Terry Wallace has rated the nine Round 1 AFL matches in order of importance.
Hall Of Famer Wallace has analysed the games and given the reasons why he has perceived certain games to be more significant than others at this early stage of the 2019 season.
1. Collingwood v Geelong
Friday night
“Looks a really interesting game for so many reasons.
“Collingwood, the disappointment of getting so close, their fanbase coming back for the first time after the dramatic scenes at the MCG in late September.
“Versus Geelong. What are we going to get?
“Where are they at? Are they on the slide? Have they readjusted and changed their game style to be able to get themselves back up and running?
“I’ve liked what they’ve done over the summer.
“To me, it has got all the fascination and to add to that, I think it is a genuine 50-50 game.”
2. GWS Giants v Essendon
Sunday afternoon
“It’s just really interesting. GWS lost some players that none of us probably thought they were going to lose at the end of last year.
“It was an exodus that most of us didn’t see coming. I think its impacted their depth. Their quality through their starting 18 is fantastic but injuries and the need to play kids, the kids might have ability but there might be more kids in the side than what there has been in the past.
“Essendon, where are they? How do they start? Last season they started terribly.
“They haven’t shown a lot in the practice match series. I’m not putting all my eggs in the basket of it being good, bad or otherwise for the Bombers, but they go in without their natural bookends (Cale Hooker and Joe Daniher) as well.
“There are still question marks around them.
“It’s a really interesting game just to get a guide on where these two teams are at.”
3. Adelaide v Hawthorn
Saturday twilight
“I think it’s a game where Hawthorn can really have a throw at the stumps.
“If you have a look at their fixture, they’ve got a really good four or five weeks after that so it is one that if they win, if they beat Adelaide in Adelaide, by Round 5 Hawthorn will be on top.
“If they lose it, they’ll still be top four by Round 5 or 6. They are good enough.
“But I’m expecting a rally (from the Crows). This, to me, is the war cry for Adelaide.
“‘We had a shocking year last year, we’re all back together again, we are as one and you are our home crowd and we are going to show you that we are back’.
“That’s how I feel they are approaching it.”
4. Western Bulldogs v Sydney
Saturday night
“Bulldogs, to me, look really sharp in the midfield and around the edges.
“They’ll have as good running backs as anyone in the competition. Star midfielders all at the right age.
“But can they kick goals? 26 goals was the leading goal kicker last year for a kid (Billy Gowers) playing his first season.
“Are their big blokes good enough to hold up?
“Sydney on the other side. Will they lose ground? Will they make ground? They lost six home games last year, just started to fall away a little bit.
“But they’ll restructure, play a bit bigger up forward. How does Buddy come back in? Is he absolutely right?
“I’ll walk away from the game with a much clearer picture of the two sides.”
5. Brisbane v West Coast
Saturday night
“Most of us think Brisbane can improve.
“I’ve not got them in my top eight but I’m expecting them to start to show some run and carry and cause some upsets throughout the year.
“First-up, at home, wanting to get a start, wanting to build a fortress at home.
“West Coast, real deal as far as I’m concerned. Will be there again, I don’t have much doubt about that.
“I expect them to be up there again but I expect Brisbane to cause some problems for some sides.”
6. Fremantle v North Melbourne
Sunday night
“I found this game the most difficult to select a winner of.
“Really fascinating game for me. It will tell us a fair bit about these two sides.
“I do get a sense that the one who walks away from this game as the loser, you’ll sit back and go, ‘they might be in for a long year’.
“It’s more difficult for North because they are flying over to Perth first-up, but they’ve got a massive chance.
“There’s opportunity written all over this game for North Melbourne.”
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7. Melbourne v Port Adelaide
Saturday afternoon
“Port Adelaide are one of the teams trying to push into the eight, I don’t have them in mine.
“They are going to play all the kids, so we get a new-look Port. That will be interesting in itself.
“I think Melbourne will be a very good side again. I’m not one who has got them winning the flag or making the Grand Final this year. I think they are probably 12 months away.
“The middle players for Melbourne are outstanding but they are still young (compared to Richmond, West Coast and Collingwood).
“Whatever they do this year, I still think they’ll be better next year and the year after.”
8. Carlton v Richmond
Thursday night
“Why did I rate it Game 8?
“I still have to go back to the end of the home-and-away season. One side was ranked top and the other side was ranked last.
“I know six months has passed and there are half a dozen new players in the Carlton line-up, I know there’s a lot of goodwill in the footy industry about Carlton and how they are settling in.
“I expect improvement and I expect them to have a better year than last year and they are on the right track, but are they ready to take on the number one seeded side in the competition?
“I think it’s a fair ask to be able to do that. Like Hawthorn (against Adelaide), it’s a throw at the stumps.
“It’s a big, big all or nothing (game) from a Richmond point of view.”
9. St Kilda v Gold Coast
Sunday afternoon
“St Kilda just have to win. It’s been a nightmare summer.
“We haven’t played a game yet and it has bene doom and gloom and despair at St Kilda.
“If they wander away without a result from that game, it’s going to get far, far, far worse very, very, very quickly.
“If you lose to an inferior side coming off a poor year, it doesn’t bode well for you. The Saints have just got to find a way.
“Their midfield bats deeper. Gold Coast haven’t got a great midfield and they lost their two bookends (Tom Lynch and Steven May).
“I just still think they (the Saints) are the better team.”