Round 1 AFL power rankings: So it begins

The blood sweat and tears of the preseason is behind us and we’ve finally played our first matches for competition points in 2022.

We had numerous highlights as Carlton finally ended their decade-long hoodoo to handily win, while Essendon were revealed starkly to be pretenders.

18. Essendon Bombers
They were utterly obliterated by the Cats. The Bombers were shown to have many many flaws, not least the proclivity to recruit smaller midfielder types. Some may argue that this was a side without four of their top-five goal kickers from last year but I respectfully disagree that injuries are a legitimate excuse.

The one bright spot was the performances of Nick Martin (27 disposals, five goals) and Archie Perkins (20 disposals), both of whom give the midfield a point of difference. It was about the worst start to a season and it is sure to shake the confidence of even the nuffiest of supporters.

17. North Melbourne Kangaroos
The Roos unveiled their highly valued first draft pick on Sunday afternoon. They couldn’t come away with the chocolates, but Jason Horne-Francis appears to be a solid selection. It was a strange side selected, with three ruckmen leaving them bereft of mobility forward of the ball, however a concussion to Harry McKay made matters worse, forcing Jack Ziebell to play above his height on the pseudo-key-forward Jack Gunston.

The young Kangaroos will be better for the run, however there are still some tweaks that are necessary to perform  – not the least of which is go a little smaller in the forward line to apply pressure.

16. St Kilda
The Saints weren’t bad, but they did not show any improvements and still managed to lose to the 17th placed Collingwood from last year so excuse me if I read way too much into that.

Mature-age recruit and Jack Oatey medallist Jack Hayes was the one luminescent bright spot, with three goals nearly single-handedly bringing the team back from the brink.

They were missing their talismanic ruckman Patrick Ryder but relying on an injury-prone player approaching the twilight of his career is a recipe for disaster.

15. West Coast Eagles
West Coast barely have a side right now. According to AFL.com.au they were missing five of their best midfielders, four forwards and three defenders from their best 22, and had to look at bringing in players from their COVID list.

However, they made the Suns earn the road win, with Jamaine Jones a refreshed player with 21 disposals and two goals while Tom Barrass became the first player ever to kick their first goal in game 100.

The Eagles are sure to be closer to the bottom of the ladder than the top, but it’s a go-back-to-go-forwards situation, whereby the need to spend a little bit of time down the bottom of the ladder to get access to the nation’s best young talent.

14. Adelaide Crows
So very close. Agonisingly so. The Crows would be ecstatic with a five-goal haul from their first-round draft pick Josh Rachele dragging them back from the brink of a blowout defeat. However, they ran out of gas in front of their home fans as Heath Chapman was able to play goalkeeper and save the Dockers from a draw.

Furthermore, the performance of Ben Keays (37 disposals, five tackles) and James Rowe (two goals, 21 disposals) warms the cockles of even the most hardened Crows supporter.

It was still a loss but in a round dominated by competitive matches, it was a sign of the equalisation measures taking effect.

(Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

13. Gold Coast Suns
It may have taken ten years, but the Suns finally defeated the Eagles in Perth. The game was far tighter than was expected as the Gold Coast had to put down a gallant West Coast 107-80.

Highlights were the return of a resurgent Izak Rankine with four goals and 23 disposals, while Matt Rowell was back to his bullocking best with 33 disposals (22 contested). The Suns showed it is not all doom and gloom in the absence of Ben King, scoring over 100 points and running out comfortable winners.

12. Richmond Tigers
The Tigers lost their first Round 1 clash in ten years on Thursday night, it was also the first time they didn’t play the first match since 2013.

The Tigers were surprised by a Blues outfit as it was a battle of the old and the new. Unfortunately, the match was not without casualties with Dion Prestia damaging his hamstring in yet another in a litany of injuries.

Their performance sees them start the year outside the eight both on the ladder and, more importantly, these power rankings.

11. Collingwood Magpies
I am loathe to giver the Magpies any sort of credit whatsoever, but their new Craig McRae-led style was on full display. Nick Daicos began to live up to the hype with 27 disposals in a midfield-halfback role that is sure to be a gentle introduction into the rigours of AFL football, while Patrick Lipinski put his best foot forward with 31 disposals and a goal.

Finally, it was good to see the high-flying Jeremy Howe come back as a backline general, marshalling players in the backline but still allowing for the spontaneity to intercept the ball.

10. Hawthorn Hawks
Sam Mitchell was one of three debutant coaches to win their first match this weekend. In better news, Jack Gunston kicked goal number 400 in his first match for a year, while fans would be exuberant to see James Sicily get through his first match since Round 20, 2020, due to an ACL tear.

