THERE are early signs to suggest which teams are ready to rise this season, and perhaps just as many that could fail to meet expectations.

Hawthorn and Sydney will get a better idea of where they sit in the pecking order when they open round two on Thursday night.  

FANTASY LATEST Tips, strategy, draft, podcasts, more

Adelaide and Western Bulldogs meet in what looms as the match of the round the following night, while Greater Western Sydney and St Kilda will both be out to stop their slide before it gathers pace on Saturday. 

Here is who and what to look out for across round two, as Brisbane, Carlton, Collingwood and Geelong have a bye.

Hawthorn v Sydney, MCG
Thursday, March 19, 7.30pm AEDT

Last time: Hawthorn 14.12 (96) d Sydney 11.10 (76), OR 2025

What it means

Hawthorn (1-1) bounced back from a listless start to the season to crush Essendon but still needs to show that it belongs among the leading contenders as it comes up against Sydney. The Hawks have clouds hanging over the depth of their midfield but with the Swans suddenly also undermanned in that department they can hope to make the most of having multiple weapons in attack.

Sydney (2-0) continued its electrifying start to the season as it piled on the first seven goals of the game against reigning premier Brisbane on the way to earning its early place on top of the ladder. The Swans are showing signs that they are back to their best form of recent years even as questions begin to resurface over their depth with fresh injuries to crucial cogs in their machine. 

Game shapers

Nick Watson burst onto the scene as an electrifying small forward and consistent goalkicker across his first two seasons but is now adding more strings to his bow. The 21-year-old has booted six majors in the Hawks' opening two matches while also adding a spark in the midfield as he gathered 17 disposals in both games and become more influential further away from goal.

Chad Warner is usually one part of a star-studded Swans midfield but will have to carry more of the load with Errol Gulden ruled out for the bulk of the season with a dislocated shoulder and Isaac Heeney under an injury cloud this week. The 24-year-old has made a steady rather than spectacular start to the season but will have a critical role to play in a suddenly undermanned onball brigade.

Early tip: Hawthorn by 11 points

Adelaide v Western Bulldogs, Adelaide Oval
Friday, March 20, 7.10pm ACDT

Last time: Adelaide 16.13 (109) d Western Bulldogs 15.8 (98), R18 2025

What it means

Adelaide (1-0) took a step toward proving that it will be no one-season wonder as it got a hint of revenge on a Collingwood side that spoiled its return to finals last year. The Crows won the onball battle against the Pies but can expect another tough challenge against the Dogs' in-form midfield as part of an entertaining tussle between a pair of high-scoring teams.

The Western Bulldogs (2-0) missed the finals last season when paying the price for a 2-9 win-loss record against the eventual top eight. The Dogs have taken steps to right those wrongs as they have started the season with back-to-back victories over a pair of last year's finalists and now have another opportunity to prove their top-four credentials with a clash against the reigning minor premiers.

Game shapers

Riley Thilthorpe was one of few Crows who could hold their head up after a horror return to finals last season as he booted five goals even as his side failed to win a quarter across a pair of defeats. The 23-year-old picked up where he left off after finishing the last campaign with a career-high 60 goals as he booted three majors and was a formidable presence in the forward half against the Pies.

Aaron Naughton has enjoyed a new lease on life in a forward line that includes Sam Darcy among other targets and he booted a career-high 60 goals last year which included 13 games with three majors or more. The former top-10 draft pick has kicked eight goals and combined with Darcy in a powerful one-two punch to be a key reason for the Dogs' blistering start to the season.

Early tip: Adelaide by four points

Richmond v Gold Coast, MCG
Saturday, March 21, 1.15pm AEDT

Last time: Gold Coast 16.11 (107) d Richmond 2.11 (23), R21 2025

What it means

Richmond (0-1) was gallant in defeat as it again rose to the occasion of its traditional season-opener against Carlton but will be left wondering what might have been after misfiring near goal. The Tigers can expect a stern challenge against the Suns but will need no reminder that an upset is never far away after handing the same side its first defeat of the season in a shock result last year.

Gold Coast (2-0) could hardly have been more impressive in its two wins to start this season as it added a comfortable win over West Coast to the thumping of Geelong a week earlier. The Suns will not want to take their foot off the accelerator as they face a Tigers outfit widely expected to finish in the bottom four this year but more than capable of causing a huge upset on their day. 

