Gillon McLachlan and the AFL have to be pleased with the attention and excitement around the league leading into the inaugural Gather Round. From all reports, the city of Adelaide is abuzz with anticipation as football fans from all states converge on the City of Churches this weekend.
After the Adelaide Crows commenced proceedings with a stirring win on Thursday night over the previously-unbeaten Carlton, we're treated to an intriguing double-header on Friday, starting with Fremantle-Gold Coast at Norwood Oval and capped by Sydney-Richmond back at Adelaide Oval.
Both matchups present a number of fascinating storylines, and we seek to explore them and the impact they could have on Friday's action.
Fremantle vs. Gold Coast Suns: Is it too late to cure ‘Freeze-mantle'?
Fremantle is 1-3 this season after uninspiring losses to St Kilda, North Melbourne and Adelaide, with its sole victory coming against a severely undermanned West Coast Eagles outfit in Round 3.
Consequently, senior coach Justin Longmuir and his selection committee swung the axe on Thursday night, omitting defenders Nathan Wilson and Nathan O'Driscoll and forward-turned-wingman Liam Henry, as Longmuir continues his search for the in-game combinations that will be conducive to wins at Cockburn this year.
However, as time keeps ticking on the 2023 season, it is becoming clearer to most observers that Longmuir's offensive strategy, as opposed to merely the play of his match-day squad, may be most at fault for the club's poor start, following a promising 2022 finals campaign.
Gather Round shapes as an opportune time for Longmuir to implement a season-altering change in offensive approach, considering the opponent, neutral venue and increasing desperation to save a season that is gradually slipping out of grasp.
Dubbed ‘Freeze-mantle' by some pundits due to the purple haze's circumspect ball movement through the opening rounds, the Dockers must be itching to change the narrative.
Longmuir admitted his side shied away from ambition after Adelaide started to gain the ascendency last week.
“I thought our biggest issue started around the ball and our ability to win it,” Longmuir told reporters after Fremantle's defeat at the hands of the Crows last Saturday.
“We should be well aware as a team now that ball movement flows from the way that you win the ball and we couldn't get that right.
“I thought we started pretty well and got some early inside 50s and then, for whatever reason, when they started to get their game going we went into our shells.
“I don't have the answers for every individual player, but they smashed us at 50-50 balls.
“It's not what we want to be.”
The Suns, on the other hand, struggled to keep tabs on the fit and fast Saints, who transported the football from end to end with blistering and devastating pace en route to a trouncing at Marvel Stadium last weekend. The Saints ran in waves in attack, oftentimes leaving the Suns hunched over, exhausted and unable to keep pace with Ross Lyon's brigade.
An absence of dare has arguably been Fremantle's undoing to this point. The Dockers can begin the path to season resurrection with a different attacking mindset, and an at-times-sluggish Gold Coast could be the perfect test subject at Norwood Oval on Friday.
Sydney Swans vs. Richmond: A key-position injury scrapheap
As if falling centimetres short of a thrilling victory against Port Adelaide last weekend wasn't disheartening enough, the Swans also suffered a cruel concussion double-blow to add injury to insult, with defending McCartin brothers, Tom and Paddy, each succumbing to head knocks that have consequently ruled them out of Friday night's clash with the Tigers.
The crucial interceptors will be sorely missed, with Paddy's concussion undoubtedly presenting a longer-term health concern, considering his history.
The troubles don't stop there for Sydney in the key-position medical department, though, with injured veteran ruckman Tom Hickey remaining absent from John Longmire's side, leaving Peter Ladhams and one of Joel Amartey or inclusion Hayden McLean as the ruck duo of choice on Friday.
Lance Franklin will miss the game through injury – a break for the Tigers, who conceded a quartet of majors to ‘Buddy' during last year's meeting – providing the reasoning for McLean's inclusion on Thursday night. Dane Rampe (neck soreness) will also be absent from Sydney's side, leaving the Swans' defensive unit even further in the lurch.
Albeit, almost as complicated as Sydney's tall plans are Richmond's, which is being forced to cope with multiple injury casualties of its own pertaining to key-position players, which almost certainly figures to influence Friday's crunch contest between two squads reeling from consecutive defeats.
Spearhead goalkicker Tom Lynch (foot) and co-captain ruckman Toby Nankervis (ankle) face extended stints on the sidelines and won't line up as part of Damien Hardwick's Friday night side, while dependable defender Nathan Broad (suspension) remains absent.
Lynch's absence places extra scoring burden on the returning Jack Riewoldt, who was managed for Richmond's Round 4 bout with the Western Bulldogs, as well as young ruckman Samson Ryan, who doubles as a key forward.
While the Swans will be without three defensive pillars, being forced to rely on a tiring Riewoldt, an inexperienced Ryan and fringe utility Ben Miller isn't ideal, particularly considering Richmond's desperation for a win to put its season back on track. However, any forward line that boasts the roaming Dustin Martin and Shai Bolton is one that should be feared on a weekly basis.
Both Sydney and Richmond are missing key personnel. That much we know. The extent of influence all of these inclusions will have on Friday? That's not so certain.
