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Digby Beacham’s AFL Preview: Round 2

Posted on | Posted by Digby Beacham

THURSDAY

Richmond v Collingwood, MCG, 4.20pm

If there was some criticism of how the season was launched last week, there can be no such chagrin at the contest to kick off round two — a rematch of last year’s preliminary final between two long-standing rivals.

An absorbing contest had a significant twist added to it when Alex Rance blew out his right knee against Carlton, leaving the Tigers’ coaching staff searching for answers. How Damien Hardwick and his assistants structure up will be intriguing to watch and critically important also, given the presence of Mason Cox, who absolutely obliterated the Tigers when they last met.

Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley put it on his midfield this week after the first-up loss to Geelong, a result which raised the stakes here. It would be less than ideal for the premiership contenders to start 0-2 ahead of an encounter with West Coast next weekend. If their running division gets to work, it wouldn’t be a shock to see the Magpies swamp the undermanned Richmond back line.

VERDICT: Collingwood by 21 points

FRIDAY

Sydney v Adelaide, SCG, 4.50pm

One of the great anomalies of the 2018 season was Sydney remaining competitive while coughing up game after game at the SCG. The Swans lost seven matches at their fortress last season, including the corresponding game against Adelaide.

The Crows arrived in the Harbour City 12 months ago after a poor performance at home the week before and the eyes of the football world anxiously awaiting their response. Sound familiar? Their spanking at the hands of Hawthorn last Saturday raised more than the odd eyebrow and had those of us who tipped them to surge up the ladder this year scratching our heads.

Sydney also need to respond, with much interest likely to focus on Lance Franklin and how he fares after a quiet first-up effort in the loss to the Western Bulldogs. The Swans can be very good at taking away their opposition’s strengths and will look to win this game on the inside, as well as denying the Crows’ forwards getting in behind their defence.

VERDICT: Adelaide by 18 points

SATURDAY

Essendon v St Kilda, Marvel Stadium, 1.35pm

There is precious little time to work into a season if you have recruited quality personnel and are expected to play finals. Just ask John Worsfold. The besieged Essendon coach was at a loss to explain his players’ lacklustre display against Greater Western Sydney last Sunday.

There is no doubt he will demand better, and surely he gets better. As for St Kilda, who fell in against Gold Coast last weekend, Alan Richardson is well aware his side needs to go to another level. Snaring four points against the Suns is one thing, overcoming a wounded Bombers outfit is another.

Essendon’s lack of physicality and pressure was baffling against GWS and captain Dyson Heppell needs to set the tone for his teammates inside the centre square from the outset. Though it might not be his trump card, a captain has to, above all things, lead the way and sometimes step outside his comfort zone for the betterment of the side.

VERDICT: Essendon by 21 points

Port Adelaide v Carlton, Adelaide Oval, 2.10pm

There was a great deal of discussion around Port Adelaide’s youth entering the game against Melbourne and deservedly so. When the club nabbed three quality kids — Connor Rozee, Zak Butters and Xavier Duursma — at last year’s national draft, there was no ceiling put on their development. Simply, if they were good enough to get up for round one, they would be selected.

It is only a small sample size, but they are definitely good enough on what we witnessed last weekend. The challenge for them now is to back it up at home in a match Port are expected to win against a Carlton unit that was again beaten by Richmond in round one, but considerably more competitive than we had seen previously.

The Power not only received good service from their fresh faces, but Tom Rockliff, Travis Boak and Jack Watts were also telling. Port caught the eye in round one with their willingness to take the game on. How Carlton halt the surge and also impact the scoreboard at the other end is Brendon Bolton’s great dilemma.

VERDICT: Port Adelaide by 29 points

Geelong v Melbourne, GMHBA Stadium, 4.25pm

On a weekend when a lot of top-eight hopefuls failed to fire, Geelong handled a daunting assignment against Collingwood with aplomb. And it was achieved with a nice blend of the old, new and young. Importantly, the victory signalled a clear shift in the way the Cats want to play, with a renewed focus on forward pressure.

