What did your club get right and what did your club get wrong in Round 1?
We had a full round for the first time in 2024 with all 18 teams in action.
See our assessments below:
What they got right
Late aggression
When Adelaide finally decided to take the game on in the fourth quarter, they looked like a completely different side.
They resembled the high powered offence of 2023, even if they were missing Taylor Walker and Riley Thilthorpe.
Izak Rankine and Josh Rachele caught fire, somehow dragging the Crows back into the contest.
What they got wrong
Battered by the Suns’ midfield stars in the wet
While the clearance and disposal numbers paint the picture of an even scrap, but Noah Anderson, Sam Flanders, Touk Miller and Matt Rowell were arguably the four most influential players on the ground.
They were brutal around the contest and gave the Suns an early advantage.
Adelaide’s midfield needs to work harder defensively going forward. Jordan Dawson was average by his lofty standards on Saturday night.
Jake Soligo as the sub
Soligo came into the game late and immediately had a big impact, finding eight disposals in the last term.
In begs the question as to whether he should have played the full game to provide some run and carry in the wet.
Lachie Gollant was unsighted in the tough conditions, while Luke Pedlar and Chris Burgess also struggled to influence.
They likely could have gone with one less marking forward in favour of the runner.
Nic Negrepontis
What they got right
Another hot start
After 13 minutes, most onlookers would have been thinking ‘how far Brisbane?’.
The Lions kicked the first four goals and appeared to be on their way to a fairly big win before the Dockers arrested their momentum.
It was the second week in a row that Chris Fagan’s men started brilliantly and it is at least something to hang their hat on after a 0-2 beginning.
Apart from that, however, there wasn’t much to get excited about.
What they got wrong
Stagnant in attack
After their early four goals, the Lions would fail to kick another major until the 16-minute mark of the third quarter.
Their return of 5.7 by three-quarter time was paltry after a hot start and something they’ll need to rectify to get their season back on track.
The Lions have produced the most inside 50s (118) in the league in two games but have only returned 22 goals, suggesting their forward connection is somewhat broken.
This was an element of their game they hung their hat on in 2023 and something Fagan will want to recover as quickly as possible.
Beaten out of the middle
Without Lachie Neale the Lions were comfortably beaten out of the middle.
They lost centre clearances 13-7 which allowed the Dockers to gain the upper hand.
Cam Rayner and Josh Dunkley had two centre clearances each but no other Lion had multiples whereas Freo had Andrew Brayshaw (five), Caleb Serong (three), Hayden Young (two) and Nat Fyfe (two) all on top of their game.
Their next opponent, Collingwood, beat Sydney 17-9 in centre clearances on the weekend so the Lions will be eager to correct their shortcomings, hopefully with Neale back in tow.
More defensive injuries
It’s not really what they got wrong, as injuries happen, but they have now lost defenders Darcy Gardiner (knee) and Conor McKenna (hamstring) after the Dockers loss.
Add to that the season-ending injury sustained by Keidean Coleman last week and there are holes in the backline in terms of personnel.
Thankfully they get a bye this weekend so they can take a deep breath, take stock and prepare for the Grand Final rematch against the Magpies on Easter Thursday.
Andrew Slevison
What they got right
Finding different ways to win
It wasn’t pretty, but Carlton got the job done on Thursday night – and did so while being beaten in the clearances and contested possessions.
This has been their one-wood under Michael Voss, but the Tigers beat them around the ball across the night.
The Blues looked dangerous on transition all night and punished Richmond on turnovers, ultimately allowing them to claim the four points.
Mitch McGovern in career-best form
Mitch McGovern has started the 2024 season looking like prime Jeremy McGovern.
He is not only starring as an intercept marking defender, but he is punishing teams on counterattack with his ball-use.
McGovern always takes on dangerous kicks through the middle and is vital to Carlton’s ability to score on transition.
What they got wrong
Missed opportunities
The expected score for this game tells the story a bit, with Carlton sitting at 95.6, despite only scoring 86.
However, that likely doesn’t include the forward chains of possession the Blues had across the night that were ultimately undone by a poor kick inside 50.
Carlton completely controlled the second quarter against the Tigers, but kicked 3.6, leaving the door ajar.
