MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 17: Patrick Cripps of the Blues celebrates a goal during the 2022 AFL Round 01 match between the Carlton Blues and the Richmond Tigers at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on March 17, 2022 In Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Now that the Geelong Cats have put away their premiership trophy and the dust has
settled after the trade deadline, thoughts can turn to this year's campaign.

The first few weeks will be filled with exciting new chapters in long-standing rivalries, while
the trade period will provide an extra layer of intrigue to games that may otherwise be
overlooked.

Here are several events that you shouldn't miss, starting with the earliest...

Richmond Vs. Carlton

Thursday the 16th of March, 2023; the day of reckoning. The commission in charge of
matchmaking this year's upcoming AFL season is starting it off with a certifiable banger.

Not only are the Richmond Tigers and Carlton Blues two excellent teams, but inarguably the subject of neck-and-neck competition. If you want an exciting game to bet on through the top 2023 nz bookies, this matchup would be the one to give a shot.

Richmond edged out a victory in June during last year's season, whilst Carlton
managed to win over the Tigers in March. Each team has been at each other's neck since
just about the start of the sport, meeting in numerous finals and grand finals, with Carlton
currently the underdog, losing four grand finals against Richmond since 1921.

One player to look out for in this game is surely Tom Lynch of the Richmond Tigers. A
winner of the Jack Dyer Medal, Lynch led the 2022 season in goals per game with a 3.3 stat line. Lynch will surely be the lynchpin for the organisation as they hope to start another prosperous year in AFL.

St Kilda Vs. Fremantle

Meeting at Marvel Stadium once again are the St Kilda Saints and the Fremantle
Dockers. St Kilda had not been considered close to being a top AFL team until the early
2000s, eventually culminating in a 2009 grand final loss. The aftermath of this event
was a period of struggle and rebuilding for the team which continues today.

The Dockers, on the other hand, are a relatively novel team. Starting in 1993 as another
entry in the Western Australia AFL scene, Fremantle has tried their hardest to make a
name for itself in the sport. 2022 proved to be a breakout year for the team, despite losing
under the coaching of Justin Longmuir to Collingwood in the semi-finals.

Both teams have so much to play for. It is as simple as that. The Saints are going to try their hand at returning to some glory behind Jack Steele, a 2x All-Australian, while Andrew
Brayshaw defends the Docker's semi-finals run from the previous year. With both teams
having so much to fight for, it wouldn't be a surprise for a large crowd to form.

Hawthorn Vs. Essendon

There's a good case to make for Essendon being Hawthorn's arch-nemesis. In a total of 36
meetings, including a three-year-in-a-row grand finals stint, Hawthorn edged out a victory 19 times, making each meeting just barely equal. This doesn't even include the rivalrous line in the sand match, an epic showdown between the two teams with numerous suspensions.

There's no being friendly about it, Hawthorn and Essendon are two teams that just don't
seem to like each other, which makes their meeting all the more anticipated. Another 19th
March match to start off the season, the Hawks and Bombers look to settle another score.

Jai Newcombe and Mitch Lewis are both big names on the Hawks' side who look to retake
some dominance in the matchup, Lewis specifically being an improved player over 2022.
Essendon's Peter Wright proved himself worthy to carry on the legacy of the club's 150-year career, especially in a post-investigation period that gutted many of the team's players.

Fremantle Vs. North Melbourne

The Dockers have had their time in the spotlight in today's article so far, how about North
Melbourne? The Kangaroos are ancient by AFL standards, starting their reign all the way back in 1869, making the team one of the oldest on the current roster.

One reason to keep an eye out for this game is to see if anything has changed. The last battle between the two teams took place in May 2022 with a 78-point decisive win for the Dockers.

Will this be another overwhelming victory or a chance for a legacy team to act their age? Although Fremantle's star power is looking as strong as ever, this match is as good as ever for an upset for the Roos or, at least, a good fight from North Melbourne.

Collingwood Vs. Richmond

The Richmond Tigers have had their time in the sun. In one of the last games in
March, Collingwood has a tough assignment in front of them, with melees erupting in a
Round 20 match in 2009 and a Round 2 match in 2012. There is some definite bad blood, to say the least about the relationship.

Collingwood have several of their key players such as Kreuger, Macrae and Moore on the injury list, which may make the matchup even more interesting. This is, of course, following one of the best games of 2022, a one-point win over Carlton.

The Pies still have a lot to live up to since their 1990 premiership success but have been
putting up stronger and stronger numbers in recovery. Every game the two clubs have
played in recent memory has drawn large crowds, for good reason. Both teams have the
guts to make the game interesting, and definitely worth a watch.