The much-hyped first round is now over. We now move into the analysing stage. Here are some stats and facts from Round 1.
Last Friday was the first time since 2013 that Friday night footy has first appeared on the traditional second last Friday of march timeslot. In 2014 the AFL started a week earlier, in 2015, the season was held back due to Cricket World Cup and last year good Friday intervened.
Back then, the JLT Series was called the NAB Cup and a grand final was held.
The only game that remained the same in Round 1 from 2016 was the traditional Carlton versus Richmond match. This is nothing uncommon but both the Dogs and Magpies want their Round 1 clash to continue next year, with the AFL likely to grant them their wish.
Since 2013, the eventual premiers have won Round 1. Hawthorn was marginally defeated on an Easter Monday classic by 7 points. The last time an eventual premier has lost by over four goals in Round 1 was in 1991 when Hawthorn lost by 86 points, also to Adelaide. Only 15 teams existed then.
19 players made their debuts this round with an additional 34 making their club debut adding up to 53. In 2015, 14 made their debut with 30 making their club debut, making 44. This means that 2017 had almost a 20 per cent increase of club/debutants.
The bottom two teams from 2016 won their first-round matches. At no stage, last season did both bottom two teams from the previous round both win their games.
The average team score this round was 104 with each team scoring over 65. The last time this happened was Round 15 2013.
The attendance, as has been well documented beat the previous highest round record by over 30,000. Another interesting stat is that every ground exceeded its average crowd attendance.
Five impressive youngsters
Andrew McGrath: Was thrown in the deep end early and showed he has all the ingredients to become a classy defender. His 82 per cent disposal efficiency reflects a composed debut.
Ben Ainsworth: The number four pick showed his great decision making throughout the game and didn’t panic under pressure as the game tightened. Finished with a goal and six tackles.
Sam Petrevski-Seton: Something of a bolter to play, but repaid the selectors faith, providing great outside run. He could certainly become a cult hero at Carlton with his great talent. His 7 tackles showed he can also do the dirty work but his efficiency of 55 per cent is an area to work on.
Daniel Butler: Surely must be close to the Round 1 rising star. The flamboyant footballer has great footy nous and fitness. Looked at home from the start. Managed two crucial goals, a creative assist and five inside fifties.
Mitch Hannan: Collected 16 disposals playing in the forward line and took seven marks, two inside 50. Kicked two goals and will only improve with experience.
Sam Powell-Pepper- Showed great signs in JLT series and continued great form into the AFL season. A natural leader, who puts the team first, Powell-Pepper’s all round skill won him Round 1’s rising star. Finished with 19 disposals, 7 clearances and a goal.
Milestones
Sean Lemmens: 50 games
Charlie Cameron: 50 games
Bachar Houli: 150 games (first Lebanese player to play 150 games)
Sam Jacobs: 150 games
Travis Boak: 200 games
Predicted Brownlow votes
Carlton versus Richmond
3 Dustin Martin
2 Marc Murphy
1 Dion Prestia
Collingwood versus Dogs
3 Scott Pendlebury
2 Luke Dalhaus
1 Steele Sidebottom
Melbourne versus St Kilda
3 Jordan Lewis
2 Nathan Jones
1 Max Gawn
Port Adelaide versus Sydney
3 Ollie Wines
2 Josh kennedy
1 Travis Boak
Essendon versus Hawthorn
3 Dyson Heppell
2 Zach Merrett
1 Tom Mitchell
Gold Coast versus Brisbane
3 Dayne Beams
2 Gary Ablett
1 Touk Miller
North versus West Coast
3 Sam Mitchell
2 Josh Kennedy
1 Andrew Gaff
Adelaide versus GWS
3 Rory Laird
2 Rory Atkins
1 Richie Douglas
Freo versus Geelong
3 Mitch Duncan
2 Patrick Dangerfield
1 Joel Selwood
What did you make of Round 1?
dontknowmuchaboutfootball
Guest
Nah, Dangerfield had a good game. He was down on clearances and possessions precisely because he spent a lot of time up forward. And I reckon he'd have given anyone in Freo's back 6 a bit of trouble. (He got away from Ibbo on at least one occasion, and made Freo pay for it.) Personally, I rated the original Hill's game more highly than Mundy's. Hill was definitely Freo's best, and I would have him for 1 vote, if it weren't for the fact that the umpires tend not to give votes to the losers (and Freo were comprehensively beaten).