If the Blues want to play this more frenetic game style, they need to use the ball better around goals to maximise their periods of dominance.
Matt Kennedy as the third tall forward
This unfortunately isn’t working for Carlton. They’ve attempted to use Kennedy in the Jack Silvagni/Jack Martin role to start the season, but Nick Vlastuin paid him no attention and was arguably best on ground.
Kennedy kicked a goal and had 13 disposals, but he is still clearly best suited as an inside midfielder, who can push forward.
Starting him forward as a marking target seems to be something the Blues like trying, but it has rarely delivered.
They’ll be hoping Martin is available for selection following their Round 2 bye.
Nic Negrepontis
What they got right
Nick Daicos and the stoppage work he provides
Not much went right for Collingwood on Friday night against Sydney but Nick Daicos kept his strong form rolling.
The young star helped himself to 37 disposals, one goal, seven clearances and six inside 50s and was a class above all of his teammates.
Daicos’ work helped the Pies win the clearance count 35-30. But unfortunately, it was about the only team stat Collingwood won on the night.
What they got wrong
Defensive structure
Collingwood’s defensive structure looked all of whack against Sydney for the second straight week.
With Nathan Murphy out of the side, Darcy Moore hasn’t been anywhere near his best both in the air and with his disposal.
We know the Pies like to defend aggressively, but the Swans were able to get out the back on too many occasions and kick simple goals.
When the Swans broke the game open in the second and third terms, five of their seven goals in a less than two-quarter period came from the goal square or close enough to it. It was simply too easy for the opposition.
Costly turnovers
One thing that played into Collingwood’s defensive structure being out of whack was where they were turning the ball over.
Coming out of defence, the Magpies were turning the footy over no further than the middle of the ground as the backline failed to get back into position when the ball was coming in.
You can’t turn the ball over in positions like that and expect to not get scored against.
Effort and desire
David King flagged this on SEN’s Saturday Crunch Time.
While it’s not a trakable with stats, the Magpies genuinely look like they’ve come back from the dog-hungry team that chased a flag in 2022 and achieved what they aimed to in 2023.
King thinks that the Pies are simply playing at 95 per cent, which has been enough to see them exposed by two sides in a row.
We’ll know these Magpies are back once they do the little things right. At the moment, they’re well off the pace.
Lachlan Geleit
What they got right
Found a way
On inside 50s and scoring shots, Essendon should not have won on Saturday.
And while that’s a concern, the Round 1 triumph addresses a bigger issue at the Bombers. Brad Scott’s troops simply found a way to win against the odds, and that hasn’t always been the case.
In recent years not only had Essendon failed to pinch many games they perhaps shouldn’t have, but they’ve lost many they should have walked in.
But in the fourth term at the MCG Essendon’s leaders stood up and delivered an important win. It’s an important four points to bank, now time to move on.
The arrival of Perkins
Has Archie Perkins ever played a better game than what he put forward on Saturday?
It’s definitely his most important in securing the four points. Perkins was Essendon’s best player against Hawthorn, gathering 24 touches and a massive 12 tackles.
But it was his two goals when the game was on the line in the third term that gave Essendon the upper hand going into the last.
It’d be fantastic to see Perkins – who turns 22 in eight days – step up on a consistent basis. But how does Darcy Parish fit back in?
Jake Stringer in a contract year
Kane Cornes has told us all before. Don’t discount Jake Stringer when there’s a contract on the line.
On first evidence, Stringer is back to the peak form he displayed in 2021. Four goals later, Stringer was strong, powerful and creative and even gave off a goal assist.
He was the full bang for buck per touch against the Hawks, the stuff Essendon fans dream of.
If he keeps it up, Stringer will prove an enormous asset, instead of a hindrance, in 2024.
What they got wrong
Same old problem
In many ways, it was a new, confident Essendon outfit that faced the Hawks.
But when it came to defending transition, the same old Bombers were back.
Essendon for years has struggled to defend the ground, especially on transition, and allowed Hawthorn on too many occasions to move through their system and deliver the ball inside 50.
Brad Scott’s men had more disposals, clearances, contested possessions and tackles. So how did Hawthorn win inside 50s 57-52?
