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.