Chris McDermott’s Round 1 AFL Team of the Week

A NEW season and a host of new faces plus an old favourite is back feature in Advertiser AFL expert Chris McDermott’s Team of the Week for Round 1. Chat live with Bone on The Advertiser Sport’s Facebook page from 12.30pm Tuesday.

Rory Laird tackles Essendon’s James Stewart during his near-flawless match for the Crows on Friday night. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

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• Bone’s takeaways: Crows, Power player ratings
• Blight: Buddy revives ton of dreams

A NEW season and a host of new faces plus an old favourite is back in the Team of the Week for Round 1.

On the local front, the Adelaide Crows had just one player get even close to the Team of the Week in their loss to Essendon.

Rory Laird’s near-faultless 40-possession game at 87 per cent efficiency was impossible to ignore.

For the Power, Justin Westhoff’s role in ruck following the injury to Patty Ryder saw the veteran win a place on the interchange, while youngster Dougal Howard earns his first ever jumper after applying a sensational 22 spoils in the strong win over the Dockers.

Around the grounds, Carlton youngster Charlie Curnow grabs his first role in attack after an outstanding five-goal performance against Richmond in the season opener at the MCG. It won’t be the last time this lad earns a spot with his athleticism sure to trouble most opposition defenders.

Team mate Patrick Cripps could not be ignored either after gathering an amazing 25 contested possessions despite the Blues loss.

An All-Australian berth is his for the taking if he can avoid injury.

Reigning Brownlow medallist Dustin Martin was at his best in the same game with 32 possessions while teammate Alex Rance wins the key defensive post after another unique exhibition.

Dynamic GWS duo Jeremy Cameron and Toby Greene the Giants were at their brilliant best combining for an imposing 10 goals and five assists between them as the Giants belted 2016 premiers the Western Bulldogs by a Round 1-high 82 points.

Surprise, surprise, Buddy’s back after kicking eight in the Swans’s win over West Coast while the story of the round must go to one of my favourites, the mercurial Nic Naitanui. Back after over 18 months on the sidelines following a knee reconstruction, Nic Nat was close to his best, inspiring his teammates to a close loss against the Swans.

The Eagles are a much better team with Naitanui in it. Likewise the Cats are better for the return of Gary Ablett jnr.

Ablett took no time settling into life back at Geelong with a 39-possession game only equalled by his skipper’s game in his 250th appearance for the Cats. Joel Selwood looked to be struggling at times but his 39 possessions arguably bettered Ablett’s.

Still, it was a nice one, Gary

Bone's Team of the Week Round 1