Geelong and Collingwood, last year’s AFL grand finalists, have early-season worries after suffering losses in round three.
North Melbourne were outstanding in the Sunday twilight game at Etihad Stadium as they held on in the final term to upset Geelong by 17 points.
The 20.11 (131) to 16.18 (114) result broke North’s seven-game losing streak against Geelong and means the reigning premiers join Collingwood with two losses from their opening three matches.
Carlton also broke their five-game losing streak, belting the Magpies by 60 points on Friday night.
Collingwood lost key midfielder Luke Ball for the rest of the season in 18.14 (122) to 9.8 (62) rout, their third player so far this year to need a knee reconstruction.
Brenton Sanderson suffered his first loss as Adelaide coach on Sunday after Hawthorn blitzed the Crows in the second half to win by 56 points.
The only sour note for Hawthorn in the 21.14 (140) to 12.12 (84) win at the MCG was a sickening collision between Luke Breust and Adelaide’s Brodie Martin in the final term.
Breust was stretchered off after he smashed into Martin.
Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson said there was plenty of room for improvement despite the convincing win.
“The whole football world would know right at this time Adelaide’s sitting a little bit below Geelong and Collingwood as dominant and strong sides in the competition,” Clarkson said.
“We expect to be able to do that to sides when we’re able to control the ball, and we’re pleased it ended up being a strong margin like that.
“But we think there’s still things in our game we need to improve a bit.
West Coast posted a club-record first quarter score of 11.4 on the way to an 81-point win over Greater Western Sydney at Blacktown.
That was one point more than the Giants’ final score as the Eagles won 23.12 (150) to 10.9 (69).
Essendon survived a fright on the Gold Coast Saturday night, rallying from seven points down at three-quarter time to win 15.15 (105) to 13.10 (88).
There were no problems for St Kilda, who blitzed the Western Bulldogs in the third term for a 63-point win at Etihad Stadium.
Lenny Hayes was best afield as the Saints won 15.13 (103) to 5.10 (40), while Bulldogs defender Brian Lake is on report for striking.
Sydney star Adam Goodes was also booked for rough conduct charge as the Swans beat Port Adelaide by 22 points.
The Swans pulled away in the final term to win 16.9 (105) to 12.11 (83).
Melbourne’s horror start to the season continued as Richmond thumped them by 59 points at the MCG, 20.13 (133) to 11.8 (74).
Fremantle held Brisbane to just 20 inside 50s on Saturday but midfielder Nathan Fyfe suffered a shoulder injury in the 8.16 (64) to 5.5 (35) win.
