THE OPENING round of this year's competition made unwanted AFL history, with eight scores below 70 points and only three of at least 100.

It was the second time since the League was renamed the AFL in 1990 that there were just three triple-digit tallies in round one, but that previous occasion in 1991 featured only four games.

The season that most recently resembled this past weekend was in 2014, when there were five 100-plus scores and seven sub-70s.

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The average score per team of 78.7 points was the lowest since 1965 (53.75 points), owing in part to teams' inaccuracy, although there were also fewer scoring shots per game this year (45.1) than last (48.8).

Richmond, Melbourne, Brisbane, St Kilda, Gold Coast, Fremantle and North Melbourne were the only sides to kick more goals than behinds, with the Giants managing 16.16 in their win over Essendon.

Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley rated his side's performance "a 100-point scoring game easily" based on the opportunities created in its 12.15 (87) to 9.7 (61) defeat of the Demons.

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"Yes, we didn't finish the work, so you can call it we didn't score, but I would say that was a team that was capable of 100-plus points going around out there today," Hinkley said post-match.

"Absolutely that's the aim. You kick 100 and you're going to win more often than not – and that's where we're trying to get to."

The low batch of scores comes despite the AFL introducing new rule changes designed to ease congestion and boost scoring, but it is too early to make any judgment on that.

Round one scores, 1990-2019

YEAR SUB-70 100+ 2019 8 3 2018 5 6 2017 0 8 2016 3 9 2015 4 4 2014 7 5 2013 2 8 2012* 2 11 2011** 3 4 2010 3 6 2009 4 6 2008 4 7 2007 3 5 2006 3 6 2005 5 6 2004 4 7 2003 2 7 2002 1 9 2001 2 9 2000 1 12 1999 2 7 1998 2 8 1997 2 4 1996 5 7 1995^ 2 4 1994 0 8 1993 0 10 1992 1 5 1991^^ 2 3 1990= 2 7

* 18 teams

** 17 teams

^ 16 teams

^^ 15 teams

= 14 teams