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Ahh, the post-Round 1 meltdown. A frantic time of year for any AFL fan, as we tear our hair out suddenly deciding everything we thought in the pre-season was utterly and completely wrong.
Knee-jerk reactions are only natural, but we all should remember that one game isn’t enough to change the course of a season. Having said that, the opening round did allude us to some players and teams whose position we ought to maybe rethink.
First of all, what you probably shouldn’t read too much into.
Fyfe’s shocker
Fremantle were towelled up by the Western Bulldogs on Sunday, and boy, did it show on the stats sheet. Current Brownlow medallist Nat Fyfe was very quiet by his standards, only registering 15 possessions and struggling to have any impact on the game.
However, don’t let this dent your impression of the champ. He’s still the best player in the game and I’ll be very surprised if he has that unremarkable a game once more this year. I’m expecting him to come out all guns blazing against Gold Coast in Round 2. Have no doubts about this man’s ability.
The Colliwobbles
Perhaps the ugliest loss of the opening round belonged to Collingwood, who had to play just one day after another damning drugs scandal breaking in the news. On Saturday night they simply couldn’t match it with a slick Sydney outfit and were embarrassed.
There’s no doubt they were affected by events the day prior, and their efforts showed. They’re a proud club with an impressive list and I can’t see them getting beaten that badly again anytime soon.
Dane Swan is a massive loss, but they definitely have the midfield depth to cover him. Don’t write their finals aspirations off yet. Friday night against Richmond is absolutely massive.
High-scoring shenanigans
Only four teams kicked less than 12 goals in the first round, with nine teams topping 100. It was a delight to watch and a welcome change from defensive-minded tactics that have made football a sometimes-boring spectacle over recent years. Unfortunately, it won’t stay.
Coaches will find a way to shut down the quick, free-flowing football we all love, and scores will shrink as they do so. Enjoy it while it lasts.
New rules ruining everything
Players and supporters alike will take time to get used to two new rule interpretations: the cracking down on deliberate out-of-bounds and the ten metre protected zones. Like many others, I was throwing my arms up in disbelief at some decisions, but as always, we have to give the umpires and players time to adjust.
Before too long we’ll gain an understanding of how the game will be adjudicated, and we can go back to loving the umpires just as much as usual. Or not.
On the other hand, early headlines worth your attention.
New Blues are good Blues
Carlton impressed everyone on Thursday night. From the first bounce until the last siren this football team were competitive, brave and resilient. Their list is nowhere near finals quality yet, but what Brendan Bolton has seemingly already done is incredible.
Also worth noticing that almost every new recruit played very solid games. The list turnover so far gets a big tick. If they can keep up their attacking gameplan and off-the-ball pressure, brighter days will come far sooner than anticipated.
The kids are alright
There were some fantastic debut games over the round. It’s always great to see kids come in to this system and play well, but occasionally they leave a bigger impression than we could’ve hoped. Clayton Oliver, Jacob Weitering, Darcy Parish, George Hewett and Tom Papley in particular stood out as genuine contributors for their teams.
These guys are the future, and to look so comfortable in their earliest day on field is definitely worth getting excited about. Genuine talents.
Shinboner spirit
Do not let the lack of hype fool you, North Melbourne are a very real chance of winning the premiership this year. Their effort to come back against the Crows was gutsy, and all signs point to the old firm being very capable of playing elite football this season. They have the best ruckman in the game in Todd Goldstein, as well as a plethora of experienced, talented players all over the ground.
Their draw is quite favourable, and if they are as good as I think they are they will entrench themselves in the top four and become impossible to ignore come mid-year.
Hawthorn injury pain
If Hawthorn’s loss to Geelong yesterday showed us anything, it was just how important some of their key players are to the way they play. Jordan Roughead’s injury is possibly the most damaging in the AFL, as the Hawks have come to rely on the big man year after year, and at times looked lost without his presence.
With news that Luke Hodge is out for at least a month, questions will start to be asked of Hawthorn’s younger group, and I wouldn’t be surprised if a depleted Hawthorn side begins to wane.
Brad Hill and Liam Shiels are also very hard to replace. Games against West Coast and the Western Bulldogs lay ahead, and we could very well see the Hawks at 0-3.
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