Stats show people were unusually willing to take toilet breaks during this year’s AFL Grand Final. 

Geelong’s dominance over Sydney in last weekend’s AFL Grand Final appears to have been reflected in the 2022 flush factor, with footy fans content to miss some of the action for a toilet break.   

The game has taken last place on Melbourne Water’s flush factor table.     

The flush factor is a way of rating the engagement of football fans, and typically shows that the closer the game, the more likely people will hold on until a break in play to visit the loo. 

The table shows the percentage increase in water use from mass toilet flushings at the end of each quarter compared to a normal day. 

Melbourne Water’s Water Operations Centre Lead, David White, says that with Geelong leading throughout the game, the spikes recorded after each quarter were not very big. 

“The flush factor has stood up as a reliable indicator of the game once again,” Mr White said. 

“It indicated the smallest increase in water flow at the final siren of the past 16 grand finals, with an 8.4 per cent change in flow compared to a typical day. 

“Geelong’s 81 point win replaced Richmond’s 89 point thrashing of Greater Western Sydney in 2019 on the bottom of the tally.” 

The Western Bulldogs’ emotional win over Sydney in 2016, which delivered their first AFL premiership since 1954, remains on top of the flush factor tally by a long way, registering a 101 per cent change in flow compared to a typical day. 

The nail-biting 2010 Collingwood and St Kilda draw sits comfortably in second place, with a 50.8 per cent change in flow compared to a typical day. 

More details are accessible here.