Round 1 Review

Round 1

Richmond (13.4.82) defeated Carlton (9.15.69)

1. Ton De Koning (148). TDK started off the year in fine fashion, accumulating 28 touches (18 contested) plus 5 tackles, 8 clearances, 30 hitouts and over 500 metres gained.
2. Jack Ross (134). Best on for the Tigers. 28 touches plus a couple of important goals plus solid work on the inside with 4 tackles and 11 contested touches.
3. Patrick Cripps (120). Tried to will his side home but couldn’t go SuperPatty. 32 touches with 15 contested across the contest.
4. Toby Nankervis (114). A POD ruck 1 but a safe pick. 2 goals, 21 touches plus 6 tackles and 35 hitouts to start the season.
5. Adam Cerra (106). Was crushing along while the Blues were in front but a quieter second half led to him rounding out the top 5. 26 touches and 6 tackles.

Other 100+ scores: Nick Vlastuin (101), Thomson Dow/Jack Silvagni (100)

Disappointment: Walsh (81) and Short (83) were in their teams best but didn’t really pop in the season opener.

Rookies: Camporeale was named on a wing and got a full game, his overall stats were better than 56 but poor DE hurt him. Motlop also qualifies as a rookie due to his 190K price tag but he only scored 40. Lalor (74) kicked two goals and inspired the Tigers to a win, while Lynch (61) faces a suspension. Trainor (50) was better than what his score suggests, while Armstrong (38) and Green (20) round out the rookies.

Injuries: Just Blight with “groin tightness” for the Tigers, Lord the eventual sub for the Blues as Docherty went psycho in his 27% game time for 67.

Hawthorn (17.9.111) defeated Essendon (12.13.85)

1. Jye Caldwell (129). Best on ground for the Bombers on Friday. 36 touches (17 contested) plus 1 goal, 10 clearances and 11 tackles to lead the inside midfield.
2. Karl Amon (122). Amon ran around on the outside as per usual, accumulating 28 disposals @ 93% DE plus 643 metres gained.
3. Xavier Duursma (113). Nice all around game from X. 2 goals plus 7 tackles and 19 touches to start the year.
4. James Sicily (109). Had the role we want and didn’t get swung forward. 24 touches, 7 marks and 92% DE to go along with 620 metres gained.
5. Connor MacDonald (104). In that creative half forward role, McDonald rounded out the top 5 thanks to 23 touches and 1 goal.

Other 100+ scores: Sam Draper (103), Nick Watson (100)

Disappointment: Day (77) was well held by Durham while some other premiums in Martin (74) and Merrett

Rookies: Kako was busy up forward, slotting the first goal of the game and did some nice things overall for 62. Tsatas and Prior both finished on 50, while Reid had 45. No rookies for the Hawks.

Injuries: Double dose of concussion here with Ridley and Scrimshaw getting red vested. The Bombers also lost Langford to a hamstring.

Geelong (23.9.147) defeated Fremantle (10.9.69)

1. Bailey Smith (147). Game one at the Cattery led to a Smith masterclass. 32 touches, 5 marks, 5 tackles plus 1 goal and heaps of run and carry (693 metres gained).
2. Max Holmes (125). Popular pick and provided with his class. 24 touches, 2 goals and 5 tackles in a creative role on the outside.
3. Sam De Koning (109). Got role majority of the ruck time which was a blessing, as SDK found 25 touches, 1 goal and 18 hitouts.
4. Jordan Clark (107). Against the former side, Clark held his own in a massive round 1 loss. 23 touches but used them cleanly which helped, 93% DE.
5. Caleb Serong/Zach Guthrie (102). Serong started slow but powered on despite the margin to find 27 disposals (16 contested) while Guthrie was solid across halfback with 21 touches and 9 marks.

Other 100+ scores: Andrew Brayshaw (101), Tom Stewart (100)

Disappointment: Very slow game and concerning score for Luke Ryan (66) to start the year.

Rookies: Best rookie score here went to O’Driscoll (91) who ran the wings all day. Reid (50) had one of the best 5 minute patches ever with 4 goals in that timeframe but not much else, while Reidy (34) only punched hit in the ruck behind Jackson. Finally, there was on Worner (45). The Cats had one of their top draft picks in O’Sullivan (48) play down back, while Knevitt (82) was really solid thanks to 21 touches and 11 tackles.

Injuries: O’Connor the sub for the Cats but he wasn’t on the injury report. Switkowski seems doomed to miss a month with a groin injury.

