Christian Petracca pulled out an all-time performance in his Suns debut, and the Bulldogs shocked the reigning premiers, but the hot seat got hotter for footy’s most under pressure coach. Here’s whose stocks are up and down after Opening Round.

Our footy experts cast their eye over the week’s action to find out whose stocks are up — whether it’s a coaching masterstroke or a player having a blinder — and whose are down.

Whose stocks are up and whose are down after Opening Round? ESPN/Getty Images

Adelaide

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Editor’s PicksBrisbane

Stocks up: After a rather ‘down’ year by his lofty standards in 2025 — albeit he was one of the best on Grand Final day — Charlie Cameron began his 2026 season in the best way possible, booting a game-high four goals to go with his 15 disposals, seven marks, and five tackles. When he’s at his best, there’s hardly a player you’d rather watch.

Stocks down: It wasn’t a good night for Brisbane co-captains Harris Andrews and Hugh McCluggage, but for different reasons. Andrews is facing a three-game ban after a stray elbow caught Bulldog Arthur Jones high, concussing the 22-year-old while trying to block his run when the ball was in dispute. For McCluggage, the gun midfielder’s night ended in the first quarter when he left the field with a calf injury. Star forward Zac Bailey and tall defender Darcy Gardiner also received one-game bans for other incidents. An Opening Round loss and the Swans at the SCG awaiting them next week — yeah, this isn’t the best timing.

Arty Jones will take no further part in the game following this incident with Harris Andrews in the third quarter.#AFLLionsDogs pic.twitter.com/FND7fj07k7

— AFL (@AFL) March 7, 2026 Carlton

Stocks up: No TDK, no worries? Marc Pittonet was keen to show Blues fans he’s a more than handy ruck (and one which doesn’t command upwards of $1.5 million per season). The big man battled hard all night with Swans counterpart Brodie Grundy, kicking three opportunistic goals among 18 disposals and eight clearances. Shout out to Ben Ainsworth, too, who kicked two goals for his new club. He added a dynamic edge to Carlton’s forward line they’ve sorely missed in recent years.

Stocks down: Fair to say the same problems remain for Michael Voss. It became a familiar tale for the Blues in 2025; start nicely, but collapse after half time. Well, it happened again against the Swans. Carlton finished the first half up 10 points, but were blown away by the Swans’ midfield in the second half, finishing -73 points for the 60 or so minutes of play. The Blues’ inability to stem the flow and wrestle the contest back onto even terms is a massive worry for Voss, who’s already on thin ice.

Michael Voss is under the pump after a 10-goal Opening Round loss. Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty ImagesCollingwood

Stocks up: Even in game 426, Scott Pendlebury proved he’s still capable of controlling a match. Eyebrows were raised when he spent the opening 20 minutes of the game on the bench, but the move was tactical under the new five-on-the-bench rule. When he came on, everything he touched turned to gold, and he finished with 26 disposals, 10 score involvements and a staggering five direct goal assists (no one else had even two) from just 55% game time. Harry Perryman also deserves praise for a brilliant shutdown role on Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, holding the Saints star to just 19 disposals and minimal impact.

Stocks down: The Pies get plenty from their mosquito fleet, Jamie Elliott, Lachie Schultz, and Beau McCreery usually finding ways to influence a match with energy and work rate. But, as much as they competed, the key forwards in newcomer Jack Buller, Dan McStay, and Tim Membrey only kicked one goal and took six marks between them. The forward line mix is still a work in progress, the Saints are usually very solid defensively, and Craig McRae’s side only managed 40 inside 50s, but as much as there was a lack of supply, the jury is still out after Opening Round as to what the best mix is and how much impact they can have over the course of a long season.

Pendlebury’s no-looker unlocks the McCreery major 🤩 #AFLSaintsPies pic.twitter.com/GzKuQa1yIz

— AFL (@AFL) March 8, 2026 Essendon

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Fremantle

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Geelong

Stocks up: In a really rough night at the office it was pleasing to see Tanner Bruhn have 31 disposals and 600 metres gained in a solid first game back after a year off. He was the third-highest rated Cat on the ground, but that top-rated mantle belonged to Ollie Dempsey whose four goals from 20 disposals also set him apart.

Stocks down: So what exactly are the Cats capable of without stars Jeremy Cameron and Patrick Dangerfield? It’s not the first time Chris Scott has had to field a team without multiple of his best weapons, but the result still raises eyebrows. It’s only one match and things can turn quickly, but it’s not an ideal start nonetheless.

Gold Coast

Stocks up: You couldn’t ask for much more from new Sun and former Melbourne favourite Christian Petracca, who opened his account with a stunning career-best night consisting of 34 disposals, 12 score involvements, 10 inside 50s, six clearances, and three goals. No hyperbole on the ‘career-best’, either; it was the highest-rated game of his career so far! That combination of Petracca and young gun Bailey Humphrey (four goals) is going to be a serious problem.

Stocks down: Matt Rowell missed with injury, Jed Walter through suspension, Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, who slotted six goals in the VFL, is still building up his match conditioning, and Charlie Ballard is still on the comeback trail from an ACL. So, how exactly do they fit them all in? Pretty good problem to have, we think.

