The AFL’s opening round, some ten weeks ago, feels like it took place in another dimension.

While it was one played in surreal circumstances, it wasn’t without legitimate consequences.

Nine winners, nine losers, each result meaningful, perhaps even more so in a truncated home and away season.

For the likes of Grand Finalists, Richmond and GWS, it was back to the business of winning games. For Gold Coast and Melbourne, it was another week of losing for a couple of clubs in desperate need of improvement. 

While temporarily packing up the season was a massive inconvenience for the entire industry, suspending play was particularly brutal for a number of teams desperate for an opportunity to re-write their Round One wrongs.

Here are three clubs whose lockdowns have been intensely frustrating, and who’ll been counting down the opportunity to make amends come Round Two.

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WESTERN BULLDOGS

For most of season 2019, the Bulldogs struggled and were staring down the barrel of becoming the first team in 40 years to miss three straight Septembers following a premiership.

While they got into gear late, winning 7 of their last 9, and indeed qualifying for Finals, they were trounced once there, with the Giants obliterating them to the tune of 58 points.

Despite the club’s horrendous season finale, the Bulldogs entered 2020 with great optimism owing to its strong list, which not only has two Top-Ten players, but which had been bolstered by the addition of bookends Alex Keath and Josh Bruce in the off-season.

Unfortunately their Round One pummelling at the hands of a premiership-hungry Collingwood worked as a stark reminder of just how much work is still required at the Whitten Oval.

They were whipped 42-22 from an inside 50 perspective, with the Pies continually having first use of the football. The Dogs lost the clearance count by 13 and the hit-outs by 29 as Brodie Grundy did as he pleased against a hopelessly out-matched Tim English. 

Up forward, the Dogs cobbled together just 5 goals on the night as emerging star Aaron Naughton was held to just two disposals, which was also the number of marks inside-50 the Bulldogs compiled- easily the Round’s worst return.

Round Two against an equally desperate Saints can’t come quick enough for a Bulldogs team desperate to show how serious they are about genuine contention in 2020. 

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BRISBANE LIONS

The Lions were 2019’s definitive surprise packet. 

Form five wins and a bottom-4 finish in 2018, they surged last season, missing out on a maiden club Minor Premiership by percentage only. 

Yet for all Brisbane’s gains last season, they were knocked out of the Finals in straight sets, with the club now in its 11th straight year without a single September win.

Which makes their Round One trouncing at the hands of Hawthorn even more alarming. 

Against the Hawks they encountered a far hungrier team which racked up a massive 561 metres gained edge, and where 8 different Hawthorn players found themselves on the scoresheet. 

While yes, the Lion's progress in 2019 was staggering, possessing the league’s most potent offence, they ranked just 7th from a points conceded perspective. 

Furthermore, the Lions continued to struggle interstate, particularly in Victoria where they went just 2-4 last season (the worst among Finalists) and where they’ve been an horrendous 5-26 since 2015.

Yes, it was just one loss, and against an improved and always well-prepared Hawthorn, but the Lions aren’t a club that can afford to get ahead of themselves.

Thankfully, their next four matches will all be at their Gabba fortress, presenting the club with a golden opportunity to make up for their Round One horror show, and get their ship back on course. 

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GEELONG

Last season was yet another case of deja vu for the Cats with yet another exceptional home and away season grinding to a halt come September.

While sure, Geelong took a surprise half-time lead in their Preliminary Final against Richmond, their second half shellacking was more indicative of just how pronounced the gap is between these two contenders.

And so another off-season of soul searching and list tinkering took place at Kardinia Park, with the Cats not only licking the wounds of their Finals exit, but also from the loss of star midfielder, Tim Kelly, who was traded to the West Coast Eagles in October. 

The Cats remain a decidedly top-heavy team, which still has the likes of Patrick Dangerfield, Joel Selwood and Tom Hawkins in their prime, but which is crying out for more help from other sources. 

And it’s this imbalance which was once again on show in their Round One loss to the Giants, torched by 32 points, allowing the Giants an extra 426 metres gained as well as a massive 17-9 marks inside-50 discrepancy. 

Along with the Bulldogs, Geelong was the only team to lose each and every quarter in Round One. 

Thankfully for the Cats, the schedule makers have been kind, pitting them against four teams who didn’t make Finals in 2019.

While a tough match against bitter foe Hawthorn is up first, the Cats have assignments against Carlton, Melbourne and Gold Coast to follow meaning there’s no reason why the Cats can’t get back to their usual regular season dominance.

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