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Sydney has led a turnaround in national property prices after the market tracked down for 10 straight months.

The 0.6 per cent uptick in national home values as measured by CoreLogic marks the first positive result after rising interest rates began forcing prices down last year.

Peak to trough, home prices have fallen 8.5 per cent since April 2022.

The downturn, however, has hardly unwound the massive 28.6 per cent upswing in prices during the pandemic.

Melbourne is the one big city close to undoing its COVID-19 uplift, with only a 0.6 per cent buffer.

A separate index for measuring property prices prepared by PropTrack also recorded a reversal of the downward trend, lifting 0.13 nationally over the month of March.

CoreLogic research director Tim Lawless put the first monthly improvement in national home prices down to the tight rental market, the return of overseas migrants and a shortage of new homes listed on the market.

He said these factors have been enough to counter the downward pressure of higher interest rates.

"With rental markets this tight, it's likely we are seeing some spillover from renting into purchasing, although, with mortgage rates so high, not everyone who wants to buy will be able to qualify for a loan," Mr Lawless said.

He said record - and rising - migration levels were also playing a role, with some permanent or long-term migrants likely to be deterred by the tough rental conditions and skip straight to buying a home.

After the premium end of Sydney's property market experienced the sharpest downturn - falling 17.4 per cent from its peak in January 2022 - values have lifted two per cent in March as opportunistic buyers returned to the market.

Prices across the city as a whole increased by a substantial 1.4 per cent, with prices also lifting in Melbourne (0.6 per cent), Brisbane (0.1 per cent) and Perth (0.5 per cent).

All other capital cities recorded declines, with Hobart falling the most over the month, by 0.9 per cent.

Regional housing markets also recorded a 0.2 per cent increase with the strongest gains seen in rural markets, in contrast to the commutable coastal and lifestyle markets that dominated the COVID boom.

© AAP 2023

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Red Bull's victor Max Verstappen says Formula One officials are to blame for the mess of confusion surrounding his Australian grand prix triumph.

Verstappen survived mayhem in Melbourne as home-town rookie Oscar Piastri collected his first F1 points for finishing eighth at Albert Park on Sunday.

Verstappen led a last-lap motorcade when drivers were barred from overtaking as the crash-laden event ended not as a race, but a scripted procession.

The grand prix featured four starts - the original; two standing re-starts; one rolling re-start - three red flags, and eight of the 20 drivers failed to finish.

Verstappen, who won from Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton and Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso, was powering to victory with an eight-second lead with just two laps remaining.

But a crash prompted the second of the three red flags and stewards ordered a standing re-start from the grid, meaning Verstappen's well-earned advantage disappeared.

In a boom-or-bust resumption, four drivers crashed out amid manic moves at the first corner. The mass collision forced yet another red flag halt.

But after lengthy discussions, stewards then decided the next resumption for the final lap would be a rolling start behind a safety car - effectively, a ceremonial procession when drivers couldn't change positions.

"The race itself towards the end was a bit of a mess with all the calls," Verstappen said.

"I don't think we needed that second red flag ... it left a lot of drivers confused.

"I just didn't understand why we needed a red flag.

"If you would have had a safety car and then had a normal rolling start you wouldn't have had all these shunts and then you have a normal finish.

"So they (officials) created the problems themselves at the end of the day."

Verstappen, the reigning world champion, now has two wins and a second place from three races this year.

And Melbourne-born Piastri now has a wild experience to mark his racing debut at his home city grand prix.

"It was a crazy race," the 21-year-old said.

"It's the first race I have had three red flags and I think it's probably most people's first race like that."

Piastri, after finishing last (20th) and 15th in the first two races of his rookie season, now has four points in the bank.

"Definitely happy to get my first points on the board, especially here at home," he said.

"We kept ourselves out of trouble and ended up in the points."

A record 444,631 spectators attended the Albert Park circuit over the four days, eclipsing the previous best aggregate crowd of 419,114 set last year.

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Gold Coast coach Stuart Dew has dedicated their upset of Geelong to "problem solver" David Swallow in his 200th AFL game.