Again, the Bombers’ system on defence fell away. They face Sydney in Round 2, a far more clinical side with ball in hand. If Scott’s men dish up the same defensive effort, they could concede 20+ goals.
Seb Mottram
What they got right
Contested ball and clearances
The Dockers controlled the middle on Sunday with Lachie Neale out for the Lions.
Caleb Serong was enormous with 46 disposals and 10 clearances and he was helped by Nat Fyfe, Andrew Brayshaw and Hayden Young who all had more than five clearances each.
Brisbane’s top clearance-winner who was a midfielder was Jarryd Lyons with four. If Oscar McInerney didn’t get seven himself by grabbing it out of the ruck and hacking it forward, the Dockers would have won the clearance count by even more than 41 to 34.
On-ball Fyfe
Nat Fyfe has returned to a full-time midfield role in 2024 and the elder statesman looks like he could get near to his best.
Playing in an inside, ball-hunting role, Fyfe had six clearances and seven tackles to go with his 21 touches.
After splitting his time on-ball and up forward in recent seasons, the Dockers could prove a more settled side with their all-time great around the footy going forward.
Defensive structure
Fremantle’s defensive structure held up very well against a high-powered Brisbane offence.
While the Dockers lost the inside 50 count 48 to 56, they restricted the Lions to just one goal from the start of the second quarter until the end of the third term.
That’s a huge credit for the set-up the Dockers had while they also got their matchups spot on.
What they got wrong
The start
While the Dockers were brilliant as the screws tightened in the second and third terms, they were playing catchup until midway through the second term.
That was because the Lions jumped them with the first four goals of the game as the Dockers were slow out of the blocks and a little ill-disciplined at times.
If they can clean up that area of their game and still play as well as they did throughout the second and third terms, they’ll be very hard to beat in 2024 particularly in Perth.
Lachlan Geleit
What they got right
Chris Scott the mastermind
Almost every positional call made by Chris Scott on Saturday night paid off.
Max Holmes to half-back? Massive tick. Patrick Dangerfield exclusively a midfielder? Right call. Oliver Dempsey given a licence to do as he pleases? Paid off brilliantly.
The list goes on and on. None of those were obvious decisions but all paid dividends on getting Geelong over the line against St Kilda on Saturday night and setting the tone for the coming year.
GMHBA Stadium
The Cats got the biggest crowd they’ve ever had to GMHBA Stadium on Saturday night, with 39,352 wandering through the gates to welcome the new Joel Selwood stand.
The four-time premiership star himself was on hand to officially open the new completed stadium and was then treated to a winning performance from his former side.
St Kilda was a great opponent, with plenty of travelling fans making the hour-long trip down from Melbourne to offer a great vibe at the stadium.
Never has it looked as good as Saturday night.
Backing in a star
Did we forget about Jeremy Cameron over the off-season?
The 30-year-old kicked 33 goals in his first eight games last year but had a somewhat checkered finish to the season.
On Saturday he was back to his brilliant best, kicking a Goal of the Year contender and covering the ground like only he has.
He’s right back in the conversation of the league’s best player.
What they got wrong
Red time management
Geelong dominated territory for the entirety of Saturday night’s clash and had no right to lose that clash.
But they almost didn’t. From three goals up with five minutes to play, the Cats were one centre clearance and some bad luck away from going down to the Saints.
10.16 is a poor return in front of goal and Chris Scott had the game on his term for most of the contest.
To almost bottle it and see a close game for most of the night would be of mild concern.
Seb Mottram
What they got right
Midfield magic__
Noah Anderson, Sam Flanders, Matt Rowell and Touk Miller were again electric in the centre of the park.
Combining for over a third of the team’s disposals for the game, the midfield sparked the early dominance for the Suns, physically dominating the Crows.
With the core firing, delivery into the 50 was superb, doubling the Crows in marks inside 50 with what was a very slippery footy.
First-half dominance... again
Off the back of last week’s early dominance over the Tigers, Damien Hardwick once again spurred the Suns to take off hard.
A four-goal lead at half-time while only conceding eight points up to that point proved too much for the Crows.
The Suns have only conceded 21 first-half points so far this season.
Small forward wizardry
Wet weather footy screams for the smalls to step up, and they did just that.
