The game of the round to commence the AFL Premiership season is in, now it’s time for the best of the rest this weekend!
It all starts on Friday night with Geelong hosting Brisbane, while the surprise packets of Round 1 go head to head at the SCG.
Time to put those best bets through the big sticks!
Geelong vs Brisbane
March 26th 7:50pm
After starting short-priced favourites in their Round 1 fixtures both Geelong and Brisbane come into this game desperate to get their first win on the board for 2021.
The big news heading into this game is the suspension of champion Geelong midfielder Patrick Dangerfield after he collected Adelaide’s Jake Kelly with what was deemed a dangerous bump, while there is some doubt surrounding the availability of Lions ball winner Lachie Neale.
The Lions were arguably the more disappointing of the two after squandering an early three-goal lead to be humiliated by a hungrier and younger Sydney Swans outfit.
2020 grand finalist Geelong, meanwhile, was humbled by the 2020 wooden spooners Adelaide.
A shock 15.13.103 to 13.13.91 loss left Cats coach Chris Scott scratching his head.
The Cats do get back Zac Tuohy in added boost their backline.
Prediction: Geelong by 13 points
Suggested Bets:
Geelong to cover the -8.5 line at $1.90
sydney vs. adelaide
march 27th 1:45pm
The return of Buddy Franklin is finally here!
If Carlton and Collingwood weren’t doing battle at the MCG on Thursday this would have had to be have been the game of the round.
In what was deemed a rebuilding year for both Sydney and Adelaide in 2020, both teams produced superb upset victories against more highly-fancied opponents in Round 1 last week.
The Swans marched away from the Gabba with a 31-point hiding of the Brisbane Lions, while the Crows held on against a fast finishing Geelong to record a 13-point triumph in a high-scoring affair at Adelaide Oval.
John Longmuir unveiled three debutants in the clash against the Lions, with Errol Gulden being the pick of the bunch with 19 disposals and three goals.
Crows veteran forward Taylor Walker wound back the clock with a vintage five-goal display against the Cats to show the AFL world he is far from a spent commodity.
This is set to be an exciting game for neutral fans as well as fans of both the Swans and Crows.
The five-goal win by the Swans against Brisbane was full of class and with the inclusion of champion forward Buddy Franklin, we will stick with the home side in this one.
Prediction: Swans by 18 points.
Suggested Bet: Adelaide Crows to cover +19.5 line at $1.91
Suggested Same Game Multi:
Leg 1: Sydney Winning Margin 1-39
Leg 3: L. Franklin 2+ Goals
Leg 3: Rory Sloane 25+ Disposals
Combined Odds: $6
port adelaide vs. essendon
march 27th 4:35pm
Port Adelaide welcome Essendon to the Adelaide Oval on Saturday evening in a bid to make it 2-0 and keep its spot atop on the ladder.
Ken Hinkley would have been pleased with what his men dished up against North Melbourne last week as the Power completed a 52-point drubbing of the Roos with a 17.15.117 to 9.11.65 win at Marvel Stadium.
Essendon, however, was left to rue a terrible second half which saw it relinquish a 40-point lead against Hawthorn deep into the second quarter.
A late goal to Hawks forward Tim O’Brien inflicted an agonising one-point loss to the Bombers who are now tasked with opening their account in one of the more difficult away games this season.
The last time the two teams met was in Round 17 last year and it was Port Adelaide who took home the premiership points with a 50-point win.
Expecting this to be a very similar outcome to what occurred that day.
Prediction: Port Adelaide by 43 points
Suggested Bets: Port Adelaide to cover the -32.5 line at $1.89
Suggested Same Game Multi:
Leg 1: Port Adelaide -32.5
Leg 2: O. Fantasia 2+ goals
Leg 3: C. Dixon 2+ goals
Combined odds = $2.80
st kilda vs. melbourne
march 27th 7:25pm
“Spud’s game.”
This fixture between St Kilda and Melbourne has been dedicated to the late Danny Frawley and has a big sentiment towards it with the AFL fraternity.
