Gerard's Editorial | The excitement of Round 1 (12.03.26)

America leads the world in medicine development. It matters. We get new medicines first nearly

three years faster. Five million Americans go to work because we make medicines here at home

and not relying on other countries keeps us safe. But China is racing to overtake us.

Will we let them or will we choose to stay ahead? When America leads, America cures.

Let's tell Washington to keep us in the lead.

Learn how at americancures.com. Pay for by Farma.

Get in the game with the college branded Venmo debit card.

Record your team with every tap and earn up to 5% cash back with Venmo stash,

a new rewards program from Venmo. No monthly fee, no minimum balance, just school pride and spending

power. Get in the game and sign up for the Venmo debit card at Venmo.com slash college card.

The Venmo master card is issued by the bank court bank NA select schools available,

Venmo stash terms and exclusions apply at Venmo.me slash stash terms max $100 cash back per month.

Spring is here and the shopping list is long time to make a lows run by three bags get three

free of stay green one cubic foot garden soil. Plus right now members can earn four times the

points on an eligible purchase. Start spring off strong with these deals and more. Our best line-up

is here at Lowes. Valet the three twenty five while supplies last.

Soil offer excludes the last and why loyalty program subject to terms and conditions.

Sealows.com slash terms for details subject to change point booster subject to exclusions and

more terms apply one time only offer. Good morning. Here we are at round one proper all engaged

and ready for the full suite of action. So many threads through the next four days of food.

It's not a clean slate for Carlton as the vast majority of blues fans head to a game for the

first time this season. There's every reason to feel deflated and there's been an air of defeated

in the community as well. But now is the time to show some fortitude and this is as much for the

fans as it is for the players. When convincingly tonight demonstrating the changes that we're

evident in the preseason and making nonsense of the hyperventilating of the week. Get on with

building a season for Richmond. There's the glow of the corresponding game from last season still

unfathomable when you go back and study it on paper. Forty one points down kick twelve the last

fourteen goals. It's flipping crazy. You'd make the case tonight's is a stronger tiger team.

Can you pull off the same trick twice plus it's the first of hopefully many encounters between

Sam Luller and Jag up Smith tomorrow night. Well that sells itself outside the soap opera. Sam

Mitchell wants the hawks to pass the eye test which gives a glimpse into the disappointing nature

of the opening and the bombers haven't won since May last year. There are any ones. Yes.

But there's a hint of ground zero about this season and we're a long way in to be at ground zero.

The Bulldogs and the Giants have a fractious history. My favorite part of origin was when the

Bonds went to defend Toby's honor in a skirmish. The forecast is for hostilities rather than

niceties on Saturday. The Giants have lost nine of the past ten against the dog so they should be

taking it very personally by now. Free Maddles worst performance last season was in this game

at the category while Jolong with guilty of present he ism last week. So both have amends to make.

The Sydney swans have been fitted up as contenders and they can take the test against the champs.

The lines have been struck by an immediate player shortage which is even worse than we know so far.

Critically low on manpower and staring at the risk of a zero two stars. Colin would have been

Adelaide's nemesis through a set of thrillers and ruin the crows return to finals. If Matthew

nicks and his men have been stewing on the ignominy of September last this would be a good chance

to work through the frustrations but to do that they'll have to curb the teleporter in Nick

Deicos. On Sunday Jason Holland Francis finally plays in front of the North Melbourne fanbase

having previously been spirited away and tazzy. It's the start for Josh Carr. It might be the

beginning of the last lap for Zach butters and Alistair Clarkson will hope it's not the beginning

of the ends at the Kangas few teams need a positive start more than North. Melbourne has declared

win lose or draw the demons are having fun again in 2026 and I admire the sentiment.

Fun is an underrated commodity in sport these days but Stephen King has firmer ambitions than that

St. Kilda fumbled their glitzy launch. Melbourne would dearly love to get off on the right note

while the specter of Nas hangs over this match up forever more and the round closes with our

premiership favorites against the presumptive wooden spooner. It's an early test of the sun's

maturity they've rarely had the luxury of anticipating a huge win. Do they zero in and get all

that's on offer or do they get carried away. Thursday is game day all year. We view it through

the eye of the coach with Adam Simpson and strategy 2026 with Brenton Sanderson. So that by the

time we head to the 40 tonight we're all swatted up. So let's get to it with a little primer.

A reminder of how gloriously unpredictable and cruelly volatile the game can be

and it comes with a warning to Carlton fans will be best to look away now.

It's going to be another one here in Richmond and never go the Tigers and guess who it is.

It's Lola on day boom. Dockini our hairball missile body leech hairballs it on. He's

another goal coming up for the Tigers. And guess what? Richmond's in front and Lola on day boom

has got to chip kick square. Another goal coming up. Bang.

Crawling and car ask down for the blows bow goes bang if it gets on the way to the goal square

marks gets through. It rolls. It doubles. It's kids. It's off the deck. And he's over.

It is over cable. And he's done the flip. The Tiger comes. They are young. They are bold.

And they have caused one almighty upset. And the ripple effect is still filled today.

It not Carlton off its axis. And the blows never really recovered tonight is interesting

from the viewpoint of trajectories. You might say Richmond's top end is Carlton's bottom end.

Something in the vicinity of eight or nine wins. And that makes the four points all the more crucial.

Two good and co-coffee creamers are made with farm fresh cream, real milk and contain three

grams of sugar per serving. That's 40% less than the five grams per serving in leading traditional

coffee creamers for a rich delicious experience. Whether you enjoy your coffee hot, cold,

bold or frothy, two good coffee creamers make every sip a good one. Two good coffee creamers,

real goodness in every sip. Find them at your local crogr in the creamer aisle.