	1	2	3	4	T
ESS	19	36	15	1	71
SYD	7	9	24	23	63

Scoring Plays

fourth Quarter
Time	Team	Play	Score
21:35		H. McLean Behind	71 - 63
19:53		W. Hayward Goal	71 - 62
19:26		Rushed	71 - 56
18:13		J. McInerney Behind	70 - 56
13:28		J. Lloyd Behind	70 - 55
10:46		J. McInerney Goal	70 - 54
9:14		A. Sheldrick Goal	70 - 48
7:07		B. Campbell Behind	70 - 42
4:54		J. Hamling Behind	70 - 41
third Quarter
Time	Team	Play	Score
31:55		W. Setterfield Behind	70 - 40
29:13		C. Warner Behind	69 - 40
28:21		B. Grundy Behind	69 - 39
25:27		I. Heeney Behind	69 - 38
21:33		C. Warner Goal	69 - 37
20:41		S. Durham Behind	69 - 31
16:12		N. Caddy Goal	68 - 31
15:11		C. Warner Behind	62 - 31
14:17		A. Francis Behind	62 - 30
12:08		N. Caddy Behind	62 - 29
10:50		Rushed	61 - 29
7:59		B. Campbell Goal	61 - 28
5:43		M. Redman Goal	61 - 22
3:58		W. Hayward Goal	55 - 22
second Quarter
Time	Team	Play	Score
30:08		S. Durham Goal	55 - 16
25:34		I. Kako Goal	49 - 16
20:47		W. Hayward Behind	43 - 16
19:32		A. Francis Behind	43 - 15
16:33		B. Grundy Goal	43 - 14
13:48		Z. Merrett Goal	43 - 8
10:33		A. Perkins Goal	37 - 8
9:38		I. Heeney Behind	31 - 8
7:07		A. Day-Wicks Goal	31 - 7
5:51		Z. Merrett Goal	25 - 7
first Quarter
Time	Team	Play	Score
25:56		K. Langford Behind	19 - 7
18:32		H. McLean Goal	18 - 7
16:36		S. El-Hawli Goal	18 - 1
13:20		N. Caddy Goal	12 - 1
7:23		N. Caddy Goal	6 - 1
3:28		M. Roberts Behind	0 - 1

Game Information

AFL News

AFL Round 1: Team news, fixtures, games, tips, odds -- everything you need to know
Round 1 of the 2026 AFL season gets underway Thursday night with a traditional rivalry clash between Carlton and Richmond. On Friday, Essendon will get its season underway against Hawthorn.
Joly: Carlton showed the same 'issues' in Sydney loss
Champion Data's Christian Joly says Carlton's issues from last year remain, with the Blues unable to stem the bleeding in their 53-point loss to Sydney.
Voss keen to move past Carlton's off-field woes
Carlton coach Michael Voss has declared the leaking of former captain Sam Docherty's expletive-laden criticism an example of the club continuing to "culturally defeat" itself after a poor start to the AFL season.
Judging the biggest AFL overreactions: Reaction to Docherty and Gorringe has been over the top
Is the reaction to Sam Docherty's rant been over the top? Is this the beginning of the end for Geelong? In the AFL overreactions this week, we judge the biggest takeways as legitimate or irrational.
An 'authentic' new era: McGrath ready to embrace Dons captaincy challenge
His opportunity to lead the Bombers may have come about through unusual circumstances, but Andrew McGrath says he 'lives and breathes red and black' and is ready to usher in a new era.
Expert tips, best tips for Round 1 of the AFL
Who should you be tipping in Round 1 of the 2026 AFL season? Our footy experts have put their heads together to help you out. So open your ESPN Footytips app, take notes, and get ahead of the game!

2026 AFL Standings

POS	Team	Pts.	%	Form
1	SYD	4	191.3	W
2	SUNS	4	181.2	W
3	GWS	4	128.4	W
4	COLL	4	118.2	W
5	WB	4	104.7	W
6	BL	0	95.5	L
7	STK	0	84.6	L
8	HAW	0	77.9	L
9	GEEL	0	55.2	L
10	CARL	0	52.3	L
11	FRE	0	0.0
12	MELB	0	0.0
13	WCE	0	0.0
14	NMFC	0	0.0
15	PORT	0	0.0
16	RICH	0	0.0
17	ADEL	0	0.0
18	ESS	0	0.0

AFL Round 1: Team news, fixtures, games, tips, odds -- everything you need to know

Joly: Carlton showed the same 'issues' in Sydney loss

Voss keen to move past Carlton's off-field woes

Judging the biggest AFL overreactions: Reaction to Docherty and Gorringe has been over the top

An 'authentic' new era: McGrath ready to embrace Dons captaincy challenge

Expert tips, best tips for Round 1 of the AFL