Malcolm Rosas, Ben Ainsworth, Bailey Humphrey and Tom Berry all found goals in a game that saw key position players having little to no impact.
The Suns’ ability to use the smalls when the likes of Ben King and Jack Lukosius aren’t firing ultimately won them the game.
What they got wrong
Late-game woes
Back-to-back weeks featuring heavy second-half losses. The Suns have been outscored 93 to 51 in the back end so far this season.
Hardwick needs to get the boys firing after the main break.
Adelaide provided a very late scare, and while it wasn’t quite enough to secure the win, you could imagine sides down the line won’t be so forgiving.
Back-half stoppages
The Gold Coast defence leaked three final-quarter goals directly from back-half stoppages.
The Crows created chaos in their forward half and were first to the loose ball, dominating the contested touches in the final quarter.
They looked extremely vulnerable late, and must focus on putting games to bed much earlier.
Jaiden Sciberras
What they got right
Persistence pays off
The Giants had to work hard for their eventual 39-point win over North Melbourne.
Many were expecting it would come easy at home but they certainly had to grind it out and shake off a plucky Kangaroos outfit.
They did did have 14 more inside 50s (60-46) and 19 more scoring shots (36-17) so it could have been a much more comfortable win.
But they absorbed some solid Roos footy, persisted throughout the afternoon and despite being challenged they eventually picked up a deserved victory, which the better teams tend to do.
Frightful forward line
The forward line is working a treat at the moment.
Jesse Hogan helped himself to six goals to make it 10 from two games and appears back to his absolute best.
Throw in Callum Brown, who added another two majors after five in Opening Round, and the likes of Jake Riccardi (three goals) and Aaron Cadman (two goals) and there is a lot to like about their medium to taller stocks.
GWS has already kicked 35 goals for a massive for score of 235 points from their two matches and look very dangerous inside attacking 50.
What they got wrong
Centre clearance game
The Giants were beaten 19-11 in centre clearance which denied them quick entry into forward 50.
It was something Adam Kingsley was quite unhappy with after the game as Tristan Xerri (six centre clearances), Tom Powell (five) and Luke Davies-Uniacke (five) seemingly did as they pleased out of the guts.
While the Giants mids were able to get on top from a contested footy point of view (145-113), they’ll want to improve their centre clearance game quickly to avoid it becoming a bad habit.
Second-quarter showing
North enjoyed a strong second quarter when kicking six goals.
While the Giants also booted six of their own, they wouldn’t have been too thrilled with the dominance their opponents had for large portions of that term.
It’s only one smaller part of the bigger picture, but Kingsley will be intent on correcting those lapses sooner than later.
Andrew Slevison
What they got right
Nailed the 2023 trade period
All four of Jack Gunston, Mabior Chol, Jack Ginnivan and Massimo D’Ambrosio stepped out on Saturday afternoon. And on that game’s evidence, the Hawks will be thrilled with their 2023 recruits.
D’Ambrosio was the pick across half-back in picking up 29 touches, while his 13 contested possessions were also a surprise. Ginnivan was a clear best afield to half-time, Gunston looked like he’d never left and Chol booted two goals.
Sam Mitchell’s best 22 has clearly improved from last season and when the injured brigade return, they won’t be far off the pace in 2024.
Won key performance indicators
Hawthorn enjoyed more inside 50s (57-51) and more scoring shots (25-22) but walked away from the MCG 24-point losers.
For the Hawks to put themselves in a position where they should win more often than not, against a team expected to fight out a finals spot, is a good showing given their injury list and youth.
The forward line is arguably the Hawks’ most talented area of the ground and they’re expected to be strong ahead of the footy in 2024. A high number of inside 50s bodes well.
But going forward, they need to make it count in the wins column.
What they got wrong
A message for Sam Mitchell
On the flip side to the point above, Hawthorn can’t afford to lose games they probably should win in 2024.
The Hawks lack the experience to be consistently beating or even competing against the best teams in 2024 and so when presented the chance to win, certainly have to do better than a 24-point margin in favour of the opposition.
Hawthorn won’t win the inside 50 count most weeks and footy is all about taking your chances. Don’t let it become a regular feature, Mitch.
