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What Round 1 of the 2019 AFL season should look like

Roar Guru
23rd August, 2018
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(Michael Willson/AFL Media/Getty Images)
Roar Guru
23rd August, 2018
22
8948 Reads

With the current season approaching its business end, focus now turns to building the 2019 AFL premiership season fixture.

What we know for sure is that Carlton and Richmond will again kick off the season, but with the Blues guaranteed to win the wooden spoon while the Tigers appear likely to defend their premiership, the scene could be set for an embarrassingly one-sided clash to start the season.

With one round of the ongoing season left, the Blues appear all but set to record their worst season ever, while, at the other end of the ladder, the Tigers are preparing to warm up for their premiership defence.

It will be the fifth year in a row the two sides have met to start the season, while it will be the eleventh time in twelve seasons the pair have met in the opening round (the exception being 2014, when they clashed in Round 2).

2019 should be the Adelaide Crows’ turn to open the season at the Adelaide Oval and they could do so with a huge clash against Collingwood in the first Friday night match of the premiership season.

The last time these two sides met, the Pies romped their way to a 48-point win on Black Friday, with Nathan Buckley’s men using that win as a springboard towards returning to the finals for the first time since 2013.

As for the Crows, the loss was one of many which will see them miss the finals for the first time since 2014, marking a huge fall from grace after they had finished on top of the ladder, and reached the Grand Final, last year.

Therefore, Don Pyke’s men would be hoping to put the disappointment of this season behind them and start afresh in 2019, and hosting Collingwood on the Friday night stage in what should be a huge crowd of more than 50,000 would be the perfect way to start the season in the City of Churches.

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The first match on Saturday afternoon would see Melbourne tackle St Kilda at the MCG, with expectations expected to be high for both clubs in 2019.

After twelve years without finals, the Dees will play in September for the first time since 2006, but may have to settle for an elimination final depending on how Round 23 pans out.

They’ll also have Jake Lever back after he missed the second half of the ongoing season, his first at Melbourne after crossing from the Adelaide Crows last year, with a serious knee injury.

His return, and hopefully injury-free pre-seasons for the likes of co-captain Jack Viney and full forward Jesse Hogan, will make the Dees a side that no one will want to face in 2019.

Jesse Hogan

(Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, the Saints would be hoping that an upset win, like the one they had in Round 15 last year, could be the start of a season of resurgence after they took a clear step backwards in 2018, winning just four matches so far.

Later, Jeremy Cameron could return to the scene of the crime when he and the GWS Giants face the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba in the twilight game.

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In one of the most sickening incidents in recent times, Cameron knocked out Lions fullback Harris Andrews with a stray elbow in round 14, leaving Match Review Officer Michael Christian with no choice but to send him straight to the AFL judiciary where he later copped a five-match suspension.

Lions enforcer Mitch Robinson, who missed the match due to injury, made clear his feelings on Twitter about an hour after the incident:

It was Cameron’s second major indiscretion against the Lions, after he had broken Rhys Mathieson’s jaw during a pre-season match in 2016, for which he was also sent straight to the judiciary and suspended for four matches.

Given his history against the club, it’s fair to say that he will be public enemy number one when the Giants step foot onto the Gabba, where they have won their past four matches after they’d lost their first two matches there by a combined total of more than 150 points.

They would face an improving Brisbane Lions side which, despite their lowly ladder position, have excited many with their style of play under coach Chris Fagan, whose contact has been extended to the end of the 2021 season.

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This would set the fuse for what should be an explosive first-up clash between the Lions and the Giants, who would again be expected to be up there among the premiership contenders in 2019 given they can keep their injury list, which has weighed down on the club in recent years, as low as possible.

That being said, they won’t have centre half-forward Jonathan Patton back until at least the final few rounds, after he suffered yet another serious knee injury early last month.

Saturday night would see two blockbuster matches – the Sydney Swans up against North Melbourne at the SCG and the Geelong Cats hosting the West Coast Eagles at Kardinia Park.

The two clashes between the Swans and Roos this season were evenly split, with the Roos taking a two-point victory at the SCG in Round 7 before the Swans returned serve with a seven-point win at Etihad Stadium ten weeks later, thanks to a match-winning goal from defender Aliir Aliir.

In the other match, the Eagles would be attempting to break their curse at the Cattery, where they haven’t won since they came from nine goals down to win by three points in their premiership season of 2006.

Jack Darling celebrates a goal

(Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Media/Getty Images)

Since the start of 2016, only the Sydney Swans have been able to take the points from Kardinia Park, and so Adam Simpson would want to take a leaf out of John Longmire’s book if the Eagles are to start the season with a win on the road for just the third time since 2007.

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Sunday would see Hawthorn host a Round 1 match at their secondary home ground, UTAS Stadium, for the first time since 2014 when they tackle a Port Adelaide side hellbent on redeeming themselves after a disappointing finish to the 2018 season.

Later that day, the first premiership match to be played at the rebadged Marvel Stadium would see Essendon host the Western Bulldogs, with the focus set to again be on Jake Stringer who not long ago was part of the latter club’s premiership win in 2016.

Fremantle would finish the round by hosting the Gold Coast Suns at Optus Stadium, with both clubs eager to bounce back after contrastingly disappointing 2018 seasons.

So, here is what I think round one next year should look like:

Thursday, March 21
Carlton vs Richmond at the MCG, 7:25pm (Seven)

Friday, March 22
Adelaide Crows vs Collingwood at the Adelaide Oval, 7:20pm (Seven)

Saturday, March 23
Melbourne vs St Kilda at the MCG, 1:45pm (Fox)
Brisbane Lions vs GWS Giants at the Gabba, 3:35pm (Fox)
Sydney Swans vs North Melbourne at the SCG, 7:25pm (Seven)
Geelong Cats vs West Coast Eagles at GMHBA Stadium, 7:25pm (Fox)

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Sunday, March 24
Hawthorn vs Port Adelaide at UTAS Stadium, 1:10pm (Fox)
Essendon vs Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium, 3:20pm (Seven)
Fremantle vs Gold Coast Suns at Optus Stadium, 4:10pm (Fox)

All times are local.

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