The first round of the AFL season has come and gone. Here are the winners and losers.
Winners
Essendon
The biggest winners of Round 1, the Bombers were challenged, then responded, challenged, then responded, and finally challenged one last time, down by 20 at three quarter time against last year’s grand finalists, before responding with authority, running over the top of the Crows in the last quarter.
Led by a fantastic performance from captain, Dyson Heppell, the Bombers had too much for the undermanned Crows, smashing them on the outside late in the contest and up forward throughout. Andy McGrath was outstanding in what looked a new role, Cale Hooker, James Stewart, and Joe Daniher all contributed to the Bombers’ win, while Anothony McDonald-Tipungwuti provided the effervescent spark early in the last to inspire the comeback.
(AAP Image/Julian Smith)
Much was made of Essendon’s three big recruits in the off season, and while none of Jake Stringer, Adam Saad, or Devon Smith were heavily involved – Smith the best with 23 disposals and five tackles – this could be seen as a positive, with plenty of improvement to come from Stringer in particular.
There are still valid questions over the strength of their midfield when it’s time to get down and do the dirty work, they were comfortably beaten in the clearances by a workmanlike Adelaide midfield, but this is a great first step in putting together a challenge in 2018.
Tom Mitchell
In Hawthorn’s win over Collingwood on Saturday night, the AFL’s accumulation king became the first player in AFL history to record 50+ touches in two different matches.
It is often said that possession statistics are overrated, and it is what a player does with the football that counts. Indeed, this very accusation was levelled at Tom Mitchell after his other 50 possession game last year.
Yet this was not a game of cheap kicks or sheepdog lurking. 27 contested possessions and nine clearances from Mitchell indicates a willingness to get his hands dirty doing the tough stuff, while eight inside 50’s and a clean enough – for an inside mid – disposal efficiency of over 70 per cent shows he can get it done going forward as well.
With an impressive second place finish, tallying 25 votes, in last year’s Brownlow count, and a blistering start to this season, are we looking at the early Brownlow favourite?
(Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Media/Getty Images)
Carlton’s generation next
It’s not often a team can said to have gained more from a match after a loss than the winners, but this may just be the case in Carlton’s loss to Richmond on Thursday night.
Inspired by a commanding match from the CCC (Charlie Curnow, and Cripps for those at home. Anyone? No? I’m coining it!), a youthful Carlton took it right up to the Premiers and almost embarrassed them at the first hurdle in their flag defence.
SPS has the class in spades, Fisher the speed, and Marchbank, Plowman and Weitering the defensive composure holding down the fort, but the showpiece, the cream, the pièce de résistance is the cracking combination of Curnow and Cripps.
Patrick Cripps is Josh Kennedy on steroids, a fearsome prospect for any opposition midfield, while Curnow has vice-like hands, and is thankfully a much better kick than his key forward counterpart whose name also begins with ‘C.’
Look out, AFL. The Blues are final cooking.
Port Adelaide’s list management
20 disposals, seven marks, and three goals in an impressive display from Jack Watts, and 19 disposals and two goals from Steven Motlop are an early indication that Port’s questionable off season recruitment may prove to be vindicated. Sure, Tom Rockliff may have been quiet, but he is the recruit with the least issues given his previous levels of performance at Brisbane. Lindsay Thomas, meanwhile, also reportedly put in a big performance for the reserves.
It’s too early to call it a stroke of genius, but in a very even competition could these decisions prove to be crucial in leading Port to a serious challenge this season?
(Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)
Richmond
Did what they needed to do with embarrassment looming early on. With Dustin Martin picking up where he left off, the reigning premiers are as good a chance as anyone again this year.
Buddy and all of us
The best in the game, and he has been consistently for five years in the opinion of this writer. Every fan of footy should be watching every Swans game and savouring every moment they get to watch this champion in action. He’s a joy.
GWS
That was an annihilation. Wow.
Losers
Western Bulldogs
The Dogs were, by far, the biggest losers. Perhaps we’ve already seen the biggest losers of the entire season in Round 1. Humiliated by GWS on field, the Dogs were insipid. They were smashed all over the park, and yet that still is not the worst thing to come from the game for the Sons of the West.
Tom Liberatore’s confirmed ruptured ACL does more than add insult to injury, it’s a debilitating blow to the Bulldogs’ season, and leaves them reeling only one game into 2018.
Where do they go from here? 2016 has never looked further away.