The recruitment of Gary Rohan and Luke Dahlhaus has started well, while the form of WA teenager Jordan Clark was a replica of what we had seen in the JLT Community Series. The prognosis was not so bright for Melbourne, who were out of petrol tickets shortly after half-time against Port Adelaide.

The Demons’ preparedness to take in a swag of players who had interrupted pre-seasons backfired spectacularly, while Max Gawn looked anything but an All-Australian ruckman. Melbourne are known as a contested-ball team and need to get back to that here, while it wouldn’t surprise if Geelong try to control the tempo by retaining possession.

VERDICT: Geelong by 19 points

West Coast v GWS, Optus Stadium, 5.10pm

All seemed on track for West Coast at quarter-time of their round one match against Brisbane. The Eagles had booted six goals, held a sizeable lead and were effectively doing as they pleased. History will show it all went wrong from that point.

The challenge for the premiers is to rebound … and quickly. A return to Optus Stadium on a huge night for the club is a massive plus, as is the return from injury of Josh Kennedy, who didn’t get up in time for the season opener. His union with Jack Darling remains critically important to West Coast, who won all games they played together in 2018.

The Giants sent a warning to their rivals with a 72-point demolition of Essendon, a performance that yet again illustrated the level of quality at Leon Cameron’s disposal. The expected availability of the silky Josh Kelly only bolsters a midfield that was superbly led by Stephen Coniglio last weekend. Mark Hutchings looms as Coniglio’s opponent and he will need help from his teammates.

VERDICT: West Coast by 14 points

SUNDAY

North Melbourne v Brisbane, Marvel Stadium, 10.10am

North Melbourne need to take stock. The second half of their 2018 campaign was punctuated by opposition sides making a mockery of their defence and if the first round of 2019 is any indication, not much has changed. Their inability to handball through the pressure against Fremantle was clear for all to see.

Brisbane had replaced Essendon as the spruik team leading into round one and it’s now obvious why that was the case. They eclipsed West Coast in the midfield after quarter-time and troubled the premiers with a mobile forward line, headed by Charlie Cameron and Lincoln McCarthy.

The recruitment of Lachie Neale has paid dividends already for the Lions, who have been a dangerous opponent at Marvel Stadium in the past few years without winning a great deal. In saying that, the Kangaroos have also been somewhat of a bogy side for Brisbane. It could well change here, but I am backing in North to respond to their WA wipe-out.

VERDICT: North Melbourne by 15 points

Hawthorn v Western Bulldogs, MCG, 12.20pm

Pre-season predictions are fraught with danger. Yes, we all do them, but when you look at how Hawthorn performed in week one, it is questionable why we do them. Having lost both finals to exit 2018 in straight sets, the Hawks ventured to Adelaide Oval for a clash with the Crows minus injured pair Tom Mitchell and Chad Wingard, and young gun Ryan Burton, who they traded out to land Wingard.

They duly proceeded to dismantle the Crows in a display that served notice they could well be in the mix when the whips are cracking later this year. The Western Bulldogs also gave their fans hope that two years of disappointment could be over with a first-up win over Sydney.

Marcus Bontempelli was outstanding, while the injection of seasoned pair Sam Lloyd and Taylor Duryea had an immediate impact. And then there is the ongoing development of WA youngster Aaron Naughton, who is shaping as an absolute A-grader. The Bulldogs could easily win, but the Hawks are more comfortable at the MCG than them.

VERDICT: Hawthorn by 21 points

Gold Coast v Fremantle, Metricon Stadium, 1.40pm

Fremantle had the football world talking for all the right reasons last Sunday afternoon when they pummelled North Melbourne. It was the type of powerhouse performance we rarely see from Ross Lyon-coached sides, especially at the offensive end of the ground.

Nat Fyfe was a beast at the stoppages in the first half, while the defence and forward line operated with clinical cohesion. The Suns weren’t disgraced in losing to St Kilda by one point, but paid a high price for the defeat, with co-captain David Swallow and young forward Ben Ainsworth sustaining knee injuries.

Gold Coast don’t bat deep enough in the depth stakes to be able to handle too many casualties on the injury front and it is highly debatable whether they have the forward structure and overall talent to trouble a Dockers defence which remains their strength.

VERDICT: Fremantle by 31 points 

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