The 18-year-old small forward was in everything for Adelaide inside forward 50, with his exploits one of the major catalysts to the Crows’ strong third-quarter fightback.
Seen handing out high-fives to the first row of the crowd after waltzing in for his third major, Rachele added a much-needed spark to Adelaide’s attacking set-up, with his highlight reel featuring everything from long range set shots to silky soccer skills.
The only thing missing from the eye-catching debut was a Gatorade shower post game, as the Crows coughed up the last three majors to fall by one point in what was the game of the round.
Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks spoke glowingly of Rachele’s debut post game.
“I hope they (fans) are buzzing (about Rachele),” Nicks said.
“He’s a fantastic young man and, when given the opportunity, he’s pretty deadly in front of goal.
“He’s a complete footballer — he works hard off the field, he’s competitive and he has that polish.”
Will Brodie played his first game for the Dockers at Adelaide Oval on Sunday and was impressive, picking up 22 disposals and laying five tackles through the midfield.
Stepping up to fill the void left by injured skipper Nat Fyfe, he and Seymour’s David Mundy (23 disposals) were pivotal for Fremantle late as it came back to snatch the victory.
Moama’s Lachie Schultz also had his moment to shine, kicking three crucial goals (including the winner from outside 50) to get the game back on Fremantle’s terms.
Mooroopna’s Clayton Oliver played a key role for Melbourne on Wednesday night, as it began its premiership defence with a clinical 26-point win over Western Bulldogs in the grand final rematch.
The classy on-baller was in everything for the Demons, racking up 32 disposals, taking six marks and laying five tackles to make him one of the most influential players on the ground.
Kialla’s Alex Keath, Seymour’s Josh Schache and Mooroopna’s Laitham Vandermeer laced up the boots for the Dogs in the season opener.
Vandermeer was particularly impressive, returning to the side after being medical sub in the grand final and making his presence felt with 17 disposals and two tackles, while Keath and Schache were solid contributors.
Finley’s Tom Hawkins showed no signs of slowing down at the beginning of his 16th season, kicking four goals as Geelong destroyed Essendon by 66 points at the MCG on Saturday.
While Echuca’s Ollie Wines took to the field for the first time as a Brownlow medallist and was prolific, picking up 29 disposals in Port Adelaide’s nail-biting 11-point loss to Brisbane at the Gabba.
