Round 1 of the 2023 AFL season is in the books and my goodness there is a lot to dissect and talk about.
Kane Cornes and Nathan Buckley, into the Means Test with Gerard Whateley and David King into Sportsday with Gerard Healy, Luke Hodge, Sam Edmund and Cornes will absolutely scratch your footy analysis itch on Monday on SEN, but until then here are some of the big points of discussion.
See them below:
The Jason Horne-Francis trade will dominate the next decade
This trade saw Jason Horne-Francis and Willie Rioli land at Port Adelaide, Harry Sheezel, George Wardlaw and a future 1st (tied to Port) at North Melbourne, Aaron Cadman at GWS and Reuben Ginbey and Elijah Hewett drafted by West Coast.
We have seen Horne-Francis and Sheezel play once respectively in their new jumpers and both were best on ground in wins that will see their guernsey sales skyrocket. Reuben Ginbey looking immediately at home at AFL level also shouldn’t be lost in the wash.
Wardlaw and Cadman will also be huge factors in this deal, as will the future picks tied into the deal. Expect to see it unpacked and analysed for years to come.
Gold Coast couldn’t walk the walk
Stuart Dew said his team was ready to play finals. If that’s the case, they failed their first test (good thing there’s another 22 of them).
The Suns were borderline non-competitive at stages against a Sydney team that sliced them to ribbons around the ground.
This was a near full strength Gold Coast team, at home, against a team they usually play well against, coming into the most important season of their existence, after trading away the seventh pick in the draft for nothing - and they got pantsed by last year’s runners up.
Essendon, Geelong, St Kilda and Fremantle in the next month will give us a good idea as to how real they are.
Collingwood’s days as an underdog are over
Collingwood’s winning streak last season was hard to quantify. They went on the run of all runs, winning close game after close game, and it nearly took them to a Grand Final. Some naturally questioned whether they could do it again.
However, the Magpies ran Geelong off the park at the MCG on Friday night, making a statement in the process. If you want to beat them this year, you best be able to run with them for four quarters.
They appear to be the real deal early on. David King certainly believes in them. It’s time we all start treating the Magpies like the bona fide top four team they were by the end of 2022.
You know what - I’m bloody on the Pies Wagon - they will win the flag in ‘23 #InMacraeITrust
— David King (@davidking34) March 17, 2023
No more enormous MCG concerts this close to footy season, please
Gillon McLachlan was cool and confident when asked on AFL 360 about any potential turf issues, saying it would be hypocritical of him to criticise the venues for being more adventurous with the stadiums given he has encouraged them to do so.
Offset that against Tom Stewart’s knee injury, Sam Docherty saying he was a little fearful about the turf given his ACL history and then slipping and sliding across the weekend.
It’s hard to see the AFL allowing such a concerts within weeks of the season again.
Will Setterfield might be the value trade addition of 2023
Unable to break into Carlton’s starting midfield in 2022, Will Setterfield has been given a clear role on-ball for Essendon and if Round 1 is anything to go off, he will thrive in it.
Setterfield looked great late in the season for the Blues filling in for injured players through the midfield, but ultimately decided to seek consistent opportunities in the trade period.
The Bombers only needed to give up a future fourth rounder to land him and he has immediately looked at home, picking up 25 disposals, taking 10 marks and kicking a goal in his first game for the club.
He gives the Dons some size in the middle and will run hard defensively. Everything they need.
Aberrations or a bad sign for the hopeful contenders?
What the heck do we read into Brisbane getting belted by Port Adelaide? They were lifeless in the second half, their backline was completely exposed and Port Adelaide’s young midfield outworked theirs. Oh, and they play Melbourne next weekend – let’s wait a week before judging the Lions.
The Western Bulldogs received a mini reality check at the hands of Melbourne on Saturday night. They went toe-to-toe with the Demons for a portion of the game before the Dees put the accelerator down and ran away the clear better team – and without Steven May, Bayley Fritsch, Jack Viney or Christian Salem.
Do the Dogs abandon their tall forward line? Do they have to back it in for at least another few weeks? Luke Beveridge has a lot to think about.
And then there’s Geelong … they’ll be fine.
Ross Ball is back with a vengeance
Ross Lyon is back and his defensive structures don’t care about his side relying on Anthony Caminiti and Zaine Cordy inside 50.
This was a classic low scoring game where the Saints strangled a Freo side that already had their forward-half queries.
Their pressure was elite, they got strong performances out of depth players and the energy was palpable.
On the Fremantle side of things – their backline couldn’t have played any better. They won the inside 50 count. They dominated hit-outs.
But that forward line is missing the punch required to knock teams out.