There will be many intriguing games in Round 2 of the 2023 AFL. Find out which player from your team needs to have an impact this weekend.
Carlton: Ed Curnow is starting on the wing, but expect him to spend time in the midfield. In Round 1 against Richmond he kept Dion Prestia to one disposal in the fourth quarter and should tag Patrick Dangerfield and/or Cameron Guthrie at certain points during Round 2.
Geelong: Esava Ratugolea should gain confidence from getting six coach’s votes against Collingwood, despite Geelong losing. His role in the team is integral given that Geelong are without Jack Henry and Tom Stewart due to injury. They face arguably the best key forward combination in the competition in Harry McKay and Charlie Curnow.
Brisbane: Josh Dunkley needs to have more than three kicks, which was all he could muster in Round 1 when Brisbane were annihilated by Port Adelaide. Round 2 is a massive game for Brisbane in the context of their season. Dunkley won the best and fairest in season 2022 at the Western Bulldogs and needs to recapture that form. The midfield combination of he and Lachie Neale will be tested in Round 2 against Melbourne.
Melbourne: Bayley Fritsch will need to kick goals in the absence of Kysaiah Pickett due to suspension, as Pickett kicked four goals in Round 1. He needs to hit the scoreboard and will bring a balance to the forward line, as he is a mid-sized forward. He kicked the most goals of any Melbourne player in season 2022 with 55 and could benefit from a weak Brisbane backline, apart from Harris Andrews.
Bailey Fritsch is always a key man for the Demons. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)
Collingwood: Brayden Maynard is an integral part of the Collingwood back six. His role is even more important given the injury suffered by Jeremy Howe. He averaged 6.70 intercepts per game in season 2022. He needs to be at his best and lead the Collingwood defence by curtailing the influence of Todd Marshall and Charle Dixon.
Port Adelaide: Scott Lycett will shoulder the ruck load for Port Adelaide. He doesn’t have to do anything out of the ordinary. He needs to create a contest, which he displayed in Round 1 against Oscar McInerney of Brisbane, despite losing the hit-outs by seven, Port Adelaide won the clearances by nine. He must play his role for the team coming up against Collingwood ruck duo Darcy Cameron and Mason Cox.
Adelaide: Rory Laird will need to improve drastically on a performance that he would be disappointed with, when he was restricted to just 18 disposals against GWS in Round 1. He is one of the best midfielders in the AFL and will need to win the ball in Round 2, as he could possibly go head to head with Tim Taranto.
Richmond: Shai Bolton will have to play better than he did in Round 1. When the game was on the line he missed a crucial goal. He needs to play to his optimum level against Adelaide in what’s a danger game for Richmond. He can’t take this game lightly, as Adelaide played well for the first half against GWS in Round 1.
Western Bulldogs: Sam Darcy needs to be used more productively. It will be interesting to see where he is utilised against an under-manned St Kilda team. He has shown that he has the ability to play in defence and up forward.
St Kilda: Rowan Marshall needs to have a good game up against Tim English, who’s one of the best ruckmen in the business. Despite losing the hit-outs comprehensively, St KIlda had 37 clearances last week, which was nine more than Fremantle could muster. He is playing a lone hand in the ruck and needs to halve the contest at the very least, just like he did in Round 1.
Fremantle: Luke Jackson was flat in Round 1 as he failed to kick a goal, despite having two scoring shots and managing just seven hit-outs. He needs to lift if Fremantle are to beat North Melbourne in Round 2 and relish his opportunity of becoming the main key forward for Fremantle.
North Melbourne: Luke Davies-Uniacke is a highly rated midfielder. When the game was on the line in Round 1, he was there to win the ball. He needs to back up his performance from Round 1 against West Coast, when North Melbourne take on a Fremantle team that should be desperate to atone for their Round 1 loss. He will be up against the likes of Andrew Brayshaw, which will be a good test for him.
Sydney: Errol Gulden is one of the most entertaining players in the competition. He will be looking to build on the four coach’s votes he received in Round 1 against Gold Coast. He will be looking to continue to take advantage of his versatility.
Hawthorn: Jai Newcombe must prove why he is one of the best young midfielders in the competition, as what he dished up in Round 1 wasn’t his best. He is a player with so much upside and needs to show it this week, in order to help the other players around him be better when Hawthorn take on Sydney.
The Hawks were awful in Round 1 and will need Jai Newcombe at his best against Sydney. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
Essendon: Will Setterfield is just what Essendon needed in the midfield. It showed in Round 1, as he definitely contributed to the win over Hawthorn. Hopefully, he will relish his new role as an inside midfielder against Gold Coast in Round 2.
Gold Coast: Noah Anderson must improve on his Round 1 display. He is such an important player for Gold Coast, who were poor against Sydney, and had just 17 disposals and limited impact on the game. In Round 2 against Essendon, he will have to play better to help Gold Coast earn back some respect.
West Coast: Jeremy McGovern will need to replicate his display in Round 1, where he had 12 intercepts and finished with three coach’s votes. He will need to play well to prevent Jesse Hogan and Harry Himmelberg from hitting the scoreboard. They also need him to launch attacks off the half back line.
GWS: Callan Ward must stand up for GWS as Josh Kelly is unavailable for selection due to concussion. He showed that he can still accumulate plenty of disposals last week, 31 to be exact. Despite that, he failed to have any tackles, which is something he would want to improve on.
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