The numbers that matter
The big winners of Round 2
Western Bulldogs moved to 3-0 with a very gutsy fourth quarter performance at a packed Adelaide Oval, just when it looked inevitable that the home side were going to bulldoze their way over the top of Luke Beveridge's side.
It was their first win in a run of six games at the Adelaide Oval since defeating Port Adelaide back in 2021.
That's already two important away wins against genuinely good football sides, and it's little wonder that Beveridge was buoyed by the result when he reflected on it after the match.
"Before the season, if you're going to ask me what I thought were the most challenging parts of the fixture for us, it would be Brisbane at the Gabba, the Crows here," he said.
"It would be Fremantle (in Perth) and the Gold Coast Suns (also away)
"So to tick off two of those … it's pretty encouraging."
Nobody would have picked Oskar Baker to be the hero of the night but it's testament to the products coming through what has been a very successful VFL system throughout this decade.
Also, a big shoutout to the Tassie Devils for winning immediately upon their re-entry into the VFL. Little is expected of them as 100/1 outsiders to win the competition, but they got off to an impressive start in front of more than 10,000 people at North Hobart Oval by beating the Coburg Lions as underdogs.
The big losers of Round 2
Essendon Bombers were not expected to challenge for the top-ten this season, but it was at least hoped by many that there would be some green shoots sprouting out of the ashes of a fourth consecutive year in which they finished 11th or lower.
That doesn't seem to be the case. Missing only two (maybe three) of their best 23 in Jordan Ridley and Nick Bryan, the Bombers don't look close to AFL standard on the basis of their first two performances, during which they were comprehensively smashed by both Hawthorn and Port Adelaide.
Sam Mitchell's Hawks are a top-six threat, but the Power are almost certainly not, particularly after they had lost to lowly North Melbourne just the week before.
The afternoon - and perhaps their first month - was appropriately summed up by Nate Caddy's comical miss from just outside the goal square, having celebrated what should have been the easiest goal of his career only to have it scrapped on review.
Brad Scott, who recently recommitted through to the end of 2027, admitted he "has a hell of a lot of work to do" on a "demoralised" squad that are turning the ball over cheaply and routinely being exposed in defence.
If they get humiliated next weekend by North Melbourne, the club could well and truly hit rock bottom despite Scott's inferences at the weekend that things are not as bad as the results suggest.
The naughty boys
Here are the sanctions to be handed down for Round 2 and the penalties applicable for an early plea or if challenged and found guilty by the tribunal. The Match Review Officer was yet to announce Sunday rulings at time of publication.
Bailey Humphrey (Gold Coast) - Rough conduct - 2 matches (to be challenged at tribunal)
Angus Sheldrick (Sydney) - Careless contact with an umpire - $1000 or $1500
Tom McCartin (Sydney) - Staging - $1000 or $1500
Jake Soligo (Adelaide) - Other misconduct - $1000 or $1500
Toby Greene (GWS) - Striking - $1000 or $1500
Patrick Voss (Fremantle) - Other misconduct - $1000 or $1500
Coleman Medal race
Ben King and Nick Larkey, perhaps the two star spearhead forwards of the competition at present, inspired their teams to huge victories with seven and six goal hauls respectively. There were also four goals to King's teammate Ethan Read as well as Josh Treacy (Fremantle), Jack Gunston (Hawthorn) and Nate Caddy (Essendon).
Goal of the Week
We couldn't split two of the final goals of the Bulldogs' magnificent win at the Adelaide Oval. Izak Rankine and Oscar Baker both produced clutch, high skill goals under significant pressure as part of a memorable last quarter.
We'll let you be the judge of this one.
Mark of the Week
Great fly to produce a strong pack mark here from West Coast's Willem Duursma.
Next weekend's fixtures
The byes this week belong to Gold Coast, Hawthorn, Sydney and the Western Bulldogs.
