The AFL's top teams are under-performing

The AFL is back, and this season looks to be the most exciting and unpredictable in recent memory.

Three rounds have been played and only two teams – Geelong and Brisbane – are undefeated.

Clubs thought to be juggernauts going into the season – sides like Collingwood, Melbourne, Richmond and West Coast – have underwhelmed, while teams that finished towards the bottom of the ladder like Brisbane, Gold Coast (yes, Gold Coast), St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs have had surprise wins.

A week ago, I would have said that Essendon were listless and undisciplined, and that coach John Worsfold would be the next coach to get sacked.

That may yet happen, but after their heroic win against Melbourne on Friday night, all eyes have turned to Simon Goodwin and the Melbourne Football Club.

There was a lot of hype surrounding the Demons this pre-season as there was last year. Champion Data ranked Melbourne’s 2019 list as the best list in the competition.

Last year, the Demons started poorly before hitting their straps mid-season and then coming into their peak form in the last few rounds of the season, only to suffer an ignominious 66-point loss in the preliminary final to the eventual premiers West Coast.

Were it not for their slow start last year, they may have finished in the top four and had an easier run in finals.

This year, few would have expected that Melbourne would have had the same slow start.

Last year, Melbourne played three matches against Geelong. Their first match in Round 1 resulted in a three-point loss, their second in Round 18 resulted in a two-point loss and their third in the finals resulted in a 29-point victory.

These matches against this one team are symbolic of Melbourne’s fortunes in recent years, going from battling against an experienced side but not quite getting there on two occasions to beating them comfortably.

Last week, Melbourne played Geelong again and lost by 80 points.

(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

This represents Melbourne shooting for the stars and falling spectacularly back to earth in flames.

Geelong now look like they could be the form team in the competition, and Melbourne could well bounce back, but what a way to start for a team that has under-delivered in recent years and was so hyped pre-season.

Other hyped teams have under-performed, too.

Collingwood narrowly lost to Geelong in the opening round and went down by 22 points to West Coast in the grand final rematch on Saturday.

These are quality sides, but Collingwood would not have wanted to start the season 1-2 after being the favourite to win the premiership going into this season.

Collingwood must do more to distinguish themselves in a crowded list of premiership hopefuls.

Although it’s early days, it looks like the Richmond dynasty could be over.

Richmond have been favoured by the injury gods in recent years, but they look like they’re having a season from hell this year.

They’ve lost Alex Rance for the season with an ACL, while Jack Riewoldt is out for four weeks with a wrist injury.

To top it off, Trent Cotchin and Bachar Houli have done their hamstring, and Dustin Martin has been suspended for two matches for elbowing GWS’ Adam Kennedy.

Richmond are a solid team with plenty of depth, but no team can readily replace four superstar players who are all out at once.

The turnaround in fortunes is less dramatic for the West Coast Eagles, who boast wins over Greater Western Sydney and Collingwood by 52 and 22 points respectively.

However, they did lose by 44 points to a rejuvenated Brisbane Lions outfit in Round 1.

West Coast – alongside Geelong – are the team to beat, but with the competition getting more even, will West Coast be able to continue to stand out in such an open contest?

This brings me to the Brisbane Lions.

The Lions have been the biggest improvers of 2019.

Last year they finished the season with five wins and 17 losses. So far this season, the Lions have three wins and zero losses.

It is only Round 3 and Brisbane will no doubt disappoint as well as impress throughout the course of the long season, but it is clear that the Lions have announced themselves this year as a new club that will play to win in every match.

What is perhaps most striking about the Brisbane Lions is that they are still a deeply flawed young team.

Indeed, the game looked all but over against West Coast after the Lions finished the first quarter 27 points down.

But in the second quarter, Brisbane kicked seven goals to West Coast’s one, and in the third quarter, West Coast were goalless. Brisbane went on to win 102-58.

Brisbane also trailed North Melbourne for most of the game but came from behind to win 107-87.

(Jono Searle/AFL Photos/Getty Images)

Against Port Adelaide, Brisbane had the lead for most of the match but surrendered it in the fourth quarter as the momentum swung firmly in the Power’s favour.

But Brisbane held on and a late surge saw them win 107-90.

Brisbane start the season 3-0 for the first time since 2010 and keeping a lid on the hype will be difficult for the young team, but their youth is encouraging.

Only a pessimist would say that the likes of Zac Bailey, Jarrod Berry, Cameron Rayner, Hugh McCluggage and Alex Witherden – all in their second or third season of AFL – will not have improved in six months’ time after another ten or so games under their belt.

Whether or not Brisbane will make finals is anyone’s guess, but they will continue to improve.

Brisbane isn’t the only lowly side that looks determined to start the season strong.

St Kilda won their first two games before a narrow away loss to Fremantle by five points.

Fremantle started strong with a commanding win over North Melbourne before narrowly going down to the Suns and then getting up against St Kilda.

The Western Bulldogs kicked off their season with an exciting win over Sydney, followed by a thrilling comeback against Hawthorn before missing a set shot in their last minute of their match against Gold Coast to lose by five points.

Gold Coast themselves have had two wins – against Fremantle and the Western Bulldogs – and a one-point loss to St Kilda.

Although Gold Coast’s wins are hardly convincing, each being decided by less than a goal, this is coming from a side who many pundits thought would struggle to win a game with the losses of Tom Lynch and Steven May.

Even last year’s wooden-spooners Carlton are showing positive signs and look to be an improved team from last year.

No doubt there’ll be more twists and turns to come, but this season certainly has started with a bang.

Hats off to anyone who can get their tips right.