Round 1 is finally here, which means the Opening Round experiment is over and we are back to regular AFL programming.
Most of all the wind has no doubt been taken out of the Pies supporter’s sails after they were outgunned by the Giants. So at least something good came from the Opening Round.
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Opening Round Review
The three biggest takeaways from the Opening Round:
- Is GWS a flag contender?
- Is the talk of Gold Coast playing finals more than just lip service?
- Will Grundy be the top recruit of the off-season?
GWS made a statement in their first game with an all-round comprehensive teardown of the reigning premiers, Collingwood. Should we buy the hype that GWS can take the next step this season? With no real weakness in attack, defence, or in the middle — GWS could be ready to turn some heads in 2024, but we might need to wait until Rounds 5 and 6 when they verse an up-and-coming St Kilda and Carlton.
Gold Coast got their man in the off-season, signing one of the best coaches in the last ten years. Hardwick got off on the right foot with an easy win over his old side, Richmond, and if Rowell can dominate week in and week out as he did on the weekend, then Gold Coast players might not be booking holiday flights in September this year.
What do you do when you have been moved on from Collingwood and then moved on from Melbourne? Come out and beat the number one ruck at your old club. Grundy was his vintage All-Australian self and could very well be the recruit of the year — especially if he can provide the first option to the Swan’s midfielders as he did against Melbourne.
Key Matches For Round 1
Kicking off the proper round will see Carlton and Richmond take their usual places as the first matchup of the round; however, it seems these clubs can’t seem to be competitive at the same time, making their marquee matchup less exciting over the years. This year, Carlton should get the win over the Tigers, even with several big-ins.
Collingwood wouldn’t want to start their premiership defence by going 0-2 in the first two rounds. With a matchup against Sydney and their young engine room, this is a scenario that looks more likely than not — the only thing that might help the Pies this week is that the game is being played at the MCG.
Both the Melbourne Demons and Western Bulldogs underperformed last season and both clubs will be looking to make a statement that sets up their season. But, only one can win and we think it might just be Bontempelli and the Western Bulldogs. The game will also be must-watch footy with Gawn v English in a battle of the giants.
Round 1 Fixtures
Thursday, March 14th
Carlton vs. Richmond, MCG, 4:30 pm
Friday, March 15th
Collingwood vs. Sydney, MCG, 4:40 pm
Saturday, March 16th
Essendon vs. Hawthorn, MCG, 10:45 am
GWS vs. North Melbourne, Giants Stadium, 1:35 pm
Geelong vs. St Kilda, GMHBA Stadium, 4:30 pm
Gold Coast vs. Adelaide, Heritage Bank Stadium, 5:10 pm
Sunday, March 17th
Melbourne vs. Western Bulldogs, MCG, 10:00 am
Port Adelaide vs. West Coast, Adelaide Oval, 1:00 pm
Fremantle vs. Brisbane Lions, Optus Stadium, 3:50 pm
Port Adelaide Power v West Coast Eagles
Will 2024 be as long as 2023 for West Coast fans? Well, yes and no.
We see a vast improvement in the West Coast team this season; however, they will still be a way off the competition.
The big question, of course, is will Harley Reid play Round 1 and will he be the second coming of Chris Judd? The expectations on Harley to dominate from day one without having played an AFL game, let alone a WAFL game, is unreasonable. But one thing is for sure, we will find out just how excited West Coast fans are after the dust settles on Round 1.
Looking ahead to the match-up against Port Adelaide, West Coast will need to be aggressive and have pressure around the contest which is something they have lacked over the previous seasons. While the effort is the first step, I don’t think they will have the overall talent on the field to mix it with Port Adelaide on the day.
Prediction: Port Adelaide by 43
Fremantle Dockers v Brisbane Lions
2023 was meant to be the year of Flagmantle; instead, the Fremantle Dockers self-imploded in the second half of the season and ended up missing the Top 8.
So what’s changed this season? Well other than losing a few more players to the East Coast, notably, Schultz, one of their leading goalscorers — nothing. That isn’t ideal when you didn’t make the finals last season.
The big question for Fremantle this season, and every season it seems since Pav retired, is who is going to kick their goals. While Amiss was a bright star last season, he can’t be expected to carry the team’s offence at such a young age. So Fremantle will need others to step up and fill the void more consistently, especially while Darcy is injured and Jackson is needed to fill the number one ruck role.
Prediction: Fremantle by 8
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