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AFL Power Rankings: Round 1

Published by
Patrick Lucarelli

Our power rankings are are in for the round!

Every week we will attempt to give a ranking to every AFL club from best to worst according to their form and performance.

With the round done and dusted, here's a look at who we think are best positioned!

  1. Richmond (-)

They looked very rusty to begin with in the season opener, but with key personnel missing, they found a way to win. They’re a long away from their best footy, but they're still the team to beat.

Next game: Adelaide at Adelaide Oval, Thursday night

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 08: Nick Vlastuin of the Tigers celebrates a goal during the AFL Second Qualifying Final Match between the Geelong Cats and the Richmond Tigers at Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 8, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Media/Getty Images)
  1. GWS (+2)

Didn't they look good? An absolute thrashing of the Dogs on Sunday, with their slick and silky midfield the highlight. Their forward line looked dynamic, with Jeremy Cameron and Toby Greene the standouts. Very unlucky not to pinch top spot in the rankings.

Next game: Collingwood at MCG, Saturday Afternoon 

  1. Sydney (-1)

Many saw this as a danger game for the Swans, but they didn't disappoint. A win in Perth to settle the nerves for the Swans, because we all know how their season started last year. Buddy was at his brilliant best with eight goals.

Next game: Port Adelaide at SCG, Sunday Twilight

  1. Port Adelaide (+2)

They were impressive against a young and inexperienced Fremantle. Jack Watts and Stephen Motlop showed plenty in their first hit out in a Port guernsey. Losing Paddy Ryder to an Achilles injury is massive in terms of their season.

Next game: Sydney at SCG. Sunday Twilight 

  1. Essendon (+3)

Their run and carry, along with their pace was electric at Etihad on Friday night. Devon Smith was impressive, and with five goals within a blink of an eye shows how dangerous the Dons can be.

Next game: Fremantle at Optus Stadium, Saturday night

  1. Adelaide (-3)

Although they couldn't come away with the win, there is still a lot to like about the Crows. Tom Doedee looks a ready-made replacement for Jake Lever, while Darcy Fogarty showed a lot in his debut. Just remember this is a side that is missing Taylor Walker, Brad Crouch and Brodie Smith.

Next game: Richmond at Adelaide Oval, Thursday night

  1. Geelong (-2)

Got out of jail after Max Gawn missed a very easy shot with eight seconds left, but the performances of Joel Selwood and Gary Ablett was impressive. They'll be hoping Selwood's ankle is okay for next week’s encounter with the Hawks.

Next game: Hawthorn at MCG, Monday afternoon

  1. Hawthorn (+1)

How much of a difference does one player make? Cyril Rioli was electric, highlighted by his smothers and chase down tackles. With James Frawley and Ben Stratton back in defence, and James Sicily looking like he could be an All-Australian centre half back, could we dare say that the Hawks are back? Their next three weeks will give us a true indication.

Next game: Geelong at MCG, Monday afternoon

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 24: Tom Mitchell of the Hawks in action during the 2018 AFL round 01 match between the Hawthorn Hawks and the Collingwood Magpies at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on March 24, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Media/Getty Images)
  1. Melbourne (-2)

Were hot and cold all day, highlighted by an impressive first and third quarter. They still should have won, but Gawn's miss shows that the Dees are close, but not quite close enough.

Next game: Brisbane at the Gabba, Saturday night

  1. Saint Kilda (+1)

They couldn't afford to drop this game, and although the Lions but up a mighty effort, St Kilda's key forwards stood tall.

Next game: North Melbourne at Etihad, Friday afternoon

  1. Carlton (+5)

They looked good for the best part of three quarters. Charlie Curnow looked impressive, while Patrick Cripps put up massive numbers. There is a lot to like, and if they can play like that the whole season, they should be around this mark come seasons end.

Next game: Gold Coast at Etihad Stadium, Saturday afternoon

  1. West Coast (+2)

Great to see Nic Nat back, but they struggled to contain Buddy. They severely missed Josh Kennedy up forward, but they showed some signs. They play next week in Melbourne, which has always been a struggle for the Eagles.

Next game: Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium, Sunday afternoon

  1. Collingwood (-1)

Collingwood was very disappointing. Their disposal efficiency was poor, and they didn't really look dangerous in their forward half. They struggled to hit targets inside 50 and with key forward Mason Cox struggling to mark anything kicked to him, it was a night to forget for the Pies.

Next game: GWS at MCG, Saturday afternoon

  1. Western Bulldogs (-4)

They looked disappointing against an impressive GWS outfit. They've lost Tom Liberatore with an ACL injury, while Jackson Trengove and Jordan Roughead struggled to assert physical dominance around the ground.

Next game: West Coast at Etihad Stadium, Sunday afternoon

  1. Brisbane (-)

Luke Hodge was at his usual best, while Charlie Cameron was impressive. Losing Daniel Rich early on in the game didn't help in their bid for an upset on Saturday.

Next game: Melbourne at Gabba, Saturday night

  1. Fremantle (-3)

Totally outplayed by the Power. They're still very inexperienced and are in a rebuilding phase, but with Aaron Sandilands and Nat Fyfe back, many would have thought they would have put in a better effort than a 50-point loss.

Next game: Essendon at Optus Stadium, Saturday night

  1. Gold Coast (+1)

Showed grit and toughness in unfavourable conditions. Hard to get a read on the Suns given the torrential rain. It was a good win nonetheless for a young Suns group.

Next game: Carlton at Etihad Stadium, Saturday afternoon

  1. North Melbourne (-1)

Gold Coast was just too tough and showed too much resolve for the Roos. Todd Goldstein looks back to his best, but with 11 players under 15 disposals they need a more consistent output if they want to improve this year.

Next game: St Kilda at Etihad Stadium, Friday afternoon

Published by
Patrick Lucarelli