Round 1 Memories

[BuffDog]

Round 1 isn't too far away now which is pretty exciting, shaping up to be a highly intriguing season.

Personally Round 1 is always my favourite round of the season, there's always big crowds, a few unpredictable results, the chance to see new recruits or coaches for the first time and of course knowing that whatever happens there's still 21 games to go!

Essendon typically are fast starters so Round 1 generally has thrown up a few good results, such as a few recent ones

2012: Essendon d North Melbourne
The bombers threatened to kick away in the last, but North finished stronger and threatened to pinch it. Hamish McIntosh had a relatively simple shot after the siren and much to our delight, pushed it wide. We held on by just 2 points.

2014: Essendon d North Melbourne
It's always nice to kick off the season with a win over the Roo's. We won by 39 points in a solid display with Chapman and Goddard starring, Daniher also took a few great marks. 2014 was definitely the best season for us in those dark periods. We went on to meet North in the elimination final but I just can't seem to remember what happened after half time...

2017: Essendon d Hawthorn
Last year's first round game was pretty special. Was so good as a supporter to see our whole team back on the park and some sense of normality restored. Of course it was fantastic to see Roughy back for the Hawks too. We were down by a few goals in the third and dug deep to walk away with a solid 25 point victory.

Of course, there's been a few bad memories too

2015: Sydney d Essendon
We had no pre season and clearly no petrol left in the tank as we surrendered a 7 goal lead against the Swans. Was a flat start to a pretty dismal season.

2010: Geelong d Essendon
Still haven't forgiven Neagle for playing on.

2011: Essendon d Western Bulldogs
Sure we crushed the dogs by 55 points and finished the round in first position but alas its a bad memory now. It was Hird's first game as coach and every Essendon supporter would have left that day excited for our future, unfortunately the club took a different route and the rest is history.

A few non Essendon Round one memories also stick out such as Geelong v St Kilda in 2011 where Bartel kicked an impossible goal to win it for the Cats 48-47 and Richmond d Carlton in 2013 where the Blues mounted a huge comeback but just fell short.

What are some of your fondest Round 1 memories, good or bad?

 

[BotsMaster]

2012: Hawthorn d Collingwood - replay of the 2011 PF and was a cracking shootout with a combined score of 252 points.

 

[Gavin Excell]

I recall getting off to a flyer footy tipping one year picking the then 8 winners including Dogs beating adel in adel. Cant recall year. Possibly late 90s

 

[Bleeeeeeeeep]

OP missed a few of these *

 

[Gavin Excell]

Cats v hawks 1990

A famous grand final the year before set the scene for a titanic struggle

Cats took lead first quarter before an obliteration losing by 115 points

I think crows will have tigers measure GF replay r2 this year but fair bet those Tigers will give a better account of themselves

 

[the_big_sav]

9:50 never forget that last goal sitting on the 2nd level on the 50m line in the afl members. pretty much had the best view of watching it roll through

 

[RUNVS]

I remember a round 1 game with the Swans vs St Kilda (Adam Schnieder's first game for the Saints if I recall) and it was the worst game of football I have ever seen. It was barely watchable.

 

[zucchini]

1983 junction oval Hawthorn v Fitzroy, more interested in collecting aluminium cans me and my mate filled 3 big bags of crushed cans those were the days when some beer cans were uncrushable i dont know what they were made of but geez they hurt when you stomped on them. Then his dad drove us home.

 

[SwampCreature]

I member

 

[Struggle]

Round 1 2008 v Adelaide. Brad Johnson's 300th, kicked 3 of his 5 goals in the last 10 minutes to give us back the lead. Bock missed a shot after the siren.

 

[Marmozet]

2017 vs Sydney: After missing the finals for two years and many pundits pencilling us in for bottom 4, we came up against the previous years minor premier and runner up at a ground we had not won at in 11 years. We were given a snowballs chance in hell all summer of winning this game, but we defied the odds and pulled off an emphatic win.

2013 vs Melbourne: The dawn on the Hinkley era. 5 years of pain and suffering ended one Easter Sunday as we thrashed Melbourne by 14 goals and the future was very bright from that point.

 

[astro1212]

2009 Carlton V Richmond

Fevola chasing Cousins in his first game back. Cousins does his hamstring. Probably the first time Fevola ever chased after an opposition player.

