Three small things from Opening Round.

Three small things from Opening Round.

GuyWhoLikesSport

Footy is sort of back with Opening Round™️.

With just two games played over the four days that the AFL has marked as its territory every weekend between now and September, I didn’t have an opinion long enough to warrant a full column on one of the clubs or some other bigger thought.

I did have three smaller thoughts, though.

1. Opening Round was like Madame Web.

 

The AFL thinks it can control everything. To an extent, at least in its own fiefdom, it can.

But even the AFL couldn’t give Cyclone Alfred the “AFL ticks off on” treatment that it gave to Chris Scott’s role with Morris Finance or other unique “soft cap” situations.

I say that to say that the cyclone is not its fault.

But the cyclone exposed an already stupid idea with Opening Round.

Starting the season with just four games is shooting for the middle. The best-case scenario is that half of the AFL fans are legitimately invested in the weekend.

Like Madame Web, which didn’t exactly aspire to be a modern Citizen Kane, it failed to reach the low bar it set itself.

Starting the season in the northern states is fine – even in the wetter part of the year up there. Everyone needs to play on the first weekend of meaningful games in the year.

Also, not for nothing but someone should let the AFL know that you can watch sport on TV now.

TV companies are the ones sending you those big cheques that make Finn Callahan a $17m player! There is not some massive vacuum in Queensland because the NRL is in Vegas to start its year.

Queenslanders who like rugby league more than footy are probably just watching the rugby league, which is being played, on TV instead of going to the stadium

There is no obvious reason to start early. The logic behind this whole gimmick was floored from birth.

Get rid of it for 2026.

2. Hawthorn has its ace

Hawthorn had among the best, most expansive three or four systems in the AFL coming into the year. To me, their systems looks to be right there with Geelong and Brisbane.

What they lacked, comparatively, is genuine star power outside of James Sicily.

Last year they missed a midfielder who could strap the shoulders and put the entire organisation on his back for a game or a moment like Isaac Heeney and Chad Warner did for Sydney in last year’s Qualifying Final.

It’s a team full of John Turturro’s without any Brad Pitt’s. Excellent role players without being superstars that can carry the entire operation.

That can become a problem in finals often cry out for someone to grab a game by the scruff of its neck.

Will Day might be the tonic to that.

Against Sydney, Day had 26 disposals, 13 contested, six inside 50s, three goals and seven score involvements.

He was exceptional.

He’s always been a clean player and a good ball user, but on Friday Night he showed that he spent the offseason adding strings to his bow.

His 13 contested possessions was the equal third best output of his career and his three goals were a career high. In fact, his three goals in 2025 would be the second-best goalkicking season of his career.

He has added both grime and polish to his game.

Crucially, he kicked at least two of his goals seemingly starting in forward-positions.

Day seems to be playing in the Chad Warner/Christian Petracca style midfield/forward hybrid role that all the best players play and that all the best teams have.

After a down 2024 season, if he can stave off injury Will Day is ready to give Hawthorn what they need to seriously contend in 2025.

3. GWS is Lethal

Watching GWS on Sunday was like watching Milchick dance – terrifying and alluring all at once.

Without likely starters Jesse Hogan and Jake Stringer (though I might not count on the latter), GWS tore through Collingwood like a hot knife through butter.

From 54 inside 50s, GWS generated 32 shots for 15 goals and 104 points. They had a shot on about 60% of their entries.

The league-leading mark last year was 53%.

That is Jackal level-lethal.

They were particularly dangerous running from the back half.

Finn Callahan and his brigade of fellow thoroughbreds helped GWS kick 10 goals from the defensive half, with their run providing their forwards clean and speedy inside 50 entries to work with.

Crucially, GWS also basically broke even for inside 50 entries on the game. Their -1 inside-50 differential would have been their seventh best of 2024.

With the quality of their entries and the talent of their forwards even without Hogan, they just need to break even in opportunity to dominate the game.

This game was a good start.

 

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