Game shapers

Tom Lynch has had his fair share of memorable days since making the switch from the Suns to the Tigers ahead of the 2019 season and going on to be part of two premiership sides. But the 32-year-old had a night to forget against the Blues as his wayward 2.7 cost the Tigers dearly in a narrow defeat before they face a tougher test against his former club. 

Daniel Rioli has been critical to the Suns' rise since leaving the Tigers to reunite with his triple-premiership winning coach ahead of last season and settling into the attacking half-back role that serves him so well. The 28-year-old brings class and composure to the rapidly emerging side and was a shining light as the Suns tuned up with a commanding win over the Eagles.

Early tip: Gold Coast by 63 points

Greater Western Sydney v St Kilda, Engie Stadium
Saturday, March 21, 4.15pm AEDT

Last time: Greater Western Sydney 15.14 (104) d St Kilda 14.9 (93), R24 2025

What it means

GWS (1-1) came crashing back to earth after its rousing win over Hawthorn as it suffered yet another humiliating defeat to the Western Bulldogs. The Giants' old rivals have become a thorn in their side as they have suffered five consecutive losses, but they now need to show they can shake off an injury crisis for more than one game as they face a Saints outfit with their backs to the wall.   

St Kilda (0-2) is yet to live up to the hype after an off-season spending spree as it has fallen short against a pair of teams widely expected to be off the pace of the top-four contenders. The Saints are still searching for their preferred mode after a slow and steady approach failed against the Pies and they lost a shootout against the Demons, but they can expect to get their chances against the run and gun Giants.

Game shapers

Lachie Ash was one of few Giants to impress as his side was dismantled by the Bulldogs and cracks were exposed in their undermanned midfield. The half-back was selected in the All-Australian squad last year but reminded the Giants of the impact he can have further up the ground as he was thrown on the ball and gathered 31 disposals with 704m gained.

Callum Wilkie has been an ever-present since breaking through at the Saints at the age of 23 and this week will equal the second-longest streak of consecutive games from debut in his 158th match. The key defender is now shouldering extra responsibility as co-captain and while he stood up against the Demons will need to lead the way again this week with the pressure rising on the winless side.

Early tip: GWS by 17 points

Fremantle v Melbourne, Optus Stadium
Saturday, March 21, 4.35pm AWST

Last time: Melbourne 16.11 (107) d Fremantle 14.13 (97), R6 2025

What it means

Fremantle (0-1) burst out of the blocks with eight goals in the first quarter before losing much of its run and dare as Geelong gradually mowed it down. The Dockers reached 100 points after only hitting the mark six times last season but might be more concerned with conceding their highest score since the same round and against the same side last year as they aim to balance attack and defence.

Melbourne (1-0) began the Steven King era in the best possible way as it won a shootout with St Kilda to get a hint of redemption for the horror loss to the same side late last year. The new-look Demons showed all the hallmarks of a team in transition, but it was their urgency to move the ball at speed that should give hope for a more rapid bounce than had been widely expected this year. 

Game shapers

Judd McVee had become an unsung hero of the Demons backline as he played 65 matches in three seasons for the club that gave him a shot at the elite level through the 2022 rookie draft. The 22-year-old will now add dash to the Dockers' defence after making the move back to his home state at the end of last year and gave a hint of what is to come in a promising club debut against the Cats. 

Jacob Van Rooyen has shown exciting glimpses of his potential since being handed a debut early in 2023 before dropping away and spending time out of the Melbourne side last year. The 22-year-old looks set to benefit from the Demons' faster ball movement and to grasp his place as their focal point after booting a career-high six goals in the season opener against the Saints. 

Early tip: Fremantle by 21 points

Port Adelaide v Essendon, Adelaide Oval
Sunday, March 22, 2.45pm ACDT

Last time: Essendon 9.18 (72) d Port Adelaide 8.12 (60), R3 2025

What it means

Port Adelaide (0-1) got the Josh Carr era off to a dismal start as it was smashed in the onball battle and put to the sword in open spaces by the rebuilding North Melbourne. The Power have a relatively kind fixture to begin their season but will need more from their much-vaunted midfield to ensure their season does not quickly spiral out of control.

