AFL off-season: Where in the world are your favorite Eagles and Dockers holidaying in their spare time?

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

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

Young Eagles star Harley Reid returned to his native Victoria greeted by family and his AFLW girlfriend Yasmin Duursma after a successful start to his professional career as the 2023 number one draft pick.

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

West Coast co-captain Oscar Allen swapped codes in Italy – where football is more religion than obsession – and disappeared into the Rossoneri crowd while watching big club AC Milan in action.

While chilling during the day in the picturesque Tuscan town of Cortona, the attacker was given backstage access to a late-night DJ set performed by Australian artist Fisher.

Dashing midfielder Jayden Hunt switched gears at a snail’s pace in Paris, testing his taste buds on the local delicacy and island hopping in southern Europe.

He then exchanged the sea for the air and traveled through the Dinaric Alps of Albania and Montenegro in Eastern Europe.

For freshly axed teammate Josh Rotham, Bali was the ideal destination for his bachelor party, with a host of players past and present flocking to his “stag of greatness”.

The defender, who announced his engagement in October 2023, brazenly donned a wedding dress in anticipation and was overshadowed by Jake Waterman, Tom Cole, Dom Sheed and former team-mates Xavier O’Neill and Daniel Venables.

Young midfield bull Reuben Ginbey surfed the Mentawai Islands off the west coast of Sumatra, mingling with locals as he enjoyed a peaceful retreat.

Flying solo to the Middle East, the 20-year-old found sand of a different kind as he raced through 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 squid and fishing 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 a safari tour.

Landing in Mauritius, the couple sipped a beer as they basked in the endless sun and turquoise water.

At higher altitudes, intrepid captain Alex Pearce delved first into New Zealand’s extreme sports culture, taking a helicopter ride 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, surrounded by the region’s beautiful mountains and the enchanting Lake Wakatipu.

Bali’s coastal gem, Uluwatu, is a proven hotspot for Australians and footballers alike and played host to Andrew Brayshaw and Jeremy Sharp, who were joined by Sharp’s former teammate at Gold Coast 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 quiet beach day.

With the Dockers’ AFL origins dating back to the early 1990s, reigning Best and Fairest winner Caleb Serong chose to expand his knowledge of art history at Paris’s famed Louvre with fiancée Chloe Furnari.

Key defender Oscar McDonald anchored on the Greek island of Paros alongside former Triple J presenter and author Bridget Hustwaite, with the pair trying a traditional pastry lesson before kicking back on a relaxing boat trip.

The pair headed to Santorini to experience one of the world’s most enviable sunsets, with the rising talent completing his post-season cardio by climbing the labyrinth of white-painted buildings that characterize 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 jetted off to southern Europe following his side’s disappointing grand final loss.

Attacking midfielder and girlfriend Alice Hughes signed up for a pasta-making course with a friend from Perth and zoomed through regional Italy on a Vespa on her way to the enchanting world of Disneyland in Paris.

Northampton product Patrick Cripps headlined the list of WA-raised stars who played interstate and went global, with the Carlton double Brownlow medalist also choosing Bali for a slow-paced family reunion.

Rockingham export Aaron Naughton – a key player for the Western Bulldogs – enjoyed a “ramen breakfast, lunch and dinner” in Japan, immersing himself in the country’s rich history through a temple and shrine tour.

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

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