GWS

Stocks up: Jake Stringer kicked five goals and was the most damaging player on the ground. Surprised? No? Oh, he’s also in a contract year — surprised now? Thought not. Seriously, the former Dog and Bomber wound back the clock and proved he can still tear games apart. It was a solid first outing in orange and charcoal for Clayton Oliver, too, who had 27 disposals and a game-high 10 clearances on a day Adam Kingsley was missing engine room mainstays Tom Green and Josh Kelly, among others.

Stocks down: It’s really important not to underrate the Giants list. As well as the aforementioned Green (out for the season) and Kelly, Aaron Cadman, Toby Bedford, Brent Daniels, Darcy Jones, Leek Aleer, and Sam Taylor make up a lengthy column of injured stars. But the Giants’ list is deep and highly talented, and we now know they can easily cover the gaps.

Hawthorn

Stocks up: Midfield depth is the Hawks’ most glaring issue, but you couldn’t fault Jai Newcombe, who battled hard with 26 disposals, five score involvements, and four clearances. It was his teammate in Nick Watson, however, who provided the real spark, using his speed and creativity to energise the side. Watson finished with two goals from 17 touches and had a team-high eight score involvements, all while attending just six centre bounces. Surely there’s a case for more midfield minutes!

Stocks down: The final margin, albeit 27 points, actually looks somewhat respectable when Hawthorn’s final scoreline reads 14.11 (95). But the three-quarter time margin of 41 points paints a bleaker picture, so it was already too little too late entering the final quarter. We said above that maybe it’s Watson, but maybe it’s even more Connor Macdonald, maybe it’s Dylan Moore, it could be more Josh Weddle, and perhaps it’s a Jack Ginnivan — whatever it is, Sam Mitchell needs to experiment more with his centre bounces to at least create some uncertainty and a bit more chaos at the stoppages.

The Hawks couldn’t contain many of the GWS stars. Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty ImagesMelbourne

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North Melbourne

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Port Adelaide

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Richmond

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St Kilda

Stocks up: It’s been money well spent for St Kilda so far with Tom De Koning, who was arguably the Saints’ best in the loss to the Magpies on Sunday night. The big man had 20 disposals, three centre clearances, six score involvements, and took two contested marks. He may be called upon to pick up some extra responsibilities next week, with Rohan Marshall taken off with concussion. Other offseason recruits Sam Flanders (28 disposals) and Jack Silvagni (19 and nine intercepts) were also good in their St Kilda debut.

Stocks down: Let’s see how Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera handles the tag going forward, because you know clubs are going to put the effort in, after Harry Perryman shut the Saints star out of the second half in the loss to the Magpies. Nas had just one disposal in the third, and six in the fourth term after looking dangerous with 12 and a goal in the first half. The Saints also couldn’t find an answer to the Pies’ smaller forwards — that’ll be something to keep an eye out in coming weeks.

Sydney

Stocks up: We can point the fingers at a lot of contributors here, but one of the eye-catchers was wingman Justin McInerney who finished Thursday night with a team-high 31 disposals, game-high 14 score involvements, six inside 50s, five marks, and three goals — all of which came in a scintillating third term. We also liked the look of two of their new recruits in former Hawk and defensive wingman Jai Serong, and livelier forward Malcolm Rosas Jr, who both look to have flown under the radar this offseason but have acquitted themselves nicely and will play important roles throughout the course of the year.

Stocks down: One thing we do know, if Opening Round is anything to go by, stopping gun trio Errol Gulden, Isaac Heeney, and Chad Warner will prove critical to an opposition’s chances of taking down the Swans this season. Gulden finished with 27 disposals and ran riot in the comeback, but had just eight of those touches in the first half with zero kicks in the second quarter. Heeney? Three disposals in the opening two quarters before getting his hands on the footy 13 times in a premiership quarter which consisted of a whopping 12 goals for the home side. Yes, Sydney was more than just those three match-winners, and they will continue to be, but the game is largely won and lost at the coalface, and it’s there where the Blues were dominant early, and there where this aforementioned Swans trio were struggling to have any meaningful impact.

West Coast

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Western Bulldogs

Stocks up: Of last year’s top nine, only the Giants had a worse defensive record than the Bulldogs, and again on Saturday night Luke Beveridge’s side conceded 106 points against a contender. But you’ve got to be buoyed by some of those efforts down back. Rory Lobb hardly put a foot wrong and his nine spoils, three intercept marks, and his nine one-percenters and seven rebound 50s (both team-highs) are definitely worth applause. New recruit Connor Budarick also acquitted himself seamlessly, racking up 27 disposals and providing constant drive all night.

Stocks down: Anyone not rating the Dogs this year has to rethink things pretty quickly. The biggest knock on Luke Beveridge’s side last season was their inability to beat genuine contenders, managing to beat just one top-eight team in 2025. The best way to quash that narrative? Stroll into the home of the two-time reigning premiers and knock them off in Opening Round. That was a terrific statement performance.