Thought the premiership was going to be a cakewalk for the Giants? Brisbane would be perennial pushovers? West Coast can’t win in Melbourne? Everything we predicted for season 2017 over the summer and into the pre-season now accounts for nothing. The two Sydney teams, most widely tipped to win it all this year find themselves out of the top eight. Essendon’s return to normality may be scarier than we all thought. Revelations and stories continue to unfold as Round 1 provided a bit of everything.

THE GOOD

King of the AFL

The two contemporary Brownlow Medal winners, Fyfe vs. Dangerfield is one of the hottest debates as to who holds the crown as the MVP of the league in 2017. A Richmond superstar poured water onto that discussion. Dustin Martin made a resounding statement to the league on Thursday night, recording 33 disposals and kicking 4 goals in Richmond’s 43-point win over Carlton. This scintillating performance puts Martin at the top of the elite category in what was the most impressive individual performance for the round. As good as the last two Brownlow Medal winners are, Martin showcased skills on Thursday that neither have in their repertoire. Richmond must do everything in their powers to secure the upcoming free agent’s signature in 2018 and beyond.

New Power

Sam Powell-Pepper instantly made a name for himself to the Power faithful, recording 19 disposals and kicking 2 goals in an emphatic debut. The young midfielder/half forward looked right at home at AFL level and is an early front runner to win this year’s NAB Rising Star Award.   What’s most impressive is the fact that it was to the tune of Port Adelaide defeating Sydney by 28-points at the SCG. Port Adelaide have been an enigma in recent times, but with talented youngsters like Powell-Pepper, Darcy Byrne-Jones and Oliver Wines coming through their ranks, the future appears bright. 2017 could be their return to relevance.

Don the Stash

Love them or hate, adjudicate the famous five-year off-field saga how you will, you couldn’t help but be happy for Essendon on Saturday night. The Bombers defeated the Hawks by 25-points at the MCG in the return of their suspended players. Dyson Heppell and Jobe Watson enjoyed stellar revenues, Heppell best afield with 34-disposals and 3 goals whilst Watson posted 27-disposald and 8 tackles. Many tipped Zach Merrett’s awesome 2017 best and fairest season as a flash a pan due to the absence of all their big guns, he proved the naysayers wrong with a monstrous 37-disposal outing. Young guns Darcy Parish and Andrew McGrath also looked great, exhibiting a long list of positives for the Dons. The result says more about Essendon than it does Hawthorn. Suddenly Merrett’s premiership prediction doesn’t seem so crazy.

THE BAD

Sydney Overhype

All the talk of the town was that the Giants and Swans would dominate season 2017, occupy the first two spots on the ladder and face off in the Grand Final. Round 1 would suggest anything but. Sydney’s shock loss to the Power at home was undoubtedly the upset of the round, however GWS’ 56-point loss to Adelaide pits them at the very bottom of the ladder. We saw the opposite of everything that made GWS great in 2017, they moved the ball slow, looked discomposed as a team and lacked killer instinct going into attack. Both premiership aspirers need to bounce back next week. 

Early Yips

North Melbourne’s Jarrad Waite survived the controversial veteran player cull from club at the end of 2016, but was a victim of himself of Sunday afternoon. Waite kicked 1.7 in the one of the most detrimental performances in front of goal we’ve ever seen. In what was a dark day at the office for the Roos, had Waite kicked straighter they may well have stayed competitive in the match. To really typify his performance was the fact that reigning back-to-back Coleman Medal champion Josh Kennedy kicked 7 goals straight at the other end.

More Giant struggles

After an impressive debut season for Collingwood, Mason Cox, the highly acclaimed American athlete looked anything but an AFL player on Friday night. Cox played small when he should’ve played tall, providing nothing in the air for the undersized Pies attack, lacked defensive pressure and had no real presence for a 211 cm giant. To rub salt into the wounds for Collingwood was that Travis Cloke, facing his old side for the first time, provided the Bulldogs with exactly what the Pies were lacking all night - a genuine marking target. Whilst Cloke didn’t set the world on fire either, Cox certainly doesn’t appear to be a long term answer for the black and white up forward.

THE UGLY

New Colours, same Old

Look away now if you’re a Hawks fan. It’s both good and bad, so let’s roll with ugly. The two ex-Hawks delivered for their new clubs on the weekend in a major way. Jordan Lewis and Sam Mitchell boasted stellar debuts for their new teams, both enjoying victories too. Lewis ensured Melbourne started the season on the right foot, posting 32-disposals and assisting Melbourne in breaking a 10-year losing drought against the Saints. Meanwhile Mitchell was up to his old tricks, dodging, weaving and cleverly carving up North Melbourne with 38-disposals in the Eagles victory. The former Hawthorn champions still have plenty left in the tank.