 

[HTT]

2008 Richmond 109 d Carlton 79

Chris Judd played his first game for Carlton, Richo kicked 5 goals

“Richo steals the show” in the paper the day after sums it up

 

[dean33]

2009 Carlton V Richmond

Fevola chasing Cousins in his first game back. Cousins does his hamstring. Probably the first time Fevola ever chased after an opposition player.

Such a massive build up to that game, I left in the last quarter and then get a text from a mate telling me about cousins hammy... not many seasons end rd 1. That year ours did.

 

[BallaratBulldog]

2006 vs Richmond - dogs win by 115 pt on Friday night footy.

 

[blue harvest]

Cats v hawks 1990

A famous grand final the year before set the scene for a titanic struggle

Cats took lead first quarter before an obliteration losing by 115 points

I was going to mention this one too. Geelong actually hit the front in the 3rd quarter and we piled on 19 of the last 20 goals.

 

[smasha]

Beautiful autumn night,Richmond pubs packed to the rafters only this time we will wear chesire Tiger grins as we trek to Richmond Paddock to watch our club unfurl the premiership flag.

Can’t think of anything better.

Blues will come at us, we are truly everyones grand final this year,my prophecy has come true,will be a great test but I feel we can do it again.

Carna Tiges!

My memory of r1 was in 2004,we beat Collingwood comfortably and there was a big positivity amongst the fans that we would have a massive year and hopefully go deep into finals.

We were terrible for the remainder of the year and finished down the bottom.

The biggest high at the start of the year then the pain after.

 

[Power Play]

Such a massive build up to that game, I left in the last quarter and then get a text from a mate telling me about cousins hammy... not many seasons end rd 1. That year ours did.

It was the beginning of the end for Terry Wallace as well.

 

[Hellgood]

I remember a round 1 game with the Swans vs St Kilda (Adam Schnieder's first game for the Saints if I recall) and it was the worst game of football I have ever seen. It was barely watchable.

Might've been Ross Lyon's first game as senior coach IIRC. Clint Jones (also on debut for my second IIRC) took that incredibly gutsy mark accompanied by the brilliant photo running back with the flight.

 

[liz]

I remember a round 1 game with the Swans vs St Kilda (Adam Schnieder's first game for the Saints if I recall) and it was the worst game of football I have ever seen. It was barely watchable.

Gee, I remember that game too. I flew down to Melbourne to watch it, excited that the footy season had finally started, and walked away shaking my head at how dreadful a game could be. I don't even remember if we won or lost. It didn't matter, the game was that bad.

 

[SC26]

Gee, I remember that game too. I flew down to Melbourne to watch it, excited that the footy season had finally started, and walked away shaking my head at how dreadful a game could be. I don't even remember if we won or lost. It didn't matter, the game was that bad.

This was the game. St Kilda won by 2.

 

[Snake_Baker]

we are truly everyones grand final this year,

 

[Tap Tap Tapperoo]

2013 vs Melbourne: The dawn on the Hinkley era. 5 years of pain and suffering ended one Easter Sunday as we thrashed Melbourne by 14 goals and the future was very bright from that point.

2012 we played Brisbane in Mark Neeld's first game in charge from memory. There was a little bit of optimism, as there is always is with a new coach, and we were absolutely putrid.

2013 is the game you mention. Most supporters were willing to blindly give Neeld another chance, as he had cleared out some dead wood, and bought in some of his own cattle. As you say, we were walloped again, and it was crystal clear, if it wasn't already, that our footy club was in some real strife.

 

[Mkcaptain]

Terrible memories. Those were absolutely soul destroying games. The optimism of preseason completely ripped apart in 120 minutes.
2014-
Collingwood 5.16 (46) def. by Fremantle 17.14 (116)
2016-
Sydney 18.25 (133) def. Collingwood 7.11 (53)

A great memory. Knocking over the premiership favourite Dogs really gave me belief our team had reached the level required.
2010-
Western Bulldogs 13.15 (93) def. by Collingwood 19.15 (129)


Another notable game. 2007 against North. Famous for the Shannon Grant miss after the Heath Shaw 50m penalty

 

[Snake_Baker]

North are notoriously crappy season starters, even when we have had good sides.

The old timers tell me that being the reigning wooden spooners of 1970 and rolling the reigning premiers (Carlton) in round 1 of 1971 at Arden Street was pretty special.

Sam Kekovich's 28 disposals, 7 marks and 4.2 from CHF was a fair effort.