Kick to Kick

2026 Round 5 Preview (Gather Round)

As we gear up for Gather Round, we look back at the first time these teams played each other. This week, the entire AFL world descends on South Australia for a festival of footy. But before the first bounce in the Barossa or the lights go up at Adelaide Oval, we’re digging into the archives to uncover the origin stories of these Round 5 matchups.

From the very first clash between the Crows and the Blues to the early days of the Suns and Swans rivalry, we explore the games that set the stage for this weekend’s blockbusters.

2026 Round 4 Preview

The stage is set, the early-season hype is meeting the reality of the grind, and the ladder is already starting to tell a story—welcome to Round 4 of the 2026 AFL Season!

Brisbane Lions vs. Collingwood: We travel back to 1997, 

North Melbourne vs. Carlton: We return to 1925 

Melbourne vs. Gold Coast Suns: We revisit 2011

2026 Round 3 Preview

The stage is set, the early-season hype is meeting the reality of the grind, and the ladder is already starting to tell a story—welcome to Round 3 of the 2026 AFL Season!

The Kick to Kick Podcast is back to find the soul of this week’s matchups by obsessive time-traveling. We’re stripping away the 5G stadium tech to revisit the mud, the heritage, and the very first sparks of these rivalries.

• Collingwood vs. GWS Giants: We revisit Round 18, 2012, at the MCG for the first-ever meeting between the league’s oldest powerhouse and its newest expansion. It was a "welcome to the big leagues" masterclass from a prime Magpies outfit against a GWS side full of teenagers still finding their AFL feet.

• Fremantle vs. Richmond: We return to Round 1, 1995, for the Dockers' inaugural AFL match at the MCG. The Tigers spoiled the newcomers' debut by a mere five points, sparking a cross-continental rivalry defined by three decades of heart-stopping finishes and "what-if" moments.

• Port Adelaide vs. West Coast: We look back at Round 15, 1997, when the SANFL giants met the AFL’s first interstate powerhouse for the first time. Played at Subiaco, it was a brutal, defensive grind that proved the "New Port" wasn't just joining the league to participate—they were there to challenge the established order.

2026 Round 2 Preview

The overreactions are in, the ladder is moving, and the winter grind is officially here—welcome to Round 2 of the 2026 AFL Season!

The Kick to Kick Podcast is back to find the soul of this week’s matchups by obsessing over the past. We’re stripping away the modern gloss to revisit the mud, the heritage, and the first sparks of these legendary rivalries.

This week, we’re breaking down:

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• St Kilda vs. Geelong: We return to Round 10, 1897, for the very first VFL-era clash between these teams. It was a gritty, low-scoring affair at Corio Oval that established Geelong's early dominance over the developing Saints.

• Adelaide Crows vs. Brisbane Lions: We revisit Round 5, 1997, a season where both clubs were defining their modern identities. It was a tactical masterclass by Malcolm Blight’s Crows against a newly merged Lions outfit still finding its roar.

• Western Bulldogs vs. Gold Coast Suns: We look back at Round 3, 2011, when a prime Robert Murphy led the Dogs against a teenage Gary Ablett Jr. and the fledgling Suns. It was a "welcome to the big leagues" moment that showed the gap between the old guard and the new.

• Sydney Swans vs. Essendon: We go back to Round 1, 1982, for the Swans' home game at the SCG. As the "Bloodshot" South Melbourne identity officially began its transformation into the Sydney powerhouse we know today.

2026 Round 1 Preview

The engine is warm, the cobwebs are gone, and now the real grind begins—welcome to Round 1 of the 2026 AFL Season!

The Kick to Kick Podcast is back for the main event. After a high-octane Opening Round, we’re settling into the rhythm of the season by doing what we do best: honoring the future by obsessing over the past. This week, we travel back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries to see how these legendary rivalries first sparked to life.

This week, we’re breaking down:

• Carlton vs. Richmond: We look back at the origins of the "Traditional" season opener. Before it was a Thursday night blockbuster, it was a battle for inner-city bragging rights. We retrace their first official VFL encounter in Round 1, 1908, where the Tigers made their league debut against the reigning premier Blues.

• Essendon vs. Hawthorn: A rivalry built on "Line in the Sand" moments. We head back to Round 4, 1925, the first time the Mayblooms (as they were then known) met the powerhouse Mosquitto Fleet, long before the blood-and-thunder of the 80s took over.