Sydney (12.10.82) defeated by Brisbane (12.14.86)

1. Josh Dunkley (173). Best score of the weekend went to Dunkley. Did his usual work on the inside with 27 touches (16 contested) to go along with 1 goal, 10 tackles and 614 metres gained.
2. Dayne Zorko (139). Moved around a little but had his usual kick/handball ratio, finishing with 20 kicks from 24 touches as well as 2 goals and 555 metres gained.
3. Oscar McInerney (110). Solid game from the Big O. 18 touches, 16 hitouts and 1 goal.
4. Dane Rampe (109). Held his own down back with 21 touches but did it well under siege, having elite DE of 95%.
5. Zac Bailey (106). Best forward on the day with 4 majors from 17 touches which in a close game, boosts your score.

Other 100+ scores: Nick Blakey (105), Isaac Heeney (103), Darcy Wilmot (100)

Disappointment: Only one option here, Lachie Neale. Ended up in around 30% of teams but this score of 41 was grim. Completely tagged out of it by the Swans.

Rookies: The best of the Swans rookies in this one was actually premiership Bulldog Joel Hamling (76), who is now at his third AFL club. Warner, of the Corey variety, kicked a few goals for his 72, while Bice (52) was subbed on for Paton (43). Finishing it off was Hanily on 47. Levi Ashcroft was slated to be the sub but that changed and he was great for a score of 84, while Fort is priced at 190K and finished on 76.

Injuries: The Lions lost Cameron before the game and then Lohmann (ankle) and Starcevich (concussion) as the game wore on. Bice replaced Paton.

Western Bulldogs (17.11.113) defeated North Melbourne (14.13.97)

1. Bailey Dale (127). Was in doubt of missing round 1 but turned it around with a near BOG performance. 2 goals from 29 touches with 558 metres gained and 90% DE.
2. Tristan Xerri (122). Picked up where he left last year. Xerri had 17 touches (13 contested) plus 7 tackles and a huge 51 hitouts.
3. Tom Liberatore (120). 28 touches (15 contested) plus 9 clearances and 8 tackles for Libba, his usual output.
4. Ed Richards (119). Also underdone in the pre-season, Richards showed his class with 30 touches and 1 goal through the midfield.
5. Matt Kennedy/Jy Simpkin/Laitham Vandermeer (115). The new Dogs recruit was one of their best, finding 23 touches and running at 87% DE. Simpkin was a slight POD pick and he played superb, finding 30 touches, 7 tackles and 1 goal, while Vandermeer was busy up forward with 3 goals from 16 touches.

Other 100+ scores: Joel Freijah (109), Harry Sheezel (106), Aaron Naughton (103)

Disappointment: My god did Sanders look uninterested in my eyes. Seemed to jog around with no urgency. Just 64 but it was two goals from 15 touches that saved it from a sub 50 score. English (58) horrid too.

Rookies: Firstly, O’Sullivan (51) had a role across half-back in his first game, something he can hopefully provide nice scores from. Others were Hansen Jnr who was speedy for 71, while Konstanty (74) was also very solid and is in just 1.5% of teams. Davidson (39) was the best of the Dogs rookies ahead of Dolan (26), Cleary (25) and Jones (10).

Injuries: O’Donnell (jaw), Cleary (head) and Archer (leg) all ended the game on the bench after a shocking looking collision. Phillips was the initial sub for the Roos.

Collingwood (21.10.136) defeated Port Adelaide (6.9.45)

1. Dan Houston (132). Game one against the old side was super for Dan, he gathered 27 disposals @ 89% DE to go along with 5 tackles.
2. Connor Rozee (128). No signs of a toe injury as Rozee found 35 touches plus 680 metres gained and 9 insides 50s to be Ports best.
3. Tim Membrey (121). Great game up front from Membrey. 4 majors to go with 17 touches and 10 marks was a great return for his new club.
4. Dan McStay (118). Bit of everything in McStays stat line. 3 goals, 21 touches, 7 marks, 5 tackles and 10 hitouts.
5. Ned Long (113). Rookie priced and a great return from Long in the middle. 24 touches (14 contested) plus 7 tackles to round out the top 5.

Other 100+ scores: Steele Sidebottom (109), Jack Crisp (107), Ollie Wines/Kane Farrell (100)

Disappointment: Sam Powell-Pepper (18), I don’t even have words for how horrid of a starting pick this might be (yes I went with him).

Rookies: Long has had his time so I’ll move onto McInnes (53) but at 200K his price will only stagnate with scores like that. Barring SPP who was grim, the Power only had Berry (38) on debut.

