The Fremantle Dockers have launched a late final quarter comeback and then sealed victory over Adelaide by the narrowest of margins with a perfectly-timed spoil off the line in the final seconds.
The Dockers prevailed by the width of Heath Chapman's fist, as the seventh-gamer kept out the final attack from the Crows to maintain a one-point win for the visitors.
Earlier, the Hawks beat North in Sam Mitchell's first game in charge — while in the late game, the Gold Coast Suns defeated West Coast in Perth for the first time, but only after the depleted Eagles pushed them all the way in the final game of round one.
"It's the best spoil I've ever seen", Dockers coach tells Chapman
An emerging Fremantle has laid a significant marker with a comeback one-point AFL win over Adelaide, according to Dockers coach Justin Longmuir.
The Dockers appeared gone when 19 points down 12 minutes into the last quarter of Sunday's Adelaide Oval fixture.
But Fremantle surged with the last three goals of the game for a stirring 11.17 (83) to 12.10 (82) triumph.
"I said to the players after the game, round one is about setting a foundation of your footy to build off for the rest of the year," Longmuir said.
"It just showed a lot of heart and a lot of fight in us. It's definitely something we can build off and take forward."
Adelaide's hyped draftee Josh Rachele kicked five goals on his AFL debut as the Crows came from 26 points down late in the second term to seemingly be headed for a win.
But the Dockers kicked the next two goals and, with five minutes left, were just six points down.
After Adelaide rushed a point, an errant pass in defence from Crow Riley Thilthorpe ended with Fremantle's Lachie Schultz (three goals), who converted on the run as the Dockers stole a one-point break.
Then, late drama.
With 10 seconds left, Adelaide's Ben Keays launched a left-footer and the ball was headed for a goal.
But Fremantle's seven-gamer Heath Chapman got a desperate fist to the footy to prevent any score.
Longmuir told Chapman in the changerooms: "It was the best spoil I have seen."
"It was a great effort from a young player to be head in the game and be able to execute."
Fremantle blitzed Adelaide early to lead 8.9 to 5.2 at half-time. But the Crows then booted six goals to none in the third term, including the impressive Rachele's fourth which gave the Crows the lead for the first time.
Adelaide held a 10-point buffer at three-quarter time, then extended their lead to 19 points midway through the final term after another Rachele goal.
But they couldn't hang on, leaving Crows players "gutted", according to coach Matthew Nicks.
"I hate losing and I feel for the group and I have probably given them a little bit too much of a spray," Nicks said.
"But then I give them the love again ... I know they have got ticker but I get so frustrated for them."
Suns win in the west against depleted Eagles
Gold Coast Suns have ruined the AFL return of Willie Rioli after coming from behind to post a 27-point win over an undermanned West Coast at Perth Stadium.
The Eagles skipped out to a 23-point lead early in the second term of Sunday's match, and the margin was just four points in favour of Gold Coast with five minutes remaining in the clash.
But the Suns came home with a flurry in the dying minutes, with goals to Ben Ainsworth, Alex Davies and a double to Izak Rankine sealing the 16.11 (107) to 12.8 (80) victory.
Rioli, playing his first AFL match since the 2019 elimination final win over Essendon, provided two magical moments in the third quarter to help momentarily stem the Gold Coast onslaught.
The premiership forward nailed a set shot from outside 50m to shift the momentum back West Coast's way.
And after the Suns had retaken the lead, Rioli put his body on the line in a mid-air crash with Rowell to ensure the star Gold Coast midfielder didn't mark the ball in attack.
The ball spilled free, Rioli ran forward to accept the ensuing kick, and the piece of play eventually led to a goal to former Fremantle Docker Hugh Dixon.
"Fair play, it was a good hit," Rowell said.
Rioli finished the match with 12 disposals, six clearances and a goal.
Rowell starred for Gold Coast with 33 disposals and 10 clearance, while Rankine nailed four goals from 23 disposals.
Gold Coast won the inside 50m count 59-42, contested possessions 155-122, and tackles 57-37.
But the Eagles hung tough until the final few minutes.
West Coast entered the match missing 11 first-choice players including stars Dom Sheed, Elliot Yeo, Luke Shuey, Jack Darling, Oscar Allen, Jamie Cripps, Tim Kelly, and Liam Ryan.
Eagles defender Tom Barrass, playing his 100th game, produced the highlight of the opening term when he was mobbed by teammates after nailing his maiden AFL goal.
West Coast midfielder Xavier O'Neill produced a party trick in the first quarter when he spun around while the ball was trapped behind his back before setting up a goal for Zac Langdon.
And he was at it again in the second term when he scooped up a loose ball inside a pack before spinning around and snapping truly.
Two goals to Levi Casboult for the term limited the damage, with the Suns reducing the margin to nine points at halftime.
Gold Coast hit the lead in the third term after Mabior Chol produced his best soccer imitation with a one-two touch for goal.
Rioli returned serve with some special moments of his own, but the weight of Gold Coast's forward 50m entries eventually proved telling, with the dam wall breaking in the dying minutes.
Hawks start Mitchell's reign with win over Roos
Hawthorn's post-Alastair Clarkson era is off to a winning start with the Hawks surging past North Melbourne by 20 points in an error-riddled AFL contest at the MCG.
In a battle between teams expected to struggle in 2022, the Hawks reeled in a 22-point deficit on Sunday to give new boss Sam Mitchell an ideal start to his head coaching career.
Despite being outclassed in the midfield, Hawthorn were able to gain a serious advantage up forward in the round-one match.
Hawks forward Mitch Lewis had arguably the best outing of his 37-game career, booting three vital goals as the Hawks prevailed 11.12 (78) to 8.10 (58).
Lewis brought down some big contested marks and converted his set shots to give Hawthorn faithful hope he can be the power forward the club has been crying out for since their golden era in the 2010s.
North were already under-sized down back after the departure of Robbie Tarrant during the off-season but things became dire when key defender Ben McKay was subbed out of the game with concussion in the first term.
Kangaroos captain Jack Ziebell was caught out having to play on Lewis and fellow key Hawks forward Jack Gunston (three goals), who made an encouraging return after his 2021 season was ruined by back issues.
The Hawks also had to use their medical sub, bringing on wingman Tom Phillips for Max Lynch after the ruckman suffered a head knock in the second quarter.
North's hyped number one draft pick Jason Horne-Francis showed promise on debut, highlighted by kicking an exciting goal during the second term when all Kangaroos players ran to congratulate him.
Chad Wingard, who was allowed to wear long sleeves for the first time in his four years at Hawthorn, made up for a quiet first three quarters to step up in the final term with two crucial goals.
Hawthorn will hit the road next weekend to face a wounded Port Adelaide, while the Kangaroos will host West Coast at in round-two.
Ladder
AAP/ABC
