IN THIS week's Things We Learned, we discover the Hawks are better suited with two rucks plus much, much more.

Check out what we learned from round one of the 2026 season.

1) Two rucks are better than one

In Opening Round, Lloyd Meek fought admirably in the ruck as Hawthorn was beaten by Greater Western Sydney. While he battled hard in close, it was on the spread that he was caught out. With Ned Reeves added to the side on Friday evening to face Essendon, the ruck duo proved to be a match made in heaven. With Reeves allowing Meek more time recharging on the bench, thereby making him more impactful when on the field, the inclusion paid off. Where it earned interest, however, was Reeves' capacity to sit forward and hit the scoreboard, further stretching Essendon's defence. While the two-ruck setup doesn't work for every team, it has certainly shown its value for the Hawks, and should be a consideration each week going forward. - Gemma Bastiani

2) Pies still searching for spearhead

Collingwood still needs a key forward. Dan McStay, Tim Membrey and Jack Buller combined for one goal in the loss to Adelaide on Saturday night after just one goal in Opening Round. No wonder Ben King remains top of the priority list for Justin Leppitsch. The Magpies have been in the market for a spearhead on and off since going after Tom Lynch. Brody Mihocek was a reliable force for almost a decade, but is now at Melbourne, while Mason Cox is playing for Fremantle. Craig McRae acknowledged the trouble with connection inside 50 after the Magpies won the territory game but couldn't find enough targets. Eleven goals was enough to beat St Kilda in Opening Round, but not enough in round one. King would solve the issue long-term. – Josh Gabelich

3) Give the Dogs the midfield, give them the game

With the rules of the game now optimised for fast footy in space on the reset, the Western Bulldogs are primed to run rampant when given control at the contest. Boasting the ominous duo of Aaron Naughton and Sam Darcy ahead of the ball, forcing defenders into one-on-ones against the pair is a recipe for disaster. So, when the midfield group – led by another star in Marcus Bontempelli – gets free access to the ball, things can go south very quickly, as Greater Western Sydney found out on Saturday. If teams are to be any chance of containing the Bulldogs' scoring power in 2026, they simply must slow them at the contest, and prevent repeated, slick forward entries. Easier said than done, but it is certainly the challenge facing Adelaide on Friday night. - Gemma Bastiani

4) Third-term Blues need to stop the slide

Carlton is going to come up against competition that has far more runs in the legs (and can kick straighter) than Richmond throughout the season. After two games - against both a seasoned Sydney and rebuilding Tigers - it’s clear the third-quarter switch-off needs to be addressed now, before it becomes a season-defining trend in all the wrong ways. In both matches, the opposition has out-hunted and out-hustled Carlton in the contest after the long break, and been able to then swarm the ball forward, overwhelming the Blues' defence. Coach Michael Voss said there were differing areas of concern week-on-week, but with similar results (in terms of ball-winning, the Swans clearly converted at a much higher level), and the early bye may provide the desperately needed time to study the tapes before things get too out of hand. - Sarah Black

5) The Luke Jackson project is ready to take off

Luke Jackson won't always be matched up against a young, inexperienced opponent like Geelong's Mitch Edwards but the big Docker's complete display against the Cats showed that Justin Longmuir is on the right track with his 'unicorn' ruck. Jackson was dominant at stoppages in the air, but the big leap forward came in his role as a centre ball-up midfielder while Sean Darcy took the taps. Jackson finished with 27 disposals (18 contested), 22 hitouts, a game-high 10 clearances and a goal. If one other team, let alone 17, can find an opponent who can match that output, we'll be impressed. – Michael Rogers

6) If Noble and Rioli don't get you, Jeffrey will

Daniel Rioli and John Noble rightly got a lot of the plaudits in 2025 for helping to change the way Gold Coast moved the ball with their overlap run and carry from the back half of the ground. But while those two have continued to thrive through the first fortnight of this season, there's another Sun joining them now – Joel Jeffrey. The Northern Territorian was among the best players on the ground against West Coast with his 28 disposals (that included eight score involvements), adding yet another weapon to Damien Hardwick's arsenal. When Jeffrey touches the ball, it usually ends up in something positive for the Suns, so precise is he with his deadly right foot kicking. Don't sleep on Rioli, Noble or Jeffrey or the ball will be at the other end before you blink. – Michael Whiting

7) Charlie is doing his job without kicking goals

There has been a long tradition of big-name, big-return forwards moving to Sydney, with Charlie Curnow's post-season switch the latest, but early indications suggest the Swans may have picked up a second key forward in the deal – Joel Amartey. Sure, this is Amartey's 10th season in red and white, but the 2026 version is unlike what has come before and could prove to be a massive weapon in Sydney's bounce back up the ladder. With Curnow the focal point for opposition defences, Amartey is using his status as the lesser key forward to wreak havoc, slotting eight goals from the first two rounds after his five-goal haul against Brisbane. Amartey won't be anonymous for long, but as soon as he is targeted, Charlie will break loose, creating a Hydra-effect of cutting off one head only to grow another. – Howard Kimber

8) 'Roo' to benefit from new-look Dees

Melbourne key forward Jacob van Rooyen shone against St Kilda on Sunday. The 22-year-old, who has previously struggled with consistency, found himself on the end of Melbourne's slick and quick ball movement in his first game under new coach Steven King. The 193cm key looked calm and confident in front of goal, kicking five first-half goals and finishing the game with six. It was a good sign for things to come for the youngster, a career-best output to start the new season. Dees fans loved screaming "Rooooooooo" from the stands as their new-look side delivered plenty of entertainment. – Phoebe McWilliams

9) Could this really be it for the Roos?

One win does not a season make, but the early signs show it may all be coming together for North Melbourne. Against Port Adelaide, young kids brought the excitement, gently guided by the veterans. Dylan Stephens is finally looking like the No.5 draft pick Sydney thought he was, Luke Davies-Uniacke is back to his bullocking best, and Cooper Trembath is shaping up as more than just a flash-in-the-pan forward. Wise old heads Luke Parker and Jack Darling have been freed up to play the supportive leadership roles they were brought to the club to provide, rather than having to do the flashy stuff themselves. It’ll certainly take a few more games to fully believe the hype, but if the tears welling up in Alastair Clarkson's eyes at half-time were anything to go by, the Roos might already be believing in themselves. – Sophie Welsh