The 2010 Australian Football League season commenced on March 25 and concluded on October 2 (due to the drawn Grand Final). It was the 114th season of the VFL/AFL competition. The Grand Final was played between Collingwood and St Kilda, with the first Grand Final being a draw, Collingwood won the replay by 56 points, marking their 15th premiership. This season was also the final AFL season to be played with 16 teams.
The draw for the 2010 AFL Premiership Season is not a random selection of matches, but rather is planned by the AFL. It is intended to produce a balanced draw while also providing the fans and television networks with blockbuster games. In a competition with 16 teams and 22 rounds, it is not possible for all teams to play each other twice. These factors combine to create some of the following anomalies:[1]
six of the teams play each other for the first time in round 21;
of the Victorian based teams St Kilda play six games interstate while Essendon only need to travel three times;
of the six games Fremantle play in Melbourne none are at the MCG, while Geelong will play seven games at the MCG despite not being one of the tenants at this ground;
North Melbourne and Port Adelaide only play two of last year's top eight teams twice, while Essendon and Collingwood play five of these teams twice.
For the third consecutive year Richmond and Carlton played a Thursday night match to open the season. It was also the fourth year in a row those two teams played each other in the opening round.
2009 AFL Premiers Geelong started their title defence against Essendon. This was a departure from the previous three seasons, when the two teams that had contested the grand final played each other in round 1.
Brad Johnson played his 350th match for the Western Bulldogs in their match against Collingwood.
For the third year in succession St Kilda and Sydney played each other in the opening round, as did Brisbane and West Coast.
Fremantle won its first match of the season for the first time since 2005. The win was also the largest in the club's history against Adelaide, and saw them in second position on the AFL ladder for the first time in the club's history.
Melbourne and Sydney both lost their fifth-straight round 1 fixture, the Western Bulldogs lost a round 1 fixture for the first time since 2004, and Brisbane won its first home game of the season for the twelfth consecutive year.
Mature age Fremantle rookie Michael Barlow had 33 possessions on debut against Adelaide, the highest number for a debutant since Dean Greig's record of 39 in 1991.
Brisbane's Brendan Fevola and Fremantle's Adam McPhee each celebrated victories against their old sides after switching teams during the off-season.[2]
Sydney defeated Adelaide for the first time since 10 July 2004, ending a six game losing streak against the Crows. The game was also the first time since 2001 that Sydney had defeated Adelaide at AAMI Stadium.
St Kilda's 104 point win set a new record winning margin for St Kilda over North Melbourne.
Fremantle defeated Essendon for the first time at Etihad Stadium, having lost the previous eight such encounters. It was also the club's first win in Melbourne since 2007[3] and the first time since 1997 that they had won their first two games of a season.[4]
Warren Tredrea played his 250th game for Port Adelaide, while Brad Green played his 200th game for Melbourne.
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Highlights of the AFL Season (Round 1 - 9)by megafide1,977 views
God I remember that round. As a bullgogs supporter I was so unhappy for us to lose to the dons
marxian00 1 year ago