Injuries: Clean injury report here, Howe and Jones the subs.

Adelaide (21.9.135) defeated St Kilda (10.12.72)

1. Izak Rankine (128). Best on for the Crows IMO. Connected all day and found 28 disposals plus 2 goals to lead this games scoring.
2. Jack Macrae (127). Still finds the ball with the best of them. 34 touches (23 contested)  plus 12 clearances and 5 tackles in his 250th.
3. Jake Soligo (114). Really solid in the middle as well, Soligo found 29 touches and 1 goal to go along with 29 touches of the footy. Also 8 tackles.
4. Josh Rachelle (107). Creative up front, finishing with 2 majors next to his name plus 21 touches in the Crows big win.
5. Josh Worrell (106). 25 touches @ 84% DE for the backman to round out this games top 5.

Other 100+ scores: Jordan Dawson (103), Rory Laird (107)

Disappointment: Going to throw this to three midpricers who did not deliver in round 1. Peatling (67), Milera (58) and Garcia (54).

Rookies: Harry Boyd (63) held his own in game 1 of AFL football and should make some decent money as R3. Hastie (53) was going well until subbed out, while O’Connell (28) played a full game down back. Hall was great with 74 coming from 2 goals and 16 touches. Just two high draft picks for the Crows with Draper (27) and Curtin (26) were quiet, although Draper was the sub.

Injuries: Clean injury lists on the match report. Hastie and Walker the two subs.

Melbourne (11.8.74) defeated by GWS (11.11.77)

1. Max Gawn (129). Was tipped to dominate and did for the most part. 24 disposals and 46 hitouts to start the year in fine fashion.
2. Lachie Whitfield (128). Just found so much of the ball. 34 disposals with pretty clean DE and over 450 metres gained.
3. Toby Greene (124). Had 6 shots on goal, finishing with 3 majors from 23  touches to lead the Giants to a 2-0 start.
4. Tom Green (115). Showed no signs of pre-season injury as he found 35 disposals (11 contested) with 545 metres gained and 1 goal.
5. Christian Salem (113). 27 kicks in Salems 30 touches, running all day between the arcs. Also had 616 metres gained.

Other 100+ scores: Jake Lever (111), Harry Himmelberg (110), Finn Callaghan (104), Tom McDonald (103)

Disappointment: Tough one to give here and roughly it’ll go to Oliver (93) who would’ve dominated these conditions in years past, but it was still a solid outing.

Rookies: Strap in here. The Giants had Keeffe (84) who was boosted with the game winning goal coming off his boot, but after that it was slim pickings with Stone (42), Leake (13) and Gruzewski (1). Plenty going on here for the Demons too. Firstly, Harry Sharp made his club debut with a score of 37, while prized draft pick Langford (18) was the starting sub. Johnson (60), Henderson (55) and Jefferson (41) were all solid on debut while Lindsey (86) was the best of the bunch and will see his ownership jump from 3% after this game.

Injuries: Daniels listed as an injury for the Giants with a hip concern, while Howes was the sub for the Demons.

West Coast (7.7.49) defeated by Gold Coast (20.16.136)

1. Jarrod Witts (144). Dominated this game, leading the midfield group. 13 touches of the pull but it was 68 hitouts that boosted his score.
2. Matt Rowell (137). 30 touches (15 contested) plus 8 tackles and 10 clearances as part of a dominate midfield group.
3. Noah Anderson (136). The newly appointed skipper didn’t miss a beat. 36 disposals with a massive 723 metres gained.
4. Touk Miller (128). Rounds out the starting centre square dominance with 2 goals from 26 touches (17 contested).
5. Ben King (115). A beneficiary of the midfields dominance, King slotted 6 goals from 11 touches and 8 marks to round out an all Suns top 5.

Other 100+ scores: Jack Graham (107), Bailey Humphrey (104), Liam Baker (102), Ethan Read (100)

Disappointment: Hard one to give again as I try to avoid rookies. Little bit of love for Maric (33) and Hutchinson (58) in the pre-season that didn’t return a heap in this game.

Rookies: Just Ethan Read for the Suns, who was fantastic with 2 goals, 10 touches and 100 points as a 169K forward. The Eagles had Archer Reid (44) who ended up in 13% of teams, as well as Hewett (52) and Dewar (27).

Injuries: The Eagles lost spearhead Waterman to a calf injury, and later Duggan to an ankle. The Suns had important cog Ballard go down with a knee injury.