Even captain Bob Murphy was shocked at how good Western Bulldogs were in round one.
But the veteran skipper said it won't count for much in round two, when the Dogs face St Kilda in a marquee occasion.
Saints skipper Nick Riewoldt will celebrate his 300th AFL game against the Bulldogs, who were runaway victors against Fremantle last Sunday.
A seven-goal to none first quarter blitz ensured the Dogs would start the season on top of the AFL ladder despite their highly-credentialled opponents.
After the Easter Egg hunt on Sunday morning, Murphy reported it was another "pleasant Easter Sunday surprise".
"That's as good as footy as we've played for a long long time," he said.
"It was a bit of a surprise to me, the first half."
While the Saints and the Bulldogs might be seen as occupying different places on the footy landscape, they shared two hum-dingers in 2015.
In round six, St Kilda edged the Dogs by seven points before Murphy's side edged a low-scoring classic by a goal a month later.
"We had two great hit-outs last year that went right down to the wire so we're going in with our eyes open on Saturday that it will go the distance," he said.
Murphy said he was interested in standing Riewoldt but a more suitable teammate was more likely to get the job.
"I'm going to put my hand up," he said.
"I think Dale Morris and Nick have had a good tussle over the years and I'd expect them two to cross paths."
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