The Suns were wayward early but eventually their dominance of the stoppages showed in a 19-point win at home on Sunday.

Swallow had 15 touches, seven tackles, three clearances and three inside 50s to set the tone in a week that had been dedicated to the former captain.

"He's just a giver, always has been for this footy club," Dew said of the 30-year-old midfielder.

"A couple of times he's had decisions for his career (to move clubs) and I'm sure he's understood what staying meant and the flow-on that had on others.

"He's been through adversity and his best is still to come.

"Always selfless and no ego ... No.1 draft pick, new club. His ego surely could've been out of control.

"If you've got a problem you go to Dave and he'll do his best to solve it."

Jack Lukosius's career-best five goal haul featured a booming set shot from beyond 60m that created the match-winning buffer.

"You've got to celebrate the skill of these guys and it's such a unique skill to have, to be able to do that," Dew said.

"Not many can, and I'm glad it went through ... we needed it."

Dew rejoiced in the confidence of game-breaking defender Lachie Weller and heaped praise on midfielder Matt Rowell (24 touches, eight clearances).

"I'm seeing a complete midfielder ... if any young mids are watching TV, go and have a look at his first three weeks of the AFL season and watch the way he goes about it," he said.

"If you're just looking at the stats, it's a disservice to Rowelly and it's a disservice to the game to not understand his will to win.

"His competitive nature is unbelievable. He's only going to get better."

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Brisbane have torched Wests Tigers 46-12 to give the Kevin Walters-coached high-flyers their best start to an NRL season since 1998.

The unbeaten Broncos have won five games in a row to start the year, just as the club's premiership-winning side did 25 years ago.

The powerhouse pack, led by dynamic duo Payne Haas and Pat Carrigan, terrorised the Tigers in front of 27,553 fans at Suncorp Stadium.

That grunt was complemented by the brilliance of the Broncos' backline, with captain Adam Reynolds and outside backs Selwyn Cobbo, Reece Walsh and Kotoni Staggs dazzling.

Fullback Walsh, who suffered from cramp in the second half, was unstoppable once the game opened up and his three try-assists showcased his ability to set up his teammates with aplomb.

"I'm really pleased for everyone involved with the club - particularly the players because they are the ones working the hardest, physically and mentally," Walters said, when reminded of the 1998 start he was part of as a player.

"They are just stats, we need to keep going."

The hapless Tigers had no answers and have now lost their opening five games.

Coach Tim Sheens and his team will have a lot of soul searching to do in the coming week. Where they go from here is anyone's guess.

Broncos back-rower Jordan Riki had a groin complaint during the week but showed no side effects in a 25-metre charge to the line to open the scoring in his 50th NRL match.

The floodgates then opened.

Kurt Capewell chased a sublime short kick by No.6 Ezra Mam, Haas swatted three Tigers away from dummy-half and Cobbo raced 85m after a bumbling Tigers error.

Riki added his second before the break when he chased a deft Walsh kick to take the hosts to a 28-0 lead.

The Tigers were powerless in the face of the onslaught.

They were slow, disorganised and made elementary mistakes.

Staggs scored a double in the second half before errors crept into the hosts' game and the Tigers rallied.

The Broncos 1998 side recently celebrated the 25-year anniversary of their title win.

It is too early to say the current side will emulate their success but the similarities are clear.

Back then the Broncos had Shane Webcke and Brad Thorn up front.

Haas and Carrigan are worthy successors.

The backline featured the genius of Darren Lockyer, Steve Renouf and Allan Langer.

Walsh, Staggs, Reynolds and company are providing similar entertainment and, more importantly, wins on the scoreboard.

"We're a dangerous footy team when we get things right," Walters said.

Haas was put on report for a high shot on Alex Twal.

Sheens lamented "simple errors" that cost his team, and the fact the Broncos had the playmaker with the biggest impact.

"Adam Reynolds was the difference," Sheens said.

"His direction of the play, his choice of when to kick and when to run ... he's been a good buy for the Broncos."

"With an even share of possession, we've still got the team to win some games but we have to stop making those simple errors in the first 20 minutes that break their hearts."

© AAP 2023