(Photo by Adam Trafford/AFL Media/Getty Images)
Melbourne
The Dees weren’t embarrassed against Geelong, but there is no doubt that this is a disappointing start to a season that promises much. Their sparkling pre-season form had many people, not just Melbourne fans, but industry wide, considering just how high this group could ascend in 2018, yet the Demons were dismissed back to Earth on the Lord’s Day.
What was most disappointing in the loss was that they were comfortably ahead in clearances, tackles, and contested possessions in the contest, yet behind on the scoreboard. Errant kicking and an awful first half meant that it was a lacklustre Round 1 for Melbourne.
Adelaide
Losing in Round 1 at Etihad Stadium against a resurgent Essendon while missing some key personnel will not be a big concern for the pre-season Premiership favourites.
Giving up a 20-point three quarter time lead, and looking shot early in the fourth quarter will be. An inauspicious start at best for the Crows.
Spectators, Attendees, Players, AFL Fixturing, and Anyone Else Involved in Gold Coast v North Melbourne
Who at the AFL though that it would be a good idea to schedule a professional AFL match in Cairns during wet season? That’s two hours that no one involved is ever getting back.
Chris
Guest
These incompetent fools who have discarded Father-Sons and ripped the heart out of our club for their own personal expediency are culpable for the current situation. We won't win another flag for another 60 years. All the others will overtake us and we'll be nothing more than a sporting dinosaur. Zero and twelve by the bye or two and ten. There is no other prediction worth talking about.
Guttsy
Guest
also spoilt with roofs that close (when it rains)
Marvin
Guest
I totally agree I barrack for Collingwood too. As long as Ed and Bucks are there Collingwood will never do any good. We need all the magpies faithful to go to the games and shout out sack Nathan Buckley now. Sack Eddie McGuire now. Bring Malthouse back. In order for Collingwood to play finals and a decent brand of football Eddie and Nathan must be sacked by the supporters, or miss the finals for the next 20 years. The Collingwood faithful must unite and force Bucks and Ed out if they want to see the pies play finals, anytime soon.
User
Roar Rookie
The big winner was the footy public as the mighty nic nat returned.
Jesse
Roar Rookie
Yeah, I get that, but I don't think Melbourne's progress can be measured in honourable losses, or excellent efforts anymore. With where they're at going into 2018 and after their preseason, a statement would have been beating a perennial top 4 contender. Near enough isn't good enough for the Dees anymore and I think they need to be judged accordingly.
Jesse
Roar Rookie
For me, it's more that it could so easily have been avoided. Football is played in the Top End during those conditions by virtue of that being where they are, if that makes sense. It wasn't necessary for the AFL to do the same. They have a whole country and endless fixturing options to make sure that something like this was avoided. It's an amateurish decisions from what is a professional organisation. The spectacle, the time, the matchup, everything about it did no favours for anyone involved. Also, it's hard not to think of the disadvantage to North as they head into arguably their biggest game of the year this Good Friday. They'll have a six day break after not only playing in humidity, but also having to slog through the wet, against a Saints side who played in the far more comfortable confines of Etihad.
Macca
Guest
Yeah I think people have got a bit spoiled with the fast draining surfaces. Round 11 1991 is a game that always springs to mind when they talk about poor conditions.
Cat
Roar Guru
I dunno, for me they did make a statement. They didn't roll over. They didn't wilt. The stood toe-to-toe with a perennial top 4 finisher and were in it until the final seconds. Ask yourself this: If Gawn kicks that goal and Melbourne win 99-97 does that really say a whole lot more than losing 94-97? The 4 points certain matters in the big picture, but its not like they were playing a side they were comfortably favoured to beat.
The Original Buzz
Guest
It should be a fixed game, tough one to start the year with.
The Original Buzz
Guest
There is a lot of noise around this wet weather footy game and I am somewhat bemused by it. We go to the footy every week in the top end during the wet season. They have just had the Grand final in Darwin and it was a cracker. Does it not rain in Victoria? It makes a scrappy game and it is even worse when the teams are not the best in the comp, but surely a good hard game in the wet is not something to get up in arms about.
Aligee
Guest
I am not a die hard anymore, but i still barrack for them, Collingwood FC should do things a bit different ATM to get the faithfull back. 1- Hold the AGM at Collingwood town hall, 2- Play their AFLW games at Vic Park 3- Make it publically known what they expect of the team this year and follow through on their threats to break with the coach like they did last year should they not make the finals. 4- Collingwood needs a forceful board instead of having a board that just says yes to him (Eddie) all the time.
