Expansion clubs Greater Western Sydney and Gold Coast would likely be grateful for the support, each gaining just a few-hundred new members in 2015.

AFL figures released on Wednesday show only three clubs had fewer members in 2015 than last year – Carlton, Collingwood and the Crows.

But Adelaide chief executive Andrew Fagan said the league's figure was essentially meaningless to the South Australian club.

Fagan said its 42,000 11-game members were the "spiritual and financial lifeblood of the football club". But Adelaide Oval had a capacity of only about 52,000, so the Crows lowered the cap on the number of full memberships it sold this year, to leave 10,000 tickets for each match available to three-game members or the general public.

Those who wanted an 11-game membership for next year could join the waiting list behind 3000 other Adelaide fans, he said.

Clubs offer a variety of ways people can show their support, but for the purposes of the AFL's audit a member must have given the club their name and contact information and paid more than $50.

In return, the club must have given them a membership pack.

Some clubs consider people who made smaller financial contributions members, which may be why they publicised different 2015 totals.

Fagan said Adelaide actually had more than 65,000 members signed up to a variety of deals, but not all met the criteria for the AFL's audit.

After Sydney, the team with the biggest growth in paid-up support was the Western Bulldogs, with a nearly 12 per cent increase in member numbers to 35,200.

The western suburbs team finished the 2014 season in 14th place on the ladder, with seven wins and 15 losses.

With Luke Beveridge as coach and a line-up of exciting young players, the Doggies have reversed their fortunes and are now firmly in finals contention.

But despite the increase, the Western Bulldogs still have one of the smaller membership bases.

Only St Kilda, Brisbane and expansion clubs Gold Coast and GWS had fewer members.

The Suns and Giants recorded membership increases of only a few-hundred each in 2015, but AFL spokesman Patrick Keane said the league was unconcerned.

Gold Coast gained 165 members to reach 13,640, while GWS signed up 440 more to total 13,480.

Building up the new clubs was a 15- to 20-year process, Keane said, and the AFL was happy with the progress they were making.

The Magpies still have more signed-up members than any other AFL club, with more than 75,000 in 2015, ahead of Hawthorn and Richmond.

However, the Pies' figure represented a more than 5 per cent drop on last year.