In this week's Nine things we learned, brought to you by Haier, the world’s No.1 appliance maker, we discover it's going to be a long, long year for Adelaide fans, plus a pair of contested ball beasts are set for huge seasons.
There are also good signs for North Melbourne, Fremantle's two biggest stars need some help and a Bomber veteran was a worry against the Swans.
1. Crows fans must accept this is a bottom-four team
There's been some tough talk from Adelaide, particularly its playing group, about wanting to prove all the doomsayers wrong this year. That's admirable but the opening two rounds tell a different story. The significant veteran cleanout in the off-season was the right call but it means there will be significant pain in the short term. The 75-point defeat to Port Adelaide in Saturday night's Showdown will have stung more than the narrow loss to Sydney many months ago. There are some good kids coming through, such as Wayne Milera, Darcy Fogarty, Fischer McAsey, Chayce Jones and Ned McHenry, but wins are likely to be few and far between in 2020. - Marc McGowan
FANTASY FORM WATCH Big Roo turns back clock, Crow has to go
2. Dynamic beast could change Dees' fortunes
They're the modern prototype players every club wants. Dustin Martin, Michael Walters, Jordan De Goey … the players that can go through the midfield, impact forward of centre and influence games with their dynamism out of the centre. You can almost start adding Christian Petracca's name to that list. The hype surrounding Petracca's midfield move over the summer was dampened in round one, but it's about to explode again after a stellar first-half display against Carlton that set Melbourne on its way to victory. Petracca got his hands to everything when he went through the midfield, winning 24 disposals to go with six tackles and five clearances. Then went forward to make his mark on the scoreboard, taking five marks and kicking two goals to help steer the Demons to a commanding early lead. His influence was pivotal in Melbourne's one-point win. Consistency is now key, and perhaps the only thing stopping the former No.2 draft pick from becoming a genuine A-grader. - Riley Beveridge
3. Rowell can take the Suns to the finals
It might not happen this year, but Matt Rowell will be the man to lead the Suns to September for the first time in their short history. The first overall pick from last year's NAB AFL Draft produced a performance for the ages in just his second AFL match against West Coast on Saturday night. The midfielder racked up 26 possessions (14 contested), five clearances, seven tackles and kicked two goals to lead his side to a stunning upset win over the Eagles. He showed leadership and poise beyond his 18 years of age and plays in a similar way to Geelong captain Joel Selwood. With best mate Noah Anderson, Jack Bowes, Lachie Weller, Jack Lukosius and Ben King all leading the way for the Suns, the club looks well placed for a tilt at the top eight in the coming years. - Ben Sutton
4. No team relies on a duo more than Fremantle
The gap between Nat Fyfe and Michael Walters and their teammates is only widening. Despite losing to Brisbane, the pair of Dockers could easily combine for five votes on Brownlow Medal night. When the Lions threatened to blow open the game in the second term, it was Fyfe who stemmed the tide with two goals and 11 disposals. Then when the Dockers' key talls squandered numerous chances early in the final quarter, it was Walters who came to the rescue. It's time for Adam Cerra, Andrew Brayshaw, Rory Lobb and Reece Conca to do some of the heavy lifting. - Mitch Cleary
5. There's nothing wrong with low-scoring games
The collective despair in the aftermath of Thursday night's draw between Richmond and Collingwood was a reminder football (and everything that comes with that) was back. The fact they combined for only 10 goals wasn't ideal but it wasn't the disaster it was made out to be. The Pies' first-quarter exploits were exhilarating, and it was impressive watching the reigning premier Tigers claw their way back. The third term produced aerial ping-pong at times but this was a cliffhanger between two flag fancies for most of the night, including late scrambles at each end as they tried desperately to break the deadlock. High scoring shouldn't be the sole gauge of a good spectacle. - Marc McGowan
6. The Roos finally find their next A-grader
The query around North Melbourne over the summer was whether the club had a genuine A-grader coming through its ranks. After all, Trent Dumont (24 years old) was the only player under 27 to finish in the top-10 of the club's best and fairest last year. However, it certainly has at least one in Jy Simpkin. Promising in round one (23 disposals and one goal), Simpkin was the defining factor when push came to shove in Sunday's upset victory over Greater Western Sydney. The young midfielder produced a stunning final quarter, winning 10 disposals, eight contested possessions and five clearances in the last term alone to become the influential figure in his side's thrilling win. At 22 years of age, Simpkin has the class and the potential to develop into an elite onballer. Rhyce Shaw would be rapt with his development. - Riley Beveridge
7. Geelong's midfield depth is real
Concerns were raised over the ageing onball unit when Tim Kelly left for West Coast, but the Cats have unearthed two genuine stoppage players. Brandan Parfitt proved in the big win over Hawthorn why Chris Scott rushed him back into the line-up after a pre-season back injury and Quinton Narkle's output is lifting with his endurance base. Combined with Patrick Dangerfield, Cam Guthrie, an aggressive Rhys Stanley and Joel Selwood as a permanent inside player, it sees Jack Steven no lock to return from his stab wound. The outside work of Mitch Duncan and Sam Menegola will also make it tough for first-round pick Jordan Clark to earn a reprieve. - Mitch Cleary
BARRETT Keep your 'club-killing' ideas to yourself, Jeff
8. The Bombers have a 'Zacka' problem
The drop-off in David Zaharakis' numbers were significant last season, and the veteran's output on Sunday didn't ease concerns over where he fits in Essendon's plans over the next two seasons. Zaharakis finished Sunday's contest with only six disposals, one tackle and one contested possession, with the Bombers struggling to find a defined role for the 30-year-old. Pushed out of the starting midfield due to the emergence of Andrew McGrath and Kyle Langford and perhaps lacking the running power to spend large minutes on a wing, Zaharakis is struggling in his new hybrid half-forward role. Does he have the zip to become a genuine pressure forward? Can he reinvent himself elsewhere? Or can he reclaim a place in the midfield? They're the questions John Worsfold and Ben Rutten will need to answer for a player who hasn't won more than 20 disposals in 14 of his last 22 matches. - Riley Beveridge
9. The Dogs are nowhere near the mark
Plenty of pre-season pundits had the Western Bulldogs billed as a flag fancy after their hot run into last year's finals series before stumbling at the first hurdle. They have now been well and truly thrashed by Collingwood and St Kilda and are now staring down the barrel of a 0-3 start. The Saints' forwards were far too slick for the Dogs' defence and if coach Luke Beveridge can't get his back six sorted as soon as possible, Jeremy Cameron and the Giants could put on a clinic this Friday night. - Chris Correia
