FOOTBALL is back, at least to a degree, but finally there seems to be a fair degree of perspective about football in February.

Experimental would be too kind a spin for some of the line-ups trotted out on the weekend (yes, we're looking at you, West Coast) and even Fox Footy, duty-bound to televise every moment of the NAB Challenge, got to the nub of things when they correctly referred to them not as 'matches' but instead as 'hit-outs'.

It is all about minutes and loads at this time of the year. Sunday's trip to Adelaide was the Eagles' only travel requirement for the pre-season, and with two 'home' games to come, Adam Simpson was quite entitled to leave the big guns at home. There are plenty of cross-country flights still to come. 

Liked the look of: Who caught the eye in week one?

The contrast was Fremantle, playing about an hour down the road from home in Mandurah. The Dockers like to go hard right through the pre-season – they took the same approach last year – and never mind that the calendar read February 19, Matthew Pavlich, Aaron Sandilands and Nat Fyfe were hard at it against a well below-strength Richmond.

But despite the uneven match-ups and the lop-sided scoreboards, there were a few morsels to consider with the new season now officially on the horizon.

1. It might only be February, but… Carlton looked OK

More than OK, truth be told. Carlton's opening 20 minutes against Hawthorn was terrific, with great attack on the ball, sound defensive structures and a willingness to take the game on and switch the play. There was a touch of Hawthorn about it as you would expect from Alastair Clarkson's long-time key assistant. 

What a sight that must have been for Blues supporters, frustrated in seasons past by a gameplan that consisted of hugging the boundary and not a whole lot more. 

Click here for full match coverage from Hawthorn v Carlton

Like last year the Blues ran out of puff, but rather than that being a question of fitness – another criticism of the Mick Malthouse era – this time it was because of a calculated decision by new coach Brendan Bolton to restrict interchange rotations to 78 ahead of the reduction to just 90 for the home and away season.

Whether or not this meant Bolton 'outcoached' the Hawks, as one media outlet breathlessly claimed, is doubtful. The Hawks had 130 rotations as part of their plan simply to get enough minutes into their players ahead of round one, a formula that has been pretty successful the last three years.

2. It might only be February, but… Fremantle is changing

Armed with some IP from the all-conquering Hawthorn (premiership players David Hale and Brent Guerra are now assistant coaches) there was added flexibility and versatility to the Dockers and multiple scoring options. 

Michael Walters moved well through the midfield and Fyfe looked good playing forward. The reduced interchange numbers will demand more flexibility in 2016 and they are two obvious moves for Lyon to make.

Click here for full match coverage from Fremantle v Richmond

But Pavlich, Matt Taberner and Jon Griffin kicked eight goals between them and if the Dockers are going to keep the scoreboard ticking that bit more regularly – a must if they seriously want to contend for the premiership – they have to develop more and deeper scoring options. So far, so good on that score. 

3. It might only be February, but… injuries still suck

There was nothing catastrophic out of the weekend, but annoying all the same.

St Kilda will be disappointed at losing Paddy McCartin to a hamstring twinge. What the Saints were hoping this pre-season was for the 2014 No.1 pick and the exciting Josh Bruce to develop their key forward partnership, perhaps in the hope that skipper Nick Riewoldt could be freed to play up the ground as a tall and damaging outside midfielder. Those plans aren’t shelved just because McCartin is temporarily sidelined, but the forthcoming outings against the Brisbane Lions and Melbourne would have been handy dress rehearsals for the Saints as they reshape their forward line.

Click here for full match coverage from St Kilda v North Melbourne

Isaac Heeney's injury didn't look overly serious, but this was the second time in as many years that he has hurt his knee. Last year it likely robbed him of the NAB AFL Rising Star Award, and any sort of medium-term absence might keep him from establishing himself as a full-time member of the Swans midfield.

Fremantle's Hayden Ballantyne will likely not play again in the pre-season, courtesy of a hamstring strain. Of more concern was the TV vision of him chatting on the phone from the rooms shortly after. Ross Lyon mounted a sensible case afterwards as to why Ballantyne should be able to call his family and give them his news, but given how fidgety the AFL have become about all matters to do with integrity, the very least he can expect on Monday from headquarters is a 'please explain'.

4. It might only be February, but… Callum Mills might be worth the hype

Mills' first game for the Sydney Swans was all class, with 22 disposals and five marks. The No.3 selection at last year's national draft showed right from the start that he belongs at the level. 

He didn't look like a player who had only been in the AFL system for three months because, let's face it, he hasn't been.

Like Heeney this time last year, Mills showed the benefits of having been part of the Swans system for years as a member of the club's academy. The Swans are a top-shelf organisation and Mills has had access to all their considerable IP throughout his developing years, so it stands to reason that just like Heeney last year, he should be more advanced than those who have only been in the state league system until now.

No wonder the remaining 14 clubs were so anxious to develop academies of their own and water down what was perceived as quite the competitive advantage for the Swans, Giants, Lions and Suns. 

5. It might only be February, but… maybe this will be a bounce-back year for Gold Coast

Suns coach Rodney Eade has been telling anyone who cares to listen that the Suns made enormous strides in the second half of last season, even though a 4-18 record for the year didn't necessarily reflect it.

The reasons for the calamitous season have been well documented and need no repeating here, but it is worth remembering that in 2014 the Suns were on their way to a finals berth until Gary Ablett busted his shoulder. The emerging midfield cast around Ablett was the envy of 17 other clubs. 

Ablett was missing on Sunday in the mini QClash against the Brisbane Lions at the magnificently named Burpengary (can you get a more Queensland-sounding name than that?) as were David Swallow, Jaeger O'Meara and Dion Prestia. Call it a hunch, but the Suns could be the bolter in 2016.

There was a bit to like out of the win over the Lions. Former Eagle Matt Rosa established himself as a walk-up member of the best 22 and journeyman ruckman Dan Currie could also feature in round one partnering Tom Nicholls if Rodney Eade believes the Suns can carry two bona-fide ruckmen in this post-substitute era. Second-year key forward Peter Wright has designs on a place in the side while midfielder Jesse Lonergan, with 23 touches (including 16 contested possessions and 10 clearances) could hardly have done more to push his claims.

If Lonergan, Swallow, O'Meara, Prestia, Mitch Hallahan and the impressive Touk Miller can stay injury-free, then it raises the prospect of Ablett playing mainly out of the forward line, where he'd be good for 40-50 goals for the season. That's the sort of return from a small forward that the really good teams have enjoyed in recent seasons. 

From the minute they traded Harley Bennell out the door, the Suns have enjoyed a blissfully quiet off-season, barely rating a mention at all. That's just the way Eade likes it after the circus that was 2015.