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We all knew the Swans couldn’t be as poor as they’ve looked with a new $10 million player, that the Giants are improved and that Melbourne in 2014 still harbour recent demons. But some of the things we learned this round are far more interesting.
For the second week in succession, North won a game they could easily have lost in previous seasons, Port Adelaide showed all the ingredients to become a very good side, Geelong knew how to get the job done, and the Gold Coast were the best team in Queensland.
These were the things we mostly already knew, but just wanted confirmed this round. Some other questions were far less obvious, though.
Are St Kilda better than we all anticipated? Narrow wins over Melbourne and GWS left most wondering where they sat, but to go to Perth and match it with a team that has been dominant in 2014 was impressive. They now look a team that will finish closer to 8th than 18th.
As for the Eagles, while the bandwagon started to fill in the first two rounds, a few might be wondering how long the ride will be. They are undefeated, but are they really the calibre of the top sides? We’ll find out this week when they head to the Cattery.
Just how the Bombers would go in 2014 was a query, but Mark Thompson has managed to instil something significant in this Essendon side. The way they dismantled Carlton was beyond impressive. They are slick, tough, and reminded me at times of the great Geelong sides that Bomber coached. Next week’s clash in Perth with Freo is tantalising.
For the Blues… What can you say? Woeful, awful, disappointing, inept – take your pick. Something is definitely wrong. If he wasn’t Mick Malthouse, would the coach at Carlton still have a job this morning?
The optimistic supporters will point to the fact they also lost three straight to start 2013, but went on to make the finals, albeit courtesy of Essendon’s expulsion. But last year they were losses with merit – to Richmond by 5, Collingwood by 17 and Geelong by 16.
This year again it was close against the Tigers – two goals – but what about the 33-point loss to Port, and last night’s abysmal 81-point thrashing by Essendon.
Nobody would be happier than Malthouse to see the Blues have Melbourne this week, but even with a massive win against the Dees, the pressure on the man brought in to take the club to the next level will intensify in coming weeks.
Last but possibly most significant was Hawthorn’s demolition of their 2013 grand final opponent, Fremantle.
While some premiers fumble their way through the early rounds after winning a flag, that hasn’t been the case for the Hawks. They were amazing on Friday night, and testament to that was how awful they made Fremantle look.
They tore the Dockers apart without Luke Hodge, Ben Stratton, Brad Sewell, Brian Lake or Ben McEvoy. I know Fremantle were without stars such as Michael Barlow, Nat Fyfe and Zac Dawson, but Freo could have had an extra five players and still not got near the Hawks.
There is no complacency in 2014, and they certainly aren’t missing Buddy Franklin. The hunger the Hawthorn players have in their eyes, a hunger which comes out in the way they play the game, is that of men who have experienced the ultimate success and desperately want to return to the top of the mountain again.
I for one am not going to suggest they can’t.
As for Fremantle, their fans, their coach, and the players themselves will hope it was an aberration. Like many teams though, we will find out a little more about the 2014 Dockers – the pick of many to go one better than last year – in the coming weeks when they meet Essendon, Sydney, North, then have their derby against the Eagles.
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