Chris
Guest
The biggest losers by far are the Collingwood members and faithful supporters who have been handed a rotten hand once more. When will these unconscionable people who parade as Collingwood diehards get up and leave us alone. We are hurting and they're smiling in the changerooms after defeats.Appalling!
Jesse
Roar Rookie
It wasn't a disastrous result for the Dees by any means, but their pre-season was so good, and there was so much talk about them being a Melbourne team that could finally challenge again that when they couldn't back it up in the real stuff it came as a slight disappointment. Perhaps they're a victim of the external expectations, but it was a false start from them when they needed to make a statement to say that they're serious against another challenger. Personally, I still expect them to be there or thereabouts in 2018, but they come out of round 1 with more questions than answers when everyone was expecting them to make a statement.
Jesse
Roar Rookie
Thank you, Gordon. I really appreciate the kind words!
Daz
Roar Pro
The problem, as I see it, is that they always look to pass the ball off inside 50. Rarely does any player seem to have the confidence to just put it on the boot and take a shot. A stoppage in the forward 50 will see five, six, seven handballs or chip kicks and no one taking a shot at goal.
Macca
Guest
Dingo - just for the record - 3 or the blues 6 wins last year they had less inside 50's Against GWs it was 69-47, the Hawks it was 54-42 and Collingwood it was 46-42.
Macca
Guest
Dingo - so the first 5 goals of the game don't count? On the inside 50's the blues regularly concede high inside 50 counts, as they defend a little deeper than most - it would be interesting to see exactly how deep the inside 50's were and how often the were intercepted etc. If you look at the stats the blues had more disposals, more clearances, and lost the contested possessions by 1 (153 to 152) - it isn't exactly doom and gloom. "Realistically if it wasn’t for a Rusty defending premier" Conversely you could say if we weren't playing a team with Martin, Cotchin, Rance and Riewoldt (like say the Suns) we would have won. And the TIgers didn't look that Rusty in the JLT? "As you’ve mentioned plenty of times Carlton match up pretty well with Richmond." When was the last time I said that? The blues backline is pretty tall, the Tigers forward line is pretty small. "Yet Richmond didn’t get out of 2nd or 3rd gear, never looked like losing" You must have been watching a different game to me. Finally I am not expecting the blues to be a dominant side but they would have taken plenty of confidence out of Thursdays game (and a bit to work on) - they now need to build on it and replicate it week in week out.
DingoGray
Roar Guru
Don't get carried away Macca. While Cripps & Curnow were absolutely outstanding, and you kicked the 1st 5 goals of the game..... After that I don't think it's as Rosey as you point out. You conceded 70 inside 50's! From a side that was so defensive orientated last season, I think this is a major concern. Realistically if it wasn't for a Rusty defending premier who probably started a good couple weeks after you guys, you still should of been beaten by 10 goals! Richmond missed some very easy opportunities at different times. As you've mentioned plenty of times Carlton match up pretty well with Richmond. Yet Richmond didn't get out of 2nd or 3rd gear, never looked like losing. If you are 2-2 after 4 games you'll have done well. Until then, cool the jets.
Cat
Roar Guru
People are being far too hard on Melbourne. Its too easy to get sucked into think it was all Gawn's fault. Keep in mind Menzel had an even easier shot to ice the game just minutes earlier and he missed too. The 'awful first half' was actually just a bad 2nd quarter, which the Cats negated after halftime by having an almost equally bad 3rd quarter. It was two top 4 potential sides battling hard in round 1. Both sides without key personnel too. Some things worked, some didn't. Plenty of rust that won't be around when these two face off next. It was a great game, all things considered and someone had to lose. This time it was Melbourne.
Macca
Guest
I am hoping the suns are a bit sluggish after a hard slog in the wet and we are coming off a 9 day break which should be an advantage. Hopefully Kreuzer and Kennedy get up for the game. The big thing for me is momentum, we should take some out of the Richmond game but if we don't win this week then it is all gone, but if we win this week 9and win well) then the confidence in they group and the system goes up and beating Collingwood becomes easier, win that and we should be looking to give North a real touch up. I am not saying the blues will make finals or anything but the opportunity is there to get on a roll - if we take it it will show real growth.