The opening spherical of the AFL season has come and gone with footy followers devouring as a lot content material as humanly attainable after months of no actual motion.
From the spherical kicking off with a draw to the ultimate contest being received in decisive trend, the weekend had all of it.
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Serious contenders delivered on their early promise whereas groups tipped to be exterior of the eight confirmed indicators of life with none actual risk.
The AFL season is an extended and arduous contest with extra rounds now than ever earlier than, it means groups have loads of time to eradicate any points within the early weeks.
With a season stretching greater than 5 months, there shouldn’t be any cause to be hitting the panic alarm after one sport.
But that’s no enjoyable, so with solely spherical beneath our belt we’re going to lock in some predictions and do what you shouldn’t do; wildly overreact to 1 sport.
Brisbane Lions aren’t critical contenders
Sorry Brisbane followers, however the present record isn’t going to compete for the AFL Grand Final anytime quickly.
After being broadly tipped to be one of many principal threats to battle it out on the MCG on the ultimate day of the season, the Lions have been comprehensively swept off the park on Saturday.
The Lions confirmed their prowess throughout a strong second quarter as they kicked six targets to 2.
Just as rapidly as they took the lead, the Lions turned the hunted and have been ruthlessly picked aside by a rampant Port Adelaide outfit.
In the house of round 25 minutes the sport was torn out of the Lions’ arms because the Power kicked eight straight targets.
Defensively the Lions seemed extra like a deer within the headlights as they did not cease the onslaught on the ahead assaults.
During the second half assault, the Power had 95 extra disposals than the Lions, held a 37-15 inside 50 benefit, led the clearances 21-14 and picked up 27 extra contested possessions.
It was an analogous story within the preliminary last loss to Geelong in 2022 when the Cats had a run of 10 out of 11 targets throughout the second and third quarter.
The Lions made a splash in the course of the low season by including Western Bulldogs star Josh Dunkley and including highly-touted father-son prospect Will Ashcroft.
Unfortunately these additions haven’t helped deal with the most important concern with the premiership contenders.
Defensively they’re Swiss cheese and as soon as groups get a head of steam, the holes solely change into extra evident.
Outside of Harris Andrews, the Lions backline is devoid of key gamers that may influence and cease opponents. Until they present they will repair up their defensive points, put a line by way of their premiership hopes.
West Coast Eagles will battle to win a single sport
From one finish of the ladder to the opposite.
On Saturday the West Coast Eagles have been run off the park within the first half in opposition to an opponent anticipated to complete near them on the ladder.
North Melbourne ran riot, kicking eight out of 9 targets to surge away to a 34-point lead.
The knives got here out far and huge over the diabolical show from the Eagles with Brownlow Medal winner Dane Swan delivering a brutal clip.
“I may have been wrong about West Coast. They are dog s***. Their senior players have all forgotten how to play football. (Apart from McGovern),” he tweeted.
He wasn’t alone in criticising the Eagles’ show, all of which got here earlier than a late sport battle again that just about noticed them pinch victory from the jaws of defeat.
“You couldn’t be more scathing of West Coast right now,” Gerard Whateley mentioned on SEN.
ABC sports activities producer Akash Fotedar was scathing in his assessment of how the Eagles had performed and tried to maneuver the ball.
“All well and good trying to move the ball faster, but you need to win the ball first. West Coast -30 in contested possession. That’s horrendous,” he added.
“Not to mention being down on tackles too, despite having less possessions and clearances. Concerns for Simpson that are beyond ball movement.”
Things received’t get any simpler for the Eagles within the weeks to come back as they tackle the GWS Giants earlier than a derby showdown in opposition to Fremantle in spherical three.
Tigers want to maneuver on from outdated stars
The first sport of the season gave us the primary draw of the yr because the Tigers and Blues duked it out in a low-scoring affair.
But within the wake of the loss one Carlton nice got here out weapons blazing and mentioned Richmond have been held again by two ageing stars.
Forward Jack Riewoldt did not have any actual influence on the competition, ending with one objective and 12 touches.
Brownlow Medal winner Trent Cotchin was equally as disappointing, gathering 18 disposals in a lacklustre efficiency.
It was these two showings that led Mark Maclure to name on the Tigers to be courageous and drop the large title stars.
“I looked at Jack Riewoldt and I looked at Trent Cotchin, are (Richmond) brave enough to tell them something,” Maclure mentioned on SEN’s Crunch Time.
“Is there a chance that they’re brave enough to tell them that maybe it’s time.
“They didn’t put the youth in, there was hardly any youth in the Richmond side if you go back and have a look.”
Richmond pulled a rabbit out of a hat to stroll away from the season opener with a attract a contest the Blues led with lower than two minutes to play.
They’ll enterprise over to Adelaide Oval subsequent weekend for a ocntest in opposition to the Crows earlier than returning to the MCG in a blockbuster showdown in opposition to Collingwood.
If Riewoldt and Cotchin fail to fireplace, the choice to drop them may not be courageous … it might be a necessity.
Source: www.news.com.au