Essendon (0-1) was handed an early-season reality check as it failed to challenge the undermanned Hawthorn between a spirited opening and a late flurry of consolation goals. The Bombers would be concerned by their inability to contain the Hawks' midfield or to reduce the number of opposition marks near goal but should get a better idea of where they sit against a Power outfit coming off a similarly disappointing defeat. 

Game shapers

Zak Butters battled hard as the Kangaroos gradually overwhelmed the Power midfield and gathered 23 disposals and nine clearances without quite having his usual influence on the game. The 25-year-old will need to shake off speculation over his future at the club as well as his weekly shadow of opposition taggers to ensure Port doesn't take a significant step backward in coach Josh Carr's first year in charge.

Sam Durham was one of few Bombers onballers to support former skipper Zach Merrett as he gathered 23 disposals and booted two goals even as the Hawks blew away their traditional rivals before half-time. The 24-year-old has joined the new-look leadership group for the first time and will hope to lead the way again as the Bombers face what on paper looks like a more winnable game. 

Early tip: Port Adelaide by nine points

West Coast v North Melbourne, Optus Stadium
Sunday, March 22, 3.10pm AWST

Last time: North Melbourne 9.8 (62) d West Coast 6.16 (52), R13 2025

What it means

West Coast (0-1) was handed an ominous task as it began its season facing a red-hot Gold Coast on the road before a clash with the club it has more likely competed with for wooden spoons in recent years. The Eagles will be desperate to improve on their one-win season in 2025 and will get few better opportunities to taste victory than against a Roos outfit suffering from a similarly slow rebuild.  

North Melbourne (1-0) showed strong signs that a new dawn might finally be within sight as it thumped Port Adelaide and can now eye off a stretch of winnable games. The Kangaroos moved the ball with renewed confidence and set up a team defence better than they have for several years but need to double down against the Eagles if only to reaffirm that progress is being made. 

Game shapers

Milan Murdock had a debut to remember for the Eagles that included booting a first goal after trapping the Suns' Mac Andrew holding the ball and being helped by a 50m penalty when on the receiving end of a shove that ignited a melee. The 25-year-old ball-winner gathered 22 disposals and slotted a second goal as he showed enough to suggest that he can grasp the opportunity that only came his way in recent weeks.

Charlie Comben has become a key weapon in the Kangaroos under-fire defence now that he is shaking off an injury-ravaged start to his career. The 24-year-old will finally reach 50 games for the club that drafted him in 2019 while in strong form after earning 10 coaches' votes for his performance against the Power and with more responsibility as part of the leadership group for the first time.

Early tip: North Melbourne by 19 points

OSKAR Baker started it. Oskar Baker ended it.

After an almighty challenge from Adelaide, built on immense individual efforts to peg back a four-goal deficit in the final quarter, Baker pulled out his best party trick to put the game in the Western Bulldogs' pocket with two minutes remaining.

CROWS v BULLDOGS Full match coverage and stats

The Bulldog kicked the opening goal of the game, capitalising on an error from the Crows' defence, and later sealed the 14.10 (94) to 13.10 (88) victory in the first game under the Adelaide Oval lights for 2026.

After being largely unsighted for the better part of four quarters, it was Izak Rankine, on return from suspension who seemed to have kicked the match-winner from tight up against the boundary.

But the Dogs weren't going to stay down, they were lifted by their captain Marcus Bontempelli (30 disposals, seven clearances) in the dying moments to make it three wins from three starts.

In a game that was billed as the battle of the power forwards, it was instead the attacking midfielders and an unlikely key defender who got the job done in front of goal early in the piece.

Baker's buzzing pressure created the opening goal, Joel Freijah caught fire in the first quarter, Jordon Butts kicked the first major of his career, and on limited minutes Jake Soligo did maximum damage.

Butts (11 intercepts, 12 marks, one goal) not only hit the scoreboard for the first time in his 87 games, but he also wore star Dog Sam Darcy (12 disposals, one goal) like a glove, partnering well with Nick Murray (16 disposals,10 marks) behind the play for the Crows.

Meanwhile Rory Lobb (five intercepts) and Buku Khamis (10) continued their budding partnership at the other end of the ground.