Well beaten in the middle
If there is any team Hawthorn should beat out of the middle, it really is Essendon.
The Bombers were the worst clearance side in the competition last year and were missing the likes of Darcy Parish and Dylan Shiel on Saturday.
For the Hawks to lose centre clearances 18-9 but break even at stoppage clearances suggests a change is needed in the middle.
Jai Newcombe only had two clearances, while Ned Reeves was well beaten by veteran Todd Goldstein.
Seb Mottram
What they got right
Forward connection was on point
After a dismal showing of forward 50 entries last week, the pressure was high for the Demons to show an improvement in this area of the field against the Bulldogs which they delivered in spades.
Off the 53 inside 50’s, they had 29 scoring shots (which was an improvement of 10 from last week) and looked more deadly each time thanks to an emphasis on having more speed and composure on the footy when going forward.
New targets in Ben Brown and Kysaiah Pickett helped the Demons achieve this important feat, whilst the 23-disposal game from new recruit Jack Billings was a crucial piece in ensuring the Demons ran away 45 point winners on Sunday.
Gawn got the better of the reigning All-Australian ruckman
A match-up that arguably cost the Demons in a big way in Opening Round, Max Gawn’s game against Tim English was hugely influential for the Demons to be able to have their say on the game for most of the day.
For the likes of Clayton Oliver, Christian Petracca, Jack Viney, Christian Salem and Tom Sparrow to be getting first service most of the afternoon, allowed Melbourne to win the clearances and contested possessions for the match and ultimately, own territory for a longer period of the game.
More games like this from the skipper will only lead to better chances for the Demons to continue their winning ways in 2024.
What they got wrong
Worrying signs at the start could lead to bad habits
Within the first five minutes of the match, the Dogs were all over the Demons in all facets of the game.
Clearances, inside 50’s and contested possessions were all in the Dogs’ favour significantly and was threatening to be a doomsday scenario for the Demons who needed to win to avoid an 0-2 start.
Although they got the win in a convincing fashion in the end, the Demons would need to be mindful that starts like these don’t become a bad habit for the rest of the season.
Zac Sharpe
What they got right
The Draft
Colby McKercher and Zane Duursma are going to provide North Melbourne fans with memorable moments for the next decade.
Both looked immediately capable of having an impact at AFL level, with Duursma kicking two goals and McKercher finding 22 disposals across half back.
Coupled with Harry Sheezel, who has picked up where he left off, and George Wardlaw, and they could form a potent quartet long term.
Yes, losing in Round 24 would have gifted them Harley Reid as well as McKercher, but Roos fans will have a great time watching Duursma develop.
What they got wrong
Margin could have been much worse
When you concede 25 marks inside 50 and your opponent has 35 scoring shots, you’d take a 39-point defeat.
The Giants kicked 7.12 after half time and really could have put North to the sword.
It shows again how brutal this season is going to be for the Roos behind the ball, in the absence of Ben McKay and Griffin Logue.
The Roos were also accurate themselves, kicking 13.4.
Do they need to play two rucks?
Callum Coleman-Jones was subbed out having had six disposals, three marks, four hit-outs and no scoreboard impact.
Should the Roos back Tristan Xerri to play high percentage of game time and try to survive with a midfielder in the ruck around the ground and a key defender rolling up in the backline?
It just feels like an extra runner, like a Will Phillips or a returning Jy Simpkin, could be more valuable than whatever output you’re getting from the backup ruckman.
You also have the question the call to play Liam Shiels as the sub, who likely won’t provide much burst or spark at nearly 33.
Nic Negrepontis
What they got right
Finding targets inside 50
Port Adelaide cut West Coast to pieces with their ball use on Sunday, taking 25 marks inside 50 to just eight.
It allowed the Power to have double the shots of their opposition (40 to 20) as six players kicked multiple goals for Ken Hinkley’s side.
Port Adelaide have plenty of options inside 50 and they made sure to use them all against the Eagles.
They’ll hope to keep that side of their game firing up against better opposition.
The addition of Soldo
Port Adelaide were found wanting in the ruck last season, but the addition of Ivan Soldo via trade looks to have remedied that issue.
The former Tiger kicked two goals to go with 14 disposals, four marks and 28 hitouts as he comprehensively won his battle against Bailey Williams.
