Grinners

Hawthorn

Challenged by the Pies, fought back and winning. A great result for Hawthorn. They have a tough run early, so now is their chance to show the AFL world why they will be around in late September.

GWS

Hard to believe it’s a week ago, but it’s a good reminder that they really did give it a crack, especially in the face of the ineptitude of some other AFL sides.

Carlton

Carlton and the NAB Cup. Again. Never trust Carlton’s NAB form. And they’re going to get better. That huge injury list has to shrink.

Port Adelaide

But apparently we can trust Port’s. The manner of Port’s win, with stars in both players that they’ve brought in (Brad Ebert, McCarthy) as well as a better effort out of those already there (Hartlett) brought about a strong victory. They aren’t out of the doldrums yet, but that’s sure as hell a start.

Brent Stanton

I don’t get why he’s so widely hated by the Essendon faithful. Sublime on Saturday night and deserving of the #5.

Adelaide

Scott Thompson has another Gold Coast-inspired stroll and the fantasy points rack up for all the Crows’ players. Bettered their 2011 performance against the Suns even with a rampant Ablett.

Fremantle

It was ugly, but it was a damn good start as well. There’s a sense of deja vu about Freo compared to St Kilda circa 2007, except Fremantle both have a better list as well as being hungrier. Seeing the Dockers scythe into sixth (or even higher?) would not be a surprise if they are prepared to grind out those kinds of wins.

Moaners

Melbourne

Where the heck do you start? The terrible ‘long to a contest’ football? The failed fliers taken by almost every single Melbourne forward? The complete inability of the players to win a clearance? Letting a Brownlow medallist who is 33 in April have all the time in the world to tear you to shreds?

Not good enough for the Dees. What’s more, the worst part is that was Brisbane. They travel to Perth to take on the Eagles next weekend. This could get very, very ugly.

Collingwood

Curiously, about 10 minutes into the final quarter Friday night when the Pies kicked their third straight goal to hit the front, the long ‘Cooooooooolllllinnnngggwwwooooooooooddd’ chant went up.

There was the feeling of a repeat performance from the 2011 Grand Final at that point, where the chant went up when Collingwood were 3 goals in front in the second-quarter.

Hawthorn booted themselves away to win the game. The chant was the signal of momentum, momentum that Hawthorn smashed on its head immediately.

New coaches in the AFL

Of the five coaching their first home-and-away game, only one (Brenton Sanderson) walked away with a win.

Hamish McIntosh

Bugger.

St Kilda

It’s the start of a slow decline.

Western Bulldogs

There was a wonder as to whether the Bulldogs, who were in a prelim in 2010, could reload and go again. The answer, clearly, is no. The upside is that there are the kids coming through, but it’s going to be a couple of quiet years.

Gold Coast

Unlike GWS, the seniors are carrying the entire load for the Suns. Unfortunately for them, right now it’s making them rather uncompetitive.