St Kilda — yes, St Kilda! — are the buzz team of the AFL, while Brisbane provide the rest of the league a guide on how to beat Collingwood.
Welcome to the AFL Round-Up, where we digest the week that was.
The joy of Saints
The quote from the commentary box summed it up perfectly — "it's fun to be a Saint at the moment".
Of all the great surprises this St Kilda team has delivered us this year, that overriding sense of joy tops the list.
Through the first month of the 2023 season, St Kilda have been insatiable and infectious, a team discovering what it is capable of in real time and letting us come along for the ride.
It's a side built around two of the most unlikely key pillars — a part-time full-back, full-time accountant plucked from the SANFL who has gone on to become one of the best key defenders in the country, and a bloke at full-forward who apparently just turned up at training one day and started bench-pressing defenders and leaping clean over ruckmen.
Callum Wilkie and Anthony Caminiti are at very different stages of their careers, but both represent what makes this team unique. Its construction has been non-traditional, but through sheer hard work and just enough natural talent, it has risen to the top.
Against the Suns on Saturday, key stats like clearances and contested possessions were fairly close, but it was on the outside that the Saints blew the game open. They run as hard as anyone and can move the footy better than most, all from the stable defensive structure of a Ross Lyon team.
Speaking of Lyon, it's a credit to him that his methods and philosophies have clearly developed during his time out of coaching. Too many coaches spend their careers trying to force the game to conform to them, but Lyon has proven to be flexible and progressive.
Collingwood and Carlton make up the next fortnight, a test that may yet prove beyond the Saints but certainly won't define them. If St Kilda fall short in games against two sides whose premiership windows are far more open than theirs, it won't change how we should view them and their season prospects.
But if they win one, or even both? Sheesh. It really would be a fun time to be a Saint.
'How to beat Collingwood', by the Brisbane Lions
With their second win — and second serious scalp — of the year, the Lions laid out a blueprint for how to beat Collingwood.
And the results might not necessarily enamour coaches of the 16 other teams.
Step one: Take the Pies out of their comfort zone.
This was the first game Collingwood have played away from the MCG this year, and it was noticeable that the slightly more dewy and slippery conditions in Brisbane played a part in stifling the Pies' razor-sharp use by hand.
Those crucial few extra fumbles, plus the small matter of not having a billion vocal Magpies fans roaring them on, played a part in turning this Collingwood performance from a 10/10 to a humble seven.
Step two: Hope they miss a lot of shots
A glance down the stat sheet would give you the impression that the only real distinguishing factor in this game was Brisbane made more of their opportunities in front of goal than Collingwood.
That isn't completely true, but it is most certainly a different game if Collingwood fully capitalised on their periods of ascendancy in the second half.
Step three: Take risks
Countless times on Thursday night a contest would break out at half-back or on a wing, in which the winner would immediately have clear space ahead to force a shot on goal.
More often than not, the Lions won those contests. And in doing so proved that while Collingwood's frenzied attacking instincts are something to be feared, they can also be their undoing.
If you're going to beat Collingwood, you're going to have to get a lot of goals over the back.
Step four: Make sure they don't have a ruckman
Not only will they get slaughtered in the hit outs and consequently the clearances, but they'll briefly lose the plot structurally and start coughing up 6-6-6 infringement free kicks. That helps.
Also, please keep in mind that all of those things could happen and Collingwood could still win. Or, as in this case with Brisbane, your forwards could have their best night of the year and power you to a win that keeps the flames burning under a season that could yet go either way.
Good luck out there.
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A game of inches in Sydney
A quick word for the Swans-Port game. The significance of this match was not lost on either side, and seemed to lend itself to a general air of anxiety around it.
Port Adelaide were nervous starters, Sydney lacking the composure to put the game to bed at the end when they really ought to have.
But that tension eventually gave way to desperation in the closing stages and set up a finish that made the whole night worthwhile.
Still, it was a game decided by key defenders. Sydney lost both McCartin brothers in unfortunate and concerning circumstances, while Port's Aliir Aliir was pretty much best on and provided the game's defining fist.
The Swans will be sweating on McCartin news but also need to sort out the make-up of their forward line, but the story was Port's new-found defiance. They won the must-win game, and at 2-2 have somehow constructed a launching pad.
Around the grounds
Carlton are doing it differently this season. It's not as thrilling as it was at times last year, but it's probably more mature and more sustainable. The Blues are setting up their season up delightfully.
Fremantle have significant concerns. As mentioned last week, the excitement about last week's derby win really should have been tempered considering the circumstances. Adelaide looked by far the team more equipped for a finals challenge in 2023 and beyond.
The Bulldogs absolutely bullied Richmond in the midfield on Saturday. The Tigers have recruited to improve in that specific area, but were absolutely reamed by Bontempelli, Liberatore and co. Still hard to tell which of the two are in the better spot.
That was a hell of bake from Adam Kingsley to his Giants at three-quarter-time on Sunday. Unfortunately it didn't amount to much, as the Bombers carried on their dominance to the final siren. This was a 40-point win turned into a 13-point one, purely through inaccuracy.
It would be staggering if Geelong lost to Hawthorn this afternoon, and yet you only need to cast your mind back 12 months to this very game to realise it's possible. Only a thoroughly convincing win will settle the nerves at Kardinia Park.
In the clubhouse
Here we take stock of who is leading the race for the season's individual awards.
Another pretty outrageous performance from Harry Sheezel this week, who is on a record-breaking tear to start the season when it comes to winning the ball. And as I keep saying, just wait until he sees more midfield/forward time — you ain't seen nothing yet.
This week's nomination should go to Mitchito Owens, both for his body of work over four rounds and the fact he was pretty close to best on against Gold Coast. This guy has all the weapons, and seems to be better every time he plays.
Goal of the week belongs to Jake Stringer, because a barrel on the run is pretty tough to ignore. Chad Wingard still leading the way from round one in our books.
And Cam Rayner can take mark of the week honours, without coming close to threatening Harry Himmelberg's lead.