The 27-year-old is a plug-and-play recruit for the Power and the early signs suggest the recruiting department got his addition absolutely spot on.
Finding targets by foot
As well as finding leading forwards inside 50, Port Adelaide controlled the air around the ground on Sunday, taking 121 marks to 69.
That number was built on the back of their huge uncontested mark win (108 to 64) as the Power didn’t allow the Eagles to put any pressure on with the ball hitting the ground.
They won’t lose many games this year if they can continue reproducing that stat.
What they got wrong
Goalkicking accuracy
Port Adelaide won their game by 50 points, but it could have been much more if they kicked straight.
Their final score read 16.24 (120). If you just turned that around to 24.16, they score 160.
This game against West Coast, particularly at home, could have served as a huge early-season percentage booster if they were just a little more accurate.
It’s not a huge misstep, but something Ken Hinkley would like his side to clean up.
Lachlan Geleit
What they got right
Showed much more intent
Richmond showed much more intent on Thursday night against Carlton than they did the week prior against Gold Coast.
From the outset the Tigers had a fair dinkum dip which was in stark contrast to the first half in the Suns loss. To do that off a five-day break and then stay in the game until the end was a monumental achievement.
While some of their skills left a lot to be desired, you cannot question their intent - particularly through the midfield - which kept them in the game until the very end.
Clearance and contested possession game
The Tigers are usually beaten around the footy but managed to better the Blues in some key areas.
They won clearances (35-29), centre clearances (13-10) and contested possessions (142-131) against a Carlton side who has been dominant in those areas in recent times.
It was a good sign considering they lost one of their better clearance players in Dion Prestia early.
What they got wrong
Skill errors proved costly
The Tigers fumbled a bit in the clinches when the game was there to be won.
They also chose the wrong option a few times when entering 50 late in proceedings, which denied them the chance to conjure a potential match-winning goal.
As mentioned, the effort was there but it was just a lack of clinical skills and decisions which in the end denied them from pinching the points from the Blues.
Questionable decision to play Prestia
By Adem Yze’s own admission, the Tigers might have erred in playing Dion Prestia (hamstring) off a five-day break.
The 31-year-old has a history of soft tissue injuries and perhaps should have been rested for the Blues clash, especially considering Dustin Martin was returning.
It’s easier said in hindsight, but the fact Yze admitted it was a risk suggests the Tigers might have got this one wrong. As the coach said, they’ll “live and learn”.
Andrew Slevison
What they got right
The new guys
Ross Lyon blooded four new Saints on Saturday night, with draftees Darcy Wilson and Lance Collard lining up for the first time alongside recruits Riley Bonner and Liam Henry.
Bonner, Henry and Wilson all showed plenty, while Collard came on late as the sub.
Ball movement is clearly a big focus from the Saints, who were again electric out of half-back in transitioning the footy from end to end. Henry was creative and dynamic, while Bonner had a team-high 666 metres gained. Wilson also booted two goals and was calm and composed with ball in hand.
It’s only early, but it looks as if the Saints have nailed the new guys given the way they played against Geelong.
Max King in Coleman Medal form
The star Saint wasn’t far off being best on ground at GMHBA Stadium, with only accuracy in front of goal standing in his way.
2.4 is a poor return, but King had shown last year he was over the goalkicking woes that had earlier infiltrated his career.
In that sense, King’s performance was one full of promise for the season going forward.
Two goal assists, 10 score involvements and two contested marks shows where his game is really at.
What they got wrong
Losing the territory battle
St Kilda won’t win many games in 2024 if they only get 44 inside 50s.
That was the final number they reached against the Cats. Last year Ross Lyon’s men were among the lower end of teams going inside 50 and still averaged over 52 per game.
On Saturday, the Saints enjoyed 63.6 per cent efficiency inside their own inside 50, largely from frequently getting out the back. That’s a figure that is unlikely to happen again in 2024.
Their speed on the ball is brilliant and Ross Lyon will find many ways to expose the opposition in 2024. But the point remains, he must find a way to win the territory battle more consistently.
Seb Mottram
What they got right
The Chad is back!