The Hawks’ build-from-the-back mentality has helped in developing one of the most potent backlines and that was on display with Changkuoth Jiath showing his strength in the air and on the ground.

9. Greater Western Sydney Giants
The big big sound from the west of the town was always going to flounder without the presence of their new captain, Toby Greene. They were overrun by a fast-finishing Swans outfit led by Luke Parker nailing five goals in a dominant display up forward.

However, despite matching the Swans for most of the day and leading for large parts, the Giants were unable to take their opportunities in front of goal, kicking 14 behinds, unable to exploit the dominance they had in the early parts of the match.

8. Fremantle Dockers
The more things change the more they stay the same. Yes, the Dockers are in the eight because they scraped out a win by the barest of margins, however their inaccuracy was reminiscent of the problems that plagued them last year.

Heath Chapman is easily responsible for the spoil of the year if not the decade, it was thanks to his quick thinking that the Dockers won.

Rory Lobb (Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

7. Port Adelaide Power
The Power were gassed in the latter parts, completely unable to run out the game, which sees them nearly drop out of the eight. They gave up a 22-point lead from midway through the third quarter to lose by 11 points against the Lions in Brisbane.

Concerningly, it was injuries galore at the Gabba for the Power, with Trent McKenzie (knee) and Xavier Duursma (foot) both being subbed out in worrying circumstances.

6. Western Bulldogs
It is always disappointing when an off-field story dominates the headlines after a match and none more so than the tempestuous clash between Luke Beveridge and Tom Morris at the post-match press conference.

I’m not here to talk about that, I am going to solely address how the Bulldogs seem to be unable to get over the line against an understrength Melbourne.

Adding insult to injury was a sprained ankle almost certain to rule out captain Marcus Bontempelli. It was a matter of the Bulldogs getting beaten by what they knew, as Christian Petracca tore them apart in a performance eerily similar to his escapades last year.

5. Carlton Blues
New year, new Carlton, who won their first Richmond clash since the elimination final in 2013. It is also the second time that they will end a round in the eight since 2013.

Clearly the changes instituted by Michael Voss as coach have begun to pay dividends, and he would be particularly happy with the performance of Matthew Kennedy, who kicked a goal, two behinds from 33 disposals and a massive 11 score involvements, while Patrick Cripps was in vintage form as the midfield stood up in the absence of Sam Walsh.

Finally, it was fantastic to see Sam Docherty get a goal after a long battle with cancer, making it through his first match unscathed mere months after he completed his second bout of chemotherapy.

Patrick Cripps celebrates (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

4. Sydney Swans
The Swans were extremely Lance Franklin-conscious, as he sits four goals shy of a remarkable milestone of 1000 goals. Sydney played the long game as they kept pace with GWS as their greater aerobic capacity came to the fore in a fourth-quarter slaughter, four goals to one, as the Swans came home with a wet sail to win the match by 20 points.

Yes, Buddy was only able to get the one goal, but the Swans would take solace in the fact that they have a multifaceted forward line, with Luke Parker, Oli Florent and Isaac Heeney combining for 11 of their 17 goals.

3. Melbourne Demons
All aboard the Trac Train. He was massive again with another 38 disposal and two-goal performance that is sure to put the fear of God in the Bulldogs. The match itself was remarkably like the grand final they were replaying, with the Bulldogs leading the early parts of the proceedings before the Demons stormed home.

Simon Goodwin would be particularly happy with the defenders that stepped up in the absence of Jake Lever and Christian Salem, which is important for the unique structures the Demons play.

While the Dees sent a shudder through the rest of the competition defeating their closest rivals from last season, their injuries mean they are going to be ranked at three.

2. Brisbane Lions
Brain fades not withstanding it was the Joe show on full display in Queensland with four goals and three behinds as Daniher dominated the Brisbane forward line in a dour and damp night at the Gabbatoir.

Additionally, Cam Rayner and Lachie Neale both made successful returns from injury. Neale particularly was successful with 31 disposals, seven clearances and spending 76 per cent of the time on the ground. The Lions dominated thanks to the fortuitous injuries to Power players hamstringing the potential rotations they could make.

1. Geelong Cats
The Cats are consummate professionals, really, they should have won by more given the 17 behinds they kicked.

They dominated the contest, smashing the Bombers at the coalface, winning the contested possession stat by 42.

However, I would say part of the win can be attributed by the insipid Dons, given their seemingly constant inability to keep on the goal side of their direct opponents, as well as not keeping a sweeping midfielder. Still, the Cats took the opportunities that were in front of them and have put the rest of the competition on notice.