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The dust has settled on the opening week of the AFL finals with six teams keeping their premiership hopes alive, while the eliminated Sydney and Geelong have no choice but to look to next season.
Premiers Richmond issued a statement of intent with its defeat of Hawthorn to progress to the preliminary finals stage but it was not the only performance across the four matches that caught the eye of Grandstand expert commentator David Parkin.
Parkin, who won four premierships as a coach and captained the Hawks to the 1971 flag, believes Melbourne showed it is a genuine contender and he was also suitably impressed with the manner in which GWS swept aside Sydney.
As the AFL world continues to dissect the finals, Parkin gives us his assessment of who stood tall and who went missing in week one.
Tigers impressive but Demons can be a worthy match-up
The Tigers left no-one thinking they cannot win consecutive premierships, after recording a classy 31-point triumph over Hawthorn in the opening qualifying final at the MCG last Thursday night.
Parkin was impressed with the Tigers' display but he saw much in the Demons' win against a disappointing Geelong the following night to suggest they could stand in the way of the reigning premiers claiming back-to-back flags.
The physical presence of the Demons on both sides of the ball was noted by Parkin and he expects them to be a worthy opponent should they and the Tigers win their way through to the grand final.
"I'm pleased to see the frenetic intensity or pressure, or whatever you like to call it," Parkin said.
"I saw a fair amount of it delivered by Melbourne. Hawthorn delivered it up to a point where the kids and the inexperience in mature, physical bodies couldn't cope anymore and their game fell away, in my opinion, accordingly.
"Melbourne might have the physicality to do that. If you can match Richmond in that approach (physicality) you might have a chance but at the moment they (Tigers) play all the time with a method that is extremely hard to cope with."
Demons should enjoy 'the moment of the chase'
Conventional wisdom might suggest the Demons and their long suffering supporters need to keep a lid on their excitement after winning their first final since their most recent September appearance in 2006.
Parkin, however, does not subscribe to this theory, believing it is important the Demons enjoy the moment following their lengthy absence from the finals.
He is convinced Simon Goodwin and his players will not get swept up in the hype, as they prepare to meet the Hawks in a Friday night semi-final at the MCG.
"They're (Demons) enjoying the ride. I'm just so pleased to see the [same] kind of outward and positive response we have seen from Richmond over the last couple of years," Parkin said.
"There's no denying they're enjoying what they're doing - they're doing it well, they're pleasing themselves and their fans.
"I think we've got a new generation, so why not enjoy it?
"I never enjoyed the moment of the chase. The only thing I ever enjoyed in footy [afterwards] was if we won and I played okay, but I never actually enjoyed the moment.
"To see them within the game, after the game, prior to the game, getting into the mood and outwardly enjoying it as individual players and as a collective I think is a marvellous thing for footy and their fans."
Cats need to fill 'some real holes' in their list
The Cats' loss to the Demons saw the club slip to a 3-9 win-loss record in the finals under coach Chris Scott since they won their most recent premiership in 2011.
They were outclassed by the Demons to the tune of 29 points on Friday night, a performance that has intensified the calls for an overhaul of the Cats' list.
Parkin did not go as far as declaring the Cats needed to clear the decks but he points out there are gaps in their list that need to be filled if they are to be a premiership contender in the coming season.
"They didn't measure up and stand up for a difficult physical contest, which would have sent messages not only to their teammates but to the opposition too," Parkin said.
"They've been fantastic, Geelong, over the last decade. They haven't had to go down. They've added, I suppose, rather than rebuilt and they have been pretty competitive, and they play pretty exciting football.
"But I saw for the first time some real holes. Holes in the talent they need, holes in the attitude that you absolutely have to have.
"I was extremely disappointed and I would have thought the coach would have had to take a deep breath after the game and say 'we might have to change our approach' and maybe do a bit of a step back to rebuild because they do have, as he suggested, some real holes in the make-up of that team."
Giants have what it takes to challenge for the flag
The physicality of GWS in their convincing 49-point victory over Sydney on Saturday night caught the eye of Parkin, who feels the Giants made the Swans "look pretty ordinary".
He did highlight that the loss of the injured Josh Kelly (knee) will be a blow to the Giants, who face Collingwood in their semi-final at the MCG this Saturday night.
But Parkin is confident the Giants have the depth to replace Kelly, while their pressure - similar to that of the Demons - could prove to be a headache for the Magpies.
"In a real sense GWS - in the same sense as Melbourne - have the talent, have the application," Parkin said.
"Certainly their best player was injured ... Kelly is a very important part of that team, in terms of the top-end talent and what he can do.
"So they will miss him but they have been able to cover pretty well. I think GWS would be delighted with the manner in which they did the job.
"I think Sydney would be at the other end of the continuum and I did hear (Swans coach) John Longmire after the match, and I think he was totally and utterly honest, [say] they were beaten in every aspect, in every element of the game."
Eagles may lack the 'ammunition' to win premiership
West Coast booked a home preliminary final after beating the Magpies by 16 points in Saturday night's qualifying final in Perth, although Parkin feels Eagles fans may have cause for concern in terms of their premiership hopes.
The Eagles were able to take advantage of the Magpies' defensive match-ups during the see-sawing final term with vital goals to tall forwards Josh Kennedy and Jack Darling, as the hosts climbed back from a 10-point deficit at the final change.
Parkin describes the Eagles as a "good, structured side" and did not rule them out of advancing to the grand final, but he questions whether they have the weapons to win the flag.
"Collingwood got beaten on the basis that had there been a (Darcy) Moore or a (Ben) Reid that was able to stand up and compete in the air at the finish there might have been a different result for that game," Parkin said.
"But the two blokes, who were key targets forward in the finish, grabbed the ball against smaller and lighter opponents.
"I'm quite realistically thinking about the Eagles not having the ammunition, the guns to win a premiership but they might be hard to beat there in a week's time in Perth."
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