After a breakout year in 2022, Chad Warner took a backseat for the Swans in 2023 but has certainly hit the ground running in 2024.
After 26 touches and a goal the week before against Melbourne, Warner excelled on Friday night with 27 touches with 11 of those being contested, 11 score involvements, seven clearances, four tackles and three goals.
Isaac Heeney has finally arrived
His potential has been well known since his debut in 2015 but one could argue that the 27-year-old has been a perennial tease across his previous nine seasons in the AFL.
In the first two blockbuster matches of the season against the reigning premier and season opener, Heeney has put in best on ground performances on both occasions.
Heeney has excelled in his forward-midfield hybrid role and attended 64% of centre bounces; the second-most of his career since 2020. As a result, he had 29 touches including four clearances, 10 score involvements, four tackles, six inside-50s and 2.2.
What they got wrong
Brodie Grundy doesn't repeat Opening Round heroics
After facing his former side and winning the battle against Max Gawn the week prior, Grundy couldn’t repeat his efforts against his other former side in Collingwood.
It ultimately didn’t affect the result but Grundy lost the hitout battle 38-22 to Darcy Cameron and Mason Cox and only gathered the eight disposals. Grundy only had 98 metres gained compared to his 254 the previous week.
The tough assignments don’t stop for Grundy who will face veteran ruck Todd Goldstein who had a day out against Hawthorn in Round 1.
Charles Goodsir
What they got right
Harley Reid makes his mark
Entering the league as one of the most hyped prospects in recent memory, all eyes were on Reid as he made his senior debut, and he took to the challenge admirably.
The young gun was excellent in the early stages, playing through the middle and looking every bit as comfortable in a contest as advertised, showing flashes of the immense potential he has.
As the game continued and Port Adelaide’s dominant midfield began to run rampant, Reid started to fade, however he still finished with 17 possessions, nine of which were contested, and five clearances, a respectable mark for a debut.
While some may be disappointed that he didn’t immediately take the competition by storm from day one, this is exactly the display that his teammates and Adam Simpson would have been wanting to see.
What they got wrong
Veteran leaders were invisible
With a team that’s screaming out for someone to take charge as much as West Coast, it’s a serious concern that their leaders didn’t get up for the first game of the season.
Andrew Gaff, Tom Barrass and Jack Darling all failed to have much of an impact, each racking up just four touches, while new co-captain Oscar Allen managed to kick just three behinds.
Decent displays from Jeremy McGovern and Elliot Yeo were enough to keep responsibility from falling solely on the shoulders of the youngsters, yet it simply wasn’t enough.
The Eagles weren’t expected to put up much of a fight against a top-four hopeful, and did manage to keep it closer than anticipated, however the displays from the veterans was clearly the most disappointing result of the night.
Jack Makeham
What they got right
The opening stretch
If you tuned out of this contest after the first 15 minutes, you would’ve thought the Bulldogs had finally slain their early season demons.
Luke Beveridge’s men were stellar through the majority of the first term, booting three of the first four goals and looking every bit the side that many have high hopes for this season.
The Dogs’ ball movement going forward received plenty of criticism last season, yet in the early stages of this clash they were bordering on unrecognisable, nailing targets inside 50 and giving their key forwards the kind of delivery they’ve been desperate for.
This success didn’t translate for the rest of the contest, however it gives Luke Beveridge the blueprint for the Bulldogs’ attacking approach for the rest of the season.
What they got wrong
Defensive approach
The Bulldogs looked completely uninterested in stopping the Demons from moving the ball by foot, and it clearly cost them.
They allowed Melbourne to take an astonishing 141 marks throughout the game, with 129 of those being uncontested, indicating a complete lack of effort on the defensive side of the ball.
The biggest beneficiary of this was Jack Billings, whose career-high 15 marks in the match amounted to more than Tim English, Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, Rory Lobb and Aaron Naughton had combined (14 total).
Billings’ display becomes even more concerning when looking at his history, collecting more marks in this one game against the Bulldogs than he did all of last season.
Any time you allow an anomalous performance like that, both on an individual front and as a team, it means you have to go back to the drawing board.
It’s a defensive approach that simply does not result in wins and must be adjusted if the Dogs are going to return to finals in 2024.
Jack Makeham
