After a near three-month hiatus, football is back! Our experts debate all the hot topics and burning questions ahead of Round 3.
Did Shaun Burgoyne's good name save him from suspension?
Jake Michaels: Yes. The evidence of this lies in the two-game suspension Will Setterfield received last year for a very similar tackle. Burgoyne has been a wonderful servant of the game, but he still has to be held accountable for any indiscretions. His sling tackle on Patrick Dangerfield was careless and dangerous and I'm convinced 99 percent of other players would have received at least a one week suspension for it.
Matt Walsh: Well if Match Review Officer was listening to the Channel 7 commentary on Friday night, then it's very likely, though it's a defence unlikely to stand up going forward after the AFL correctly ruled it should have been a suspension, and moved to change the rules on dangerous tackles effective immediately. Burgoyne was lucky, no doubt about that, but I'm just happy the AFL has made the call to fix the framework around grading dangerous tackles so quickly.
Jesse Robinson: It was a perfect storm for Burgoyne consisting of his good name, support from Dangerfield immediately post game and some strong legal defence that saved him from suspension. It's clear, however that these factors won't be enough in future with the AFL swiftly moving to amend the tribunal guidelines around dangerous tackles last night.
Which team has surprised us most through two rounds?
JM: The Roos and Saints have been quite impressive but I'll look through the other end of the telescope and say the biggest surprise so far in 2020 has been the Bulldogs. After storming home and making finals last year, many were bullish on the Dogs, but so far all we've seen is eight quarters of rubbish. Luke Beveridge's side sits last on the ladder and hasn't yet managed to crack the 50-point mark. A loss to the Giants this weekend could be catastrophic.
MW: North Melbourne is playing some really good, smart footy at the moment. Players are playing their role, big Goldy looks fresh and Ben Brown is finding support in that forward line from the likes of Cam Zuhaar. It helps, too when you have players like Tarryn Thomas, Jared Polec and Jasper Pittard all hit the scoreboard too. Perhaps they could find themselves hosting a final in 2020.
JR: St. Kilda have been the surprise to me, there has been plenty of questions about their injury management, and in particular their recruiting. But St. Kilda have been impressive in identifying needs and finding players to suit, they needed forward pressure so they went and got Dan Butler, they wanted run and carry so they picked up Brad Hill and Zak Jones, they needed defensive help and they plucked an impressive Callum Wilkie from the SANFL. I look forward to seeing what they can produce this season.
Have we reconsidered which team will win the wooden spoon in 2020
JM: After Gold Coast's brilliant win over the Eagles, I'm definitely reconsidering whether the Suns are wooden spoon bound. However, as Champion Data's Christian Joly reminded me, Stuart Dew's side was awful in Round 1 against the Power - scoring just 29 points. It's obviously still very early doors, but if the Crows lose to the Suns this weekend, perhaps we will have a new spoon favourite.
MW: The most disappointing side so far this year has been the Bulldogs, followed closely by the Crows. I don't think the Dogs are as bad as their slow start would have you believe, but the Crows are definitely angling as a side which could struggle to win more than four or five games. The Suns already have one in the bag - can they nab another this week and put eight points between themselves and Adelaide? Perhaps they might, but traditionally the Suns have failed to run out seasons with many wins, so we'll see.
JR: Initially I think we were in full agreement that the Suns would claim the spoon comfortably, but with Matt Rowell putting the team on his back and what is starting to look like an AFL standard supporting cast, it could see Adelaide or the Blues fall to the bottom of the ladder, particularly if the Blues continually fail to show up in the first quarter. The race for the spoon is by no means decided, but the Suns are no longer a sure bet.
Should the Power be able to wear the prison bar guernsey more often?
JM: Yuck! It's such a horrible jersey! As far as I'm concerned, the prison bar uniform -- yes, that's what I'm calling it -- should be permanently retired. I've got a feeling you guys are going to disagree with me, though...
MW: It's a big yes from me, so long as it doesn't cause a clash with another team. If that means they can't against the Pies at the MCG, so be it, but it shouldn't be up to Eddie McGuire to decide what a club wears game-to-game. They looked fantastic on Saturday night, and considering the colour scheme isn't too different than their usual 'home' jumper (it's really just missing a splash of teal), I reckon it should be a permanent fixture for home games during this, their 150th year.
JR: Absolutely. I like the idea of home and away guernseys, so why not make this Port's "home" jersey, giving them the opportunity to wear their traditional strip for half of the year and preventing a clash with Collingwood, depending on where they play. We've seen other "big clubs" like Richmond be forced to wear an alternate guernsey, even on Grand Final day with a minor colour clash against the Crows, if the AFL is willing to stand up to Eddie McGuire, this is an easy win.