Around the grounds - Weekly Wrapup

The story so far:

Adelaide

Pre-season proved a nightmare, losing Rehn for the season with a knee and protégé Marsh a few weeks later with the same, leaving ruck duties in the lap of Pittman and draftees Herbert and McGregor. Kicked off with a disappointing home loss to the Dogs on the night the flag was unfurled but hit back in round 2 by beating the Hawks narrowly at Waverley in a low-scoring slog. Home win over the Saints (15 points) followed before 10-goal thumping from Brisbane at Gabba last weekend. Not kicking many goals. Similar start last season, only time will tell.

Brisbane

Going nicely enough under new coach Lethal, much better with Voss back and firing. Early draw has plenty of home games, two of which have seen big wins over St. Kilda and Adelaide respectively (rounds 1 and 4), but also beaten by 4 goals by Port Adelaide at home. Only away game to date saw a respectable 10-point loss to the Eagles.

Carlton

Better start than last year, but two of their three victims to date (Fremantle and Collingwood) haven't won a game and aren't expected to win too many between here and September. Good 2- point win over the Dogs round 3 at home. Have Silvagni, Pearce and possibly Whitehead to return over future weeks when a tougher draw will sort them out.

Collingwood

Few expected Ed McGuire's off-field momentum to be transferred onto the paddock, but the Pies have been even worse than anticipated. Not helped by Buckley's broken jaw (12 weeks) and other injuries to Burns and Michael, but they haven't looked like winning a game, closest they've come is 15-point loss to the Hawks in round 1. And the early season is when they've shown their best form under Shaw. One bright point is the excellent form of draftee Nick Davis, son of former spearhead Craig. Long road ahead.

Essendon

Shrugged off pre-season salary cap scandal and traditional ructions over Sheedy to begin superbly, comfortably accounting for Carlton and the Roos in first two games before thumping Sydney in round 3, Lloyd kicking 13 goals in that one. Hird is out again with more foot/calf/leg problems and half their midfield quit or retired over summer, but it didn't seem to matter as Misiti, Fraser and a few others stepped in. Then bandwagon suffered a jolt last Sunday when the Eagles trounced 'em, allowing just 3 goals for the game as the midfield was blanketed. Overall form has been good though.

Footscray

Just one win so far, a good one over the reigning premiers at Football Park in the opening round. Three losses since have all been narrow (Geelong 21 points, Carlton 2, St. Kilda 8), leaving Wallace and supporters bemused. Young midfielder Nathan Brown has booted plenty of goals so far, but defending has been a problem.

Fremantle

Popular pick for the spoon and have duly failed to record a win to date, but they've been a bit more impressive than the Pies below them. First round saw a sterling second-half comeback against the Eagles thwarted by inaccurate goalshooting, losing by 4 points, the closest they've come to a derby victory. Stuck on against the in-form Port the following week but well beaten at next two encounters (Hawthorn at Subi, Carlton away). Disposal skills have been poor, Modra has suffered accordingly.

Geelong

Official "surprise packet", Ayres abandoning previous ideas and reverting to the Blight formula of all-out attack. Midfield has been the best in the league, led by Hocking with Kilpatrick, Milburn and Pickering in support. In attack Mensch has been excellent, along with ex-Swans Mooney and Arnott, Burns and Stoneham. Round 1 saw a scarcely-believable comeback victory over North in a ridiculously high-scoring game, round 2 likewise against the Dogs. More sedate, close win against Melbourne at KP in round 3 was followed by first-ever win at Football Park, over the previously undefeated Port. Hooda beleeved it?

Hawthorn

Ansett Cup premiers have done alright so far, although like Carlton they've already played the winless bottom pair. Beat the Pies first up and Fremantle in Perth round 3, the Hawks usually play well in the West. Losses have been very narrow, Crows at Waverley (4 points) and Dees at the 'G (1 point), both low-scoring games. Shane Crawford been very good. Dixon hurt a knee and will miss 6 weeks.

Melbourne

Much expected but they've been scrappy so far, missing the injured White in the ruck. Comfortable first-up victory over the Tigers was followed by two losses, well beaten by St. Kilda at Waverley (46 points) and a narrow loss to the in-form Cats down at Sleepy Hollow (6 points). Scraped past the Hawks last week with a rushed point in the last minute. Farmer has been good but the bigger forwards have been inconsistent. Need to improve. Lyon's back is playing up again.

North Melbourne

Along with the Swans, the big disappointment so far. Carey hasn't played since round 1, groin strain, but they've faded after leading in three of their four games so far and lost each one. Just like the Grand Final. Lost a 6-goal lead in the final term against Geelong, round 1, then overrun the following week by Essendon (both at the 'G). Overturned a 1-goal 3/4 time deficit to record their only win to date, Richmond at the MCG round 3, but then outscored 7 goals to 1 after half time at the SCG to lose to "co-tenant" Swans by 2 points. Similar start (in terms of win-loss) last year and best form was in final third of the season, so best wait 'til then.

Port Adelaide

Doing very well, carrying on from pre-season when they made the Ansett Cup final. Opened with impressive win at SCG over Pluggerless Swans, then 2-goal win over chopping block Freo before another good interstate victory in Brisbane. Ruckman and key player Primus wrecked his knee in the last of these wins and will miss the rest of the year, probably a factor in their first loss to form side Geelong last week by a hefty 7 goals at Football Park. Good starts were a feature under Cahill too, see
if they can sustain the form under Williams.

Richmond

Average. Well beaten by Melbourne in opening game (17 points), which Gieschen blamed on key players being underdone due to pre-season injuries. Lucky 12 point win the following week over Swans sans Lockett, then lost 3/4 time lead and game against North sans Carey. Big 50-point win last week over hopeless Pies was notable for accompanying white shorts, a rarity. B. Gale yet to play a game due to groin injury, young Ottens and McKee have been decent in the ruck. Richo running about at half-forward and Holland kicking a few goals. Probably mid-table again.

St. Kilda

Early season fixtures have skewed results. Kicked off at their least-favoured venue, the Gabba in late summer and were duly thrashed (89 points). Hit back to trounce Demons at Waverley, then went down to Crows at Footy Park. Overhauled Bulldogs in the last quarter for an 8-point win last week at Waverley. Interstate again this week (North at SCG) before their draw settles down with a string of Melbourne games. Under Watson have looked as good as they ever did with Alves.

Sydney

Flag tip from some (well, Herald-Sun writers) but been very ordinary so far. Swans traded heavily for draft picks last year and so far the benefits are unclear. Lockett yet to play a game due to back strain. His hair's too heavy. O'Loughlin also missed first few games, leaving undermanned forward line and ruckman Stafford will miss 6 weeks with a knee strain. Kelly back from knee reco, though. Lost first-round home game to Port by 29 points, then a bit unlucky with umps when beaten by Tigers round 2 at MCG. Back at MCG the following week for 81-point thrashing from Essendon. Trailed North by 6 goals at half-time at SCG, round 4, before rallying for 2 point win. Can only improve, but Stafford's loss will be hard to cover.

West Coast

Doing very well, but in the same boat as Carlton and Hawthorn in that they've already played the two cellar-dwellers. Also just one interstate game so far, at bottom-placed Collingwood. Bit lucky to survive opening-round comeback from off-target Dockers, then slogged over the line against Brisbane (10 points), also at Subiaco. Comfortable winners at Victoria Park in round 3 after the Pies booted some early goals, then slaughtered the previously defeatless Bombers last week, allowing just 3 goals. Cummings surprisingly useful at full forward, Cousins and McIntosh doing very well also. Keep an eye on 'em.