jonty smith
Roar Guru
Don Freo, the Brownlow is not about exceeding how well you play each week. We are used to Dangerfield being more dominant than his performance on sunday but it doesn't mean it was a bad performance. Mundy played a great game and led from the front nicely, and admittedly was unlucky to miss a vote. If he continues performing so well, the dockers will go a long way to winning many games of football this season which is more important than an individual medal
Macca
Guest
"Accountability is the biggest problem for Sutcliffe and Spurr" Then why play them on the reigning Brownlow medallist? "Danger kicked his goals up forward…not playing on Mundy." Yep Danger went forward and wahit the scoreboard - and then he went into the middle won clearances and put on defensive pressure - Dangerfield had the better all round game. And it is possible to get the ball and lay a tackle during a game of football.
Don Freo
Guest
That is a strange comment, even for you. 7 more possessions and 5 more clearances is a bath,an absolute bath. Mundy has the ball...Danger is chasing...the one with the ball does the disposing...that's why he had more. Duh!!! Danger kicked his goals up forward...not playing on Mundy. Accountability is the biggest problem for Sutcliffe and Spurr.
Macca
Guest
Why were the players you had on Dangerfield when he was resting forward unaccountable? "Duncan was doing the heavy work in the middle. Danger was almost absent in the midfield crunch." 5 Clearances and 9 tackles disagree with this statement. If we compare Dangerfield to Mundy - Mundy had 7 more possessions & 5 more clearances but Dangerfield kicked 3 goals to nothing and laid 9 tackles to nothing - it is hardly a clear cut win to Mundy.
Don Freo
Guest
Patrick Dangerfield 2 votes, Jonty? Why? This is a bloke who gets 40 possessions a game. On Sunday he only managed 24 against David Mundy who caned him in the midfield with 31 disposals. He kicked 3 goals (at least 3 of his 24 possessions) resting forward on an unaccountable Sutcliffe and Spurr while Duncan was doing the heavy work in the middle. Danger was almost absent in the midfield crunch. Fyfe was the more impressive with quantity and quality if we go with the press comparison hype. Danger was not in the first 10 best on Sunday. He has a good press agent, though. Mundy and Duncan were easily best afield.
jonty smith
Roar Guru
Thanks MR
jonty smith
Roar Guru
He did indeed. Sorry I just skipped over him. Not a bad game nonetheless with 27 hit outs a goal and more importantly, a win over the arch rival
jonty smith
Roar Guru
Yes seton was very impressive. As you say, he second guessed himself at times in the contest but that will come with experience Certainly justified the left-centre selection and hopefully they give him the opportunity to string a decent chunk of games together.
jonty smith
Roar Guru
Yeah indeed. Some unlucky omissions from my list were Brayden Preuss, Wayne Milera and Sam Naismith. Should make the cut for the round 2 segment with another similar game. I think the crowd got a freebie there. Not sure how he wasn't a top 7 pick.
Mark Ralphsmith
Guest
Great article Jonty. I often enjoy reading them and I had no idea you were only 14. Keep up the great work and I am sure you will active all of your goals.
Katfish
Roar Guru
Wayne Milera was one you missed in the "Five Impressive Youngsters", Jonty. He's only played 9 games and would have been close to a rising star nomination. Every one of his 23 touches was gold. The way me glided across the ground, danced around tackles and delivered the ball was poetry in motion. He's got about 12kg behind him, but once he adds some size and starts rolling through the centre, he will become a very special player. His only other knock, is that he doesn't seem to realise just how talented he is. TAKE THE GAME ON, BOY!
Macca
Guest
I really like SPS' game on Thursday and I think eh will be all the better for it. HIs disposal efficiency is pretty ordinary but from memory he hit most of his targets by foot just missed some handballs - some of which seemed due to him second guessing himself and some seemed to be to his team mate not anticipating what he was trying to do. As he gets more exposure these things will drop off and his output should really improve.
Aransan
Guest
Shaun McKernan should have been included in your milestones with his 50th game.