AFL off-season: Where in the world are your favorite Eagles and Dockers vacationing in their downtime?

Sleep, eat, train, repeat – it’s the regimented cycle that governs the lives of WA AFL players for three-quarters of the year.

With both West Coast and Fremantle missing finals action in 2024, a host of local stars fled the state football bubble as early as September to travel home interstate, while others spread their wings much further away in search of adventure.

Young Eagles star Harley Reid has returned to his native Victoria, welcomed by his family and AFLW girlfriend Yasmin Duursma, after a successful start to his professional career as the top pick in the 2023 draft.

The 19-year-old even swapped his guernsey for a sky blue suit as an ambassador for Melbourne’s Caulfield Cup Carnival.

West Coast co-captain Oscar Allen swapped codes in Italy, where football is more of a religion than an obsession, disappearing into the Rossoneri crowd as he watched powerhouse club AC Milan in action.

While relaxing for the day in the picturesque Tuscan town of Cortona, the striker was given behind-the-scenes access to a late-night DJ set by Australian artist Fisher.

Handsome midfielder Jayden Hunt moved at a snail’s pace in Paris, testing his palate on local delicacies and island-hopping across southern Europe.

He then swapped the sea for the sky and toured the Dinaric Alps of Albania and Montenegro in Eastern Europe.

For his recently delisted teammate Josh Rotham, Bali presented the ideal destination for his stag do, attracting a host of past and present players to his “farewell with grandeur”.

Wearing a cheeky wedding dress ahead of time, the defender, who announced his engagement in October 2023, was followed by Jake Waterman, Tom Cole, Dom Sheed and former teammates Xavier O’Neill and Daniel Venables.

Young midfielder Reuben Ginbey surfed on the Mentawai Islands off the west coast of Sumatra, mingling with locals as he enjoyed a quiet getaway.

Flying solo to the Middle East, the 20-year-old found sand of a different kind while trekking through the dunes of Qatar.

Closer to home, Eagles Best and Fairest winner Jeremy McGovern ventured upstate to the idyllic waters of Coral Bay as he and his family enjoyed a bountiful fishing and squid expedition.

Ahead of Fremantle’s Best and Fairest in mid-September, ruckman Luke Jackson and his West Coast Fever partner Kelsey Browne explored the endless plains of Tanzania via safari.

Upon landing in Mauritius, the couple drank beers while enjoying the endless sunshine and turquoise waters.

At higher altitudes, intrepid Captain Alex Pearce dove headfirst into New Zealand’s extreme sports culture, flying by helicopter to the South Island’s Franz Josef Glacier for an icy hike before bungee jumping in Queenstown.

The 29-year-old played a round of golf at spectacular Jack’s Point, framed by the region’s stunning mountains and enchanting Lake Wakatipu.

A hotspot for Australians and footballers alike, Bali’s coastal gem Uluwatu played host to Andrew Brayshaw and Jeremy Sharp, who were joined by Sharp’s former Gold Coast teammate Charlie Constable.

While back in Europe, another former Sun midfielder, Jaeger O’Meara, announced that he and his wife Tori Packer were expecting their first child while enjoying a lazy day at the beach.

With the Dockers’ AFL origins dating back to the early ’90s, current Best and Fairest winner Caleb Serong opted to expand his art history knowledge at the famous Louvre in Paris with his fiancée Chloe Furnari.

Key defender Oscar McDonald dropped anchor on the Greek island of Paros alongside former Triple J presenter and author Bridget Hustwaite, and the pair tried out a traditional baking class before relaxing on a leisurely boat tour.

The pair traveled to Santorini to see one of the world’s most enviable sunsets, with the emerging talent getting their post-season cardio in by scaling the maze of white-painted buildings endemic to the Aegean wonder.

While WA clubs will do everything they can to lure Perth-born Chad Warner home next year when his contract expires, the Swans superstar flew to southern Europe following his team’s disappointing defeat in the great ending.

Attacking midfielder and girlfriend Alice Hughes signed up for a pasta-making class with a friend from Perth and toured regional Italy on a Vespa and headed to the enchanting world of Disneyland in Paris.

Northampton product Patrick Cripps topped the list of WA-bred stars playing interstate and going global, with the double Carlton Brownlow medalist also choosing Bali for a slow-paced family reunion.

Rockingham export Aaron Naughton, a key forward for the Western Bulldogs, enjoyed a “ramen breakfast, lunch and dinner” in Japan, immersing himself in the nation’s rich history through a tour of temples and shrines.

He and his partner Ella Morris swapped reality for the metaverse in Tokyo, opting for the popular Mario Kart course as they explored the bustling city on four wheels.

Former Claremont product Jacob Van Rooyen, a key forward in Melbourne, explored the concrete jungle of New York City with fellow seniors Jake Bowey and Jake Lever.