After the first full round of wall-to-wall weekend action for the new season, Invergordon’s Lachie Ash has emerged as one of the unbeaten Giants’ potential key cogs this year, while Benalla’s Harry Morrison and Shepparton’s Jarman Impey remain unbeaten after two games each with Hawthorn.
For sides just dipping their toes in the pool for the first time, though, there was still plenty to like.
Shepparton Swans alum Josh Rachele was perhaps at the forefront on the field in a thrilling round one slate, serving up one of his best performances at AFL level in Adelaide’s thumping win over St Kilda on Sunday.
Rachele was excellent value in the commanding 63-point win, contributing 21 touches with six inside 50s, a clear game-high 12 score involvements and 2.2 for his personal stash on a day the Crows ran riot at the expense of a side which featured debuting Saint and former Shepparton tall Harry Boyd.
The 198cm SSP signing actually spent far more time in the ruck then usual starter Rowan Marshall, who often posted up forward, notching 27 hit-outs and four clearances against tough opposition in Reilly O’Brien.
Then of course, Benalla junior Joe Berry got his debut in the big time at the first chance, but it hardly went to plan on the scoreboard despite the show of faith from outgoing Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley.
Berry claimed six marks among his nine touches on a miserable night for the Power in a 91-point mauling at the hands of Collingwood, but the wait for last year’s pick 15 to nail his first goal in the majors will carry into a meeting with Richmond Saturday.
Arguably the biggest splash of all from the exports across round one weekend came off the field, as 2024 draftees Jack and Matt Whitlock found themselves at the centre of an AFL.com.au profile series.
The twins and Shepparton graduates have found themselves on markedly different journeys for the first time in their lives, Jack having joined Berry at Port, while Matt remained closer to home after North Melbourne’s sensational draft swoop.
The two chronicled their adjustments to life anew as part of the website’s Home and Away series, where their paths have veered sharply as Matt found himself involved with a host family in Melbourne, while Jack bounced from a club-appointed AirBnB to living with Port teammates after his name was called.
“It's quite a quick change. The draft was on Wednesday and I was at the club on Monday ready to do a 2km time trial, so it was quite a quick turnaround,’’ Matt said.
“It's pretty crazy. I was lucky to stay in Victoria, whereas the interstate boys are a bit different. You've got to be ready to go.
“I was prepared to go that week, but I packed everything up pretty last minute, to be honest.
“Shepparton's only two hours away, so I could go back if I'd forgotten anything.
“It hasn't been too bad, bit of a change and we can have our own lives, a little bit. We've always played in the same teams, been in the same classes at school. It's not too bad, but a little weird at the same time.”
Meanwhile, Jack has had his hands full juggling a full-scale reset of his environment in South Australia with the demands of AFL competition — and self-sufficiency in the kitchen.
“You’ve been wanting this for like your whole life, so once it happens, it’s pretty surreal, and you’re just happy to go anywhere,’’ Jack said.
“It was very tiring for the first week, knowing what foods to buy, because you do your own groceries now – like, you can’t just go on the pantry and there’s just food for you already.
“I’ve found Bushies from the past few years has set me up pretty well with training. I haven’t missed a session or drill yet, which has been pretty good.
“We chip in cooking once or twice a week. I actually cooked with Dante’s (Visentini) girlfriend recently, and it was actually pretty good.
“I can go home and relax, whereas throughout my draft year, I’d only have an hour to myself, with Year 12 and footy and all that.’’
