORCED_TURNOVER_GOAL_PCT PRESSURE_ACT_FORCED_TURNOVER_POINTS PRESSURE_ACT_FORCED_TURNOVER_SCORE PRESSURE_ACT_FORCED_TURNOVER_SCORE_PCT PRESSURE_ACT_GP PRESSURE_ACT_IMPLIED PRESSURE_ACT_IMPLIED_OTHER PRESSURE_ACT_PHYSICAL PRESSURE_ACT_PREC PRESSURE_ACT_SQ PRESSURE_ACT_SQ_BASE PRESSURE_ACT_SQ_CHASING PRESSURE_ACT_SQ_CHASING_PCT PRESSURE_ACT_SQ_CLOSING PRESSURE_ACT_SQ_CLOSING_PCT PRESSURE_ACT_SQ_CORRALLING PRESSURE_ACT_SQ_CORRALLING_PCT PRESSURE_ACT_SQ_GP PRESSURE_ACT_SQ_IMPLIED PRESSURE_ACT_SQ_IMPLIED_OTHER PRESSURE_ACT_SQ_IMPLIED_PCT PRESSURE_ACT_SQ_NONE PRESSURE_ACT_SQ_NONE_PCT PRESSURE_ACT_SQ_PHYSICAL PRESSURE_ACT_SQ_PHYSICAL_PCT PRESSURE_ACT_SQ_PREC PRESSURE_ACT_SQ_SET PRESSURE_ACT_SQ_SET_PCT |
| Pressure Factor | PRESSURE_FACTOR PRESSURE_FACTOR_GP PRESSURE_FACTOR_PREC |
| Pressure Points | PRESSURE_POINTS PRESSURE_POINTS_GP PRESSURE_POINTS_PREC PRESSURE_POINTS_SQ PRESSURE_POINTS_SQ_GP PRESSURE_POINTS_SQ_PREC |
| Ruck Contests | RUCK_CONTEST RUCK_CONTEST_BU RUCK_CONTEST_BUTI RUCK_CONTEST_CB RUCK_CONTEST_TI |
| Switch Kicks | SWITCH SWITCH_BEHI SWITCH_BEHI_PCT SWITCH_BEHI_PCT SWITCH_GOAL SWITCH_GOAL_PCT SWITCH_IN50 SWITCH_IN50_PCT SWITCH_OPPORTUNITY SWITCH_PCT SWITCH_SCORE SWITCH_SCORE_PCT |
| Tackle Attempts | TACKLE_ATTEMPT TACKLE_ATTEMPT_GP TACKLE_ATTEMPT_GP_SQ TACKLE_ATTEMPT_PREC TACKLE_ATTEMPT_PREC_SQ TACKLE_ATTEMPT_SQ |
| Tackle Efficiency | TACKLE_EFFECTIVE_PCT TACKLE_EFFECTIVE_PCT_GP TACKLE_EFFECTIVE_PCT_GP_SQ TACKLE_EFFECTIVE_PCT_PREC TACKLE_EFFECTIVE_PCT_PREC_SQ TACKLE_EFFECTIVE_PCT_SQ TACKLE_INEFFECTIVE TACKLE_INEFFECTIVE_SQ |
| Time in Forward Half | TIME_IN_FORWARD_HALF TIME_IN_FORWARD_HALF_PCT |
| Turnovers | TURNOVER_CLEARING_STOPPAGE TURNOVER_GENERAL_PLAY TURNOVER_GIVEAWAY TURNOVER_GIVEAWAY_FORCED TURNOVER_GIVEAWAY_UNFORCED TURNOVER_OPPOSITION_TAKEAWAY |