But after the main break, the big men played inspired football, keen to reassert their control on the game, adding a new look to the matchup.

For the Crows, Taylor Walker (three goals) and Riley Thilthorpe (two) got busy in front of goal, as did Darcy Fogarty (two), albeit the latter was most dangerous on the deck.

Adelaide was reluctant to take risks with ball in hand, rather it patiently worked around the back half by foot and racked up the uncontested marks. Jordan Dawson (25 disposals, eight clearances, one goal) was one of the few who could reliably turn that slow, patient play into genuine attack, but otherwise there was a stagnancy around the home side, requiring errors from the Dogs to progress up the field.

Meanwhile the Western Bulldogs attacked the game with a sense of desperation, ready to roll with the chaos and flick the ball around by hand. Their layers around the contest were as reliable as ever, always able to create an option in space from which they could propel forward.

Aaron Naughton quietly continued to tick away at his goal tally for the year, adding another three majors, aided by his defensive efforts.

There was a clear attempt from the Crows to get things moving with more speed in the second half, still trying to chip the ball around by foot and identify players in space, but it was with more urgency. They looked at their most dangerous when switching the ball with determination, to create some run on the open side.

It asked questions of the Bulldogs' defence, as it was increasingly isolated in one-on-ones against the Crows' big guns inside 50.

James O'Donnell, although forced from the field in the third quarter to undergo a head injury assessment following a clash with Walker - which he ultimately passed - further solidified his role in the Bulldogs' strengthening backline.

A long wait
Adelaide key defender Jordon Butts entered career game No.87 without a score to his name, and with the fresh memory of a punctured lung the last time he faced the Western Bulldogs. It didn't send him into his shell, however, as he leapt high for an intercept mark in the opening term. Having secured the ball, opponent Sam Davidson offered a lackadaisical attempt to slow Butts up – although didn't disrupt Butt's possession of the footy. That didn't matter to the umpire, however, as Butts was handed a 50m penalty, and moved into scoring range. The defender neatly slotted the goal, and as his teammates got around him, the crowd finally had something to cheer for, as the moment shifted momentum back the home side's way and created the battle many expected to see.

Freijah on fire
Given the depth of talent the Bulldogs possess in their midfield/forward rotation, there is often a different name bobbing up as the star in any given week. On Friday evening, it was 2025 breakout star Joel Freijah. In the opening quarter alone the 20-year-old recorded 12 disposals and two goals from four shots as the Crows struggled to contain him. Ultimately, he finished with 24 disposals, 479 metres gained, and three goals, as the comparisons to his captain Marcus Bontempelli gained legitimacy.

Darcy's brain fade
Celebrated last year for his unique combination of traits, Bulldogs father-son Sam Darcy has had a tricker start to 2026. Having knocked through six goals in the first two rounds without taking either game by the scruff of the neck, Darcy struggled to impose himself on Friday night against Jordon Butts. Amidst the third-quarter arm wrestle, Darcy gave away a free kick as he contested with Josh Worrell for a ball long down the line. In the aftermath, the Dog's frustration seeped out, giving away a 50m penalty for a hit on Worrell, then another for throwing him to the ground. Fortunately for Darcy, the recipient of the shot on goal, Butts, couldn't kick his second career goal, instead spraying the shot for a minor score.

ADELAIDE                               3.0    5.2    8.7   13.10 (88)
WESTERN BULLDOGS             3.4    7.5    11.7   14.11 (94)

GOALS 
Adelaide: Walker 3, Thilthorpe 2, Fogarty 2, Rachele 2, Butts, Soligo, Dawson, Rankine
Western Bulldogs: Freijah 3, Naughton 3, Baker 3, Williams 2, Croft, Bontempelli, Darcy

BEST 
Adelaide: Butts, Worrell, Dawson, Thilthorpe, Walker
Western Bulldogs: Freijah, Richards, Khamis, Liberatore, English, Naughton

INJURIES 
Adelaide: Ah Chee (right hamstring)
Western Bulldogs: Nil

LATE CHANGES
Adelaide: Hugh Bond (illness), replaced in selected side by Chayce Jones  
Western Bulldogs: Nil

Crowd: 49,185 at Adelaide Oval