Death, taxes and Hawthorn's Tom Mitchell racking up disposals. Yes, the AFL season is definitely underway, and isn't it great to have it back?
Even Thursday night's season-opener ended up being a better contest than many had anticipated with the Blues showing the competition they won't be easy-beats under Brendon Bolton in 2018.
The pre-season hype about the Bombers might also be justified after they pulled off a gripping comeback win against last year's grand finalists Adelaide. Elsewhere, the Giants, Hawks and Saints all quietly got their 2018 campaigns off to good starts.
It wasn't so positive for other teams, however; the Bulldogs weren't able to replicate the form of their AFLW counterparts, while Nathan Buckley's name might again find itself on the back pages if Collingwood continue to serve up performances such as what we witnessed on Saturday night.
Oh, and an honourable mention goes to Lance Franklin -- who kicked a round-high eight goals. The star Swan was just doing what he does best.
HEROES
Mitchell's masterclass: We're calling it now, Tom Mitchell can win the Brownlow Medal in 2018. The midfielder turned in a stunning 54 disposal effort -- the most any player has ever recorded in a game -- to help Hawthorn to a 34-point win over Collingwood on Saturday. There was no denying his impact this time, with Mitchell winning nine clearances and taking the Hawks inside 50 on eight occasions. Mitchell is averaging 36.5 disposals per game since crossing from Sydney at the beginning of last year and it's also worth remembering he hasn't yet reached the 100-game milestone.
Port Adelaide's recruiting department: It's fair to say Port Adelaide were extremely active during last year's free agency and trade periods, a move which drew skepticism from some and praise from others. The Power put all their eggs in the one, premiership-hunting basket, declaring they're ready for a tilt at the flag by bringing in Tom Rockliff (28), Jack Watts (26) and Steven Motlop (27) -- all of whom are at the peak of their footy powers. Well, it's early doors, but the move paid immediate dividends; Watts and Motlop kicked three and two goals respectively in the Power's big win over Freo, while Rockliff also hit the scoreboard, kicking one goal from his 12 touches.
Carlton FC: Yes, Richmond won and yes Carlton again failed to kick 100 points -- which they haven't done since round 11, 2016 -- but the new-look Blues delivered plenty of hope to their fans in Thursday night's season-opener at the MCG. With Charlie Curnow announcing himself as a star of the future and Patrick Cripps announcing himself as a star of the present, the Blues jumped the Tigers with five-straight goals to open the match before being overrun late in the contest. What was most impressive from Carlton was the way they moved the ball quickly, often through the corridor as all of a sudden the Blues have an attacking mindset and dangerous weapons up forward. They may not return to the finals this year, or even next, but the nucleus is there for a formidable unit down the track.
VILLAINS
The protected zone: If any player was left wondering which rule would be closely monitored early in the year, they didn't need to wait long. Barely a quarter into Thursday night's season-opener between Richmond and Carlton it was blindingly obvious that the umpires would be vigilant on the protected area. So hot were the umps that the AFL made a point of releasing a statement on Friday saying they might have gone a step too far on at least two occasions during Thursday night's clash. After the game, Richmond coach Damien Hardwick said he was okay with the rulings, so long as they are consistent, but surely it would be a better spectacle if a little more leniency is given to the players.
Max Gawn: Sorry, Maxy. Every kid grows up dreaming of the moment they can kick the winning goal at the MCG with just seconds left on the clock and you blew it! Max Gawn had that chance after he marked about 20 metres out -- almost directly in front of the goals -- in Melbourne's clash with Geelong on Sunday. Had he kicked it, the Dees would have beaten Geelong and their 2018 would have been off to a flying start. Agonizingly for Melbourne fans, his kick skewed to the left and the Cats were able to clear the ball out of defence as time expired.
Injury Gods: It's never nice seeing any player miss time with an injury, but to have it happen in Round 1 is just cruel. It wasn't a great round for injuries, with a number of big names facing long stints on the sidelines. Tom Liberatore suffered an ACL tear in the Dogs' massive loss to the Giants, while Port Adelaide's All-Australian ruckman Paddy Ryder looks like he'll miss a chuck of the year with an achilles injury. Geelong's Harry Taylor was another big name who failed to make it through the opening round, hobbling off the ground with what could be a serious plantar fascia injury. Meanwhile, Daniel Rich (ankle), Ryan Burton (ankle) and Zach Merrett (concussion) are all in a race to be fit for Round 2. Mercy, please.