• Collingwood vs. Adelaide Crows: A modern classic with a relatively short history. We revisit Round 15, 1991, when the new kids from South Australia first stepped onto Victoria Park to face the reigning premiers in a true culture shock.

• Melbourne vs. St Kilda: Two of the oldest clubs in the land. We go all the way back to Round 1, 1897—the very first weekend of VFL football—to see how the Dees and Saints started a century-plus of competition.

• Gold Coast Suns vs. West Coast Eagles: From the expansion era to now. We look back at Round 11, 2011, their inaugural clash at Subiaco, and how the pecking order has shifted in the 15 years since.

2026 Round 0 Preview

Dust off the boots and wind back the clock—the Kick to Kick Podcast is back for 2026!"

We’re sticking to what we do best: breaking down the modern game by digging up its deepest roots. Each week, we preview the upcoming round through the lens of history, retracing the steps to the very first time these clubs met.

 

This week we chat about 

• Sydney Swans vs. Carlton 

• Gold Coast Suns vs. Geelong Cats 

•  GWS Giants vs. Hawthorn 

• Brisbane Lions vs. Western Bulldogs 

• St Kilda vs. Collingwood 

Season 2025 Wrap up

We are back to quickly wrap up the 2025 Grand final, and the season itself.

 

The Kick to Kick Podcast are looking back at the first meeting between this weeks match-ups, trying to bring out the stories, highlights, winners, and losers of days gone by. 

If you enjoy our podcast please give us a rating or leave a comment. Also, please refer us to friends and let other people know about what we do!

We use a range of resources when working on our show, to see a list of this constantly growing list click on the following link https://www.kicktokickpodcast.com/resources

 

Grand Final Preview 2025

Here is our AFL Grand Final preview for the 2025 season. We'll start with our traditional Grand Final Quiz, followed by a discussion on the Demons' new coach and the Merrett trade. Then, we'll dive into the history of the Norm Smith Medal before breaking down the big game itself!

 

References

Norm Smith Medal info thanks to Dan Eddy - https://www.daneddybooks.com/blog/y6f1hk3j8n6axr7zksbi43a49qo54r

• https://afltables.com/afl/afl_index.html
• Old Herald Sun articles
• Old Age articles
• Trove
• Inside Football

 

The Kick to Kick Podcast are looking back at the first meeting between this weeks match-ups, trying to bring out the stories, highlights, winners, and losers of days gone by. 

If you enjoy our podcast please give us a rating or leave a comment. Also, please refer us to friends and let other people know about what we do!

We use a range of resources when working on our show, to see a list of this constantly growing list click on the following link https://www.kicktokickpodcast.com/resources

Finals Week 3 Preview 2025

2 weeks to go, and here we are talking about the final 4. We discuss a few things around this, are Geelong, Hawthorn, Collingwood and Brisbane the big 4? Is the AFL fair? Is equalisation working?? We talk about the history between these match ups and then we chat Brownlow Medal quickly. 

 

References

• https://afltables.com/afl/afl_index.html
• Old Herald Sun articles
• Old Age articles
• Trove
• Inside Football

 

The Kick to Kick Podcast are looking back at the first meeting between this weeks match-ups, trying to bring out the stories, highlights, winners, and losers of days gone by. 

If you enjoy our podcast please give us a rating or leave a comment. Also, please refer us to friends and let other people know about what we do!

We use a range of resources when working on our show, to see a list of this constantly growing list click on the following link https://www.kicktokickpodcast.com/resources

 

 

Finals week 2 2025 Preview

We'll briefly recap last weekend's games before diving straight into the upcoming matches. First, we'll revisit history by looking at all four of the previous finals meetings between the Hawks and the Crows. Then, we turn our attention to the Lions vs. Suns, a first-time finals matchup. While it's a new rivalry on the finals stage, we'll still delve into the history of each expansion team's second-ever final. On top of all that, we'll be breaking down some of the greatest rivalry finals of all time.

 

References

• https://afltables.com/afl/afl_index.html
• Old Herald Sun articles
• Old Age articles
• Trove
• Inside Football

 

The Kick to Kick Podcast are looking back at the first meeting between this weeks match-ups, trying to bring out the stories, highlights, winners, and losers of days gone by. 

If you enjoy our podcast please give us a rating or leave a comment. Also, please refer us to friends and let other people know about what we do!

We use a range of resources when working on our show, to see a list of this constantly growing list click on the following link https://www.kicktokickpodcast.com/resources