AFL Round-Up: Momentum reigns in 2022, Sydney and Carlton's midfield makeovers, Patrick Dangerfield erupts

A Sydney derby for the ages, the emergence of some unlikely cult heroes and a season-opening win for Carlton, of all things — round one of the 2022 AFL season had something for everyone.

Welcome to the AFL Round-Up, where we digest the week that was.

Almost every game this week seemed to move like Newton's cradle, with teams taking turns to go on searing hot streaks of goals.

It was partially a by-product of the annual free-for-all that is round one, when delusions of grandeur mean that all 18 teams attempt to play free-flowing, attacking footy. For most sides, that normally lasts about a fortnight before conservatism takes over again.

But it also has to be a result of what Melbourne did in 2021. It's too simplistic to look at what the Dees did in the third quarter of the grand final and say, «Hey, let's do that», but it would also be pretty dumb to not learn something from it.

The game is now designed to promote that sort of footy, with the 6-6-6 and stand rules making it easier than ever for teams to catch fire.

What will now separate the best teams from the battlers is the ability to withstand the opposition's periods of momentum and turn their own into sustained field position and repeat entries.

Both are dependent on team defence and structures behind the ball. The boring bit makes the thrilling bit possible. It's why the Dees are the best team in the league — they are the masters at both of these aspects, and were again on Wednesday night.

Carlton might have been the story of round one. Their breakthrough win over Richmond was even more dominant than the scoreboard indicated, and came on the back of a stellar midfield showing.

Patrick Cripps, Matthew Kennedy and Adam Cerra provided a stellar combination performance above