Opinion
Round 1 was full of talking points and had an inspirational story.
There were plenty of new faces, which shows that recruiting a good player isn’t all about selecting a high draft pick.
There’s plenty of talent in the state leagues. There are also hidden gems that need a change of club. Check out what each club can take away from Round 1.
Adelaide Crows
Debutant Josh Rachele gave the Crows the lead for the first time in the game, with his fourth goal of the game with just over four minutes left in the third quarter. He kicked five goals for the game. Fortunately, he chose AFL over football. The Crows kicked six successive goals in the third quarter.
(Photo by Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Brisbane Lions
New recruit Darcy Fort kicked the opening goal of the game. Joe Daniher kicked four goals and ended up being the match winner. The Lions gained momentum at the right point of the game as they kicked five goals to Port Adelaide’s one in the fourth quarter.
Carlton Blues
Sam Docherty coming back from cancer to play AFL footy transcends sport. Sam Docherty kicked a goal in the second quarter. The recruits were outstanding. The likes of George Hewett and Adam Cerra helped add depth to the Blues’ midfield. Michael Voss did a great job to devise a game plan that was good enough to beat a Tigers team coached by a three-time premiership coach.
Collingwood Magpies
Jamie Elliott kicked his 200th goal in the AFL. Jack Crisp played his 164th consecutive AFL game. There were plenty of new faces and new recruits. The standouts were Nick Daicos and Patrick Lipinski, who were outstanding. The new game plan of Craig McRae was attacking as the Magpies’ players weren’t scared to take the game on.
(Photo by Mike Owen/Getty Images)
Essendon Bombers
Nic Martin of the Bombers kicked five goals in his first game of AFL footy.
Fremantle Dockers
The Dockers led by 25 points at half time. They controlled the balance of play and the tempo of the game in the first half. The Dockers were challenged and won the game by a solitary point, thanks to Heath Chapman preventing a goal being kicked late in the fourth quarter.
Geelong Cats
The Cats were ruthless. It was a four-quarter effort. They played team-first footy. The game was over by half time, but they didn’t stop attacking. Tyson Stengle kicked four goals in his first game for the Cats and Tom Hawkins was outstanding.
Gold Coast Suns
It was the Suns’ first win over the Eagles in their history. Touk Miller was his usual self, performing at a high level. It was great to see new recruits Levi Casboult and Mabior Chol kick two goals each. Izak Rankine performed brilliantly with four goals and Matt Rowell had his best game in his AFL career.
(Photo by Jono Searle/AFL Photos/via Getty Images )
GWS Giants
Tom Green never stopped trying, finishing the game with the most disposals of any player in the game with 31 disposals. He also hit the scoreboard with two goals, despite being a midfielder first and foremost. Harry Himmelberg provided a target and finished with three goals.
Hawthorn
It was great coaching by Sam Mitchell to implement a game plan that worked when Hawthorn was challenged as they trailed by 21 points in the second quarter. Chad Wingard kicked two successive goals in the fourth quarter to give Hawthorn a 12-point lead with 15 and a half minutes left in the fourth quarter. Mitch Lewis and Jack Gunston were both good targets and hit the score board with three goals each.
Melbourne Demons
The Demons showed true grit and character to win a game that had momentum shifts in it, despite conceding eight goals in a row in the first half. Christian Petracca proved why he is widely regarded as the best player in the competition amassing 38 disposals and kicking two goals.
North Melbourne Kangaroos
Jason Horne-Francis kicked the first goal of his career, which gave the Kangaroos a 15-point lead midway through the second quarter. The move of Todd Goldstein forward in the second half paid dividends with Goldstein kicking two successive goals. Jy Simpkin hit the scoreboard with two goals, despite playing in the midfield.
(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
Port Adelaide Power
Dan Houston was best on ground with 36 disposals and two goals. Travis Boak seems to get better with age.
Richmond Tigers
The Tigers led by 20 points at quarter time. They played some good footy early on. Shai Bolton was a shining light with three goals. Noah Balta’s versatility was on show, as he kicked two goals in a row.
St Kilda Saints
The Saints’ new recruit Jack Hayes was sensational in his first AFL game with three goals to go with 18 disposals and ten marks. The Saints trailed by 35 points in the third quarter, but fought their way back into the game and showed character, despite losing the game.
Sydney Swans
There was a player for the Swans that kicked five goals, but not the one everyone was hoping to do so. Luke Parker was sensational and was rewarded with five goals. The Swans kicked 17 goals, with Lance Franklin only kicking one goal. What it meant was that he doesn’t have to kick goals to contribute to the Swans’ system in a positive way. Oliver Florent and Isaac Heeney both kicked three goals and worked relentlessly.
West Coast Eagles
The Eagles only had 24 players to pick from, but they were competitive until the last few minutes of the game. They led at the end of all of the first three quarters, which is a good achievement given their lack of players to choose from. Willie Rioli kicked his first goal in his first game back in the AFL early in the third quarter.
Western Bulldogs
The Bulldogs kept the scoreboard relatively even after conceding the first four goals of the game. They didn’t get completely blown away on the scoreboard like they did in the grand final. They have one of the best key forwards in the game in Aaron Naughton, who kicked four goals.
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