1. The Liam Ryan Show
It's coming soon to a footy ground near you and you won't want to miss it. The first-year West Coast forward took the mark of the year in the WAFL last year and he appears determined to do the same in the AFL this year. He has a prodigious leap and in the first half alone attempted to take five speccies and managed to hold two of them. Basic chest marks are still proving to be a bit problematic, but that will come. In the last term, he snapped a superb goal on the run. Ryan plays the game with the same abandon as boys and girls in the schoolyard and two games into his career, he is already in the discussion for the most entertaining player in the competition.
WATCH: Flyin' Ryan finally hangs on to one
2. One and done for Graham
As the only member of the West Coast coaching staff with standalone coaching experience, Jaymie Graham was the logical choice to take over the Eagles on Sunday after Adam Simpson was forced to return to Perth. And he followed the likes of Hawthorn pair Chris Connolly (2001), Brendon Bolton (2014) and North Melbourne's Darren Crocker (2015), who all enjoyed wins in their first game as a stand-in coach. St Kilda coach Alan Richardson stepped in for Ken Hinkley for one game at Port Adelaide in 2013, but the Power lost by 10 points to North Melbourne at Blundstone Arena.
Full match coverage and statistics
3. Nic Nat's coming
Once again, his game time was carefully managed – 70 minutes – but the star West Coast ruckman showed more signs that he is finding his feet at AFL level once again after more than a season out because of an ACL injury. What would have thrilled West Coast was a huge leap and mark over teammate Jack Darling 10 minutes into third term on the outer wing. He seemed to gain confidence as the game went on and given the relative lack of pressure, it was an ideal outing for the 27-year-old. He had 33 hit-outs, but next week against Geelong will represent another step up in class. Scott Lycett had 21 hit-outs for the Eagles, 15 disposals and two goals, as the Eagles establish a ruck duo that should hold them in good stead this season. In contrast, the Dogs' trio of Tim English, Jordan Roughead and Jackson Trengove managed a paltry 12 taps between them.
WATCH: Nic Nat takes flight again
4. The general returns
It was a bleak day for the Western Bulldogs and they're in deep trouble for 2018. But at least the folly of playing Easton Wood as a forward seems over for now. The Dogs skipper returned to the backline and while he didn't have much of a presence in the first half, he enjoyed a much better third term, where some of his trademark intercept marking came to the fore. He might have been one of the better half-dozen for the Dogs, which is not saying much.
5. Common sense with the roof
Once upon a time, a 3.20pm Sunday start meant the Etihad Stadium roof was closed. No ifs, buts or maybes. But as common sense continues to pervade the corridors of AFL House, the roof was open on Sunday afternoon, and with the temperature around 25 degrees at the opening bounce and with some light cloud cover, conditions really were perfect for football. On the back of the sun-drenched clash between Carlton and Gold Coast on Saturday, it looks like we're set for less indoor footy in 2018.