What better way to enter a game with such meaning when both have had winning starts to their seasons.
Both the Saints and Demons arm wrestled their way to tight victories in Round 1.
St Kilda, with a host of injuries, managed to overcome the GWS Giants with a 13.8.86 to 11.12.78 victory in wet and windy conditions, while the Demons staved off a plucky Fremantle to notch up an 11.14.80 to 8.10.58 win.
Simon Goodwin did gain the upper hand on the Saints last season with a nail-biting three-point victory the last time these two teams met.
In good news on the injury front, both the Saints and Demons will welcome back a host of players for this game.
Max King and Zak Jones are expected to be fully fit for the Saints, while Michael Hibbard, Jake Melksham and Jack Viney all look certain starters for the Demons.
This is going to be another tight match, as it was last year, and the value looks to be with the Demons in a flip of the coin game.
Prediction: Melbourne by 5 points
Suggested Bets: Melbourne head to head at $2.25
Suggested Same Game Multi:
Leg 1: Melbourne head to head
Leg 2: C. Salem 20+ disposals
Leg 3: T. McDonald 2+ goals
Leg 4: C. Petracca 25+ disposals
Combined odds = $6.10
gold coast vs. north melbourne
march 27th 8:10pm
Both North Melbourne and Gold Coast are searching for their first win of the 2021 season when they do battle at Metricon Stadium on Saturday night.
In a cruel twist of of fate for the Gold Coast Suns, they will be without Matt Rowell who suffered a PCL injury upon his return from shoulder surgery which kept him out for the majority of the 2020 season.
The Suns went toe to toe with West Coast in Perth for three quarters but would ultimately conceded five goals to one in the last quarter to go down by 25 points.
North Melbourne, while playing well in patches against Port Adelaide, were well and truly outclassed as they succumbed to a 52-point loss.
New recruit Jaidyn Stephenson proved his worth by collecting a game-high 33 disposals, while the progression of young midfield Luke Davies-Uniacke is something Roos fans will be excited about.
While it’s tough to tip North Melbourne at the head to head, the line does look a bit generous.
Prediction: Gold Coast by 15
Suggested Bets: North Melbourne to cover the +20.5 line at $1.90.
Suggested Same Game Multi:
Leg 1: Total Points under 179.5
Leg 2: Gold Coast 1-39
Leg 3: L. Davies-Uniacke 20+ disposals
Leg 4: A. Sexton 2+ goals
Combined odds = $5.5
hawthorn vs. richmond
march 28th 1:10pm
A 2-0 start to the 2021 season is on offer for both Richmond and Hawthorn when they clash at the MCG on Sunday afternoon.
Reigning premier Richmond started its season off with a 25-point victory over Carlton thanks to a late flurry of goals with a handful of minutes remaining, while the Hawks produced a stunning second-half comeback to nail Essendon right on the line with a one-point victory at Marvel Stadium.
Dustin Martin was at his absolute best last Thursday as he collected 31 disposals to go with his two goals in a best on ground performance.
For the Hawks, Tom Mitchell showed the competition his horror leg break is a thing of the past after amassing 39 disposals alongside Jaegar O’Meara who tallied up 30 touches in the win.
Alistair Clarkson came up with the blue print to defeat Richmond as a 32-point win in favour of the Hawks was the result of their Round 3 clash in 2020.
The Tigers did start heavy favourites in that game and it’s rare that they will allow the Hawks to dictate the game as they did last season.
While we can never doubt the genius that is Clarkson, the Tigers have too much class in this one.
Prediction: Richmond by 23 points.
Suggested Bets: Hawthorn to cover +29.5 line at $1.90
Suggested Same Game Multi:
Leg 1: Hawthorn +29.5
Leg 2: J. O’Meara 25+ disposals
Leg 3: J. Graham 25+ disposals
Combined odds = $4.10
western bulldogs vs. west coast
march 28th 3:20pm
The West Coast Eagles are on the road for the first time in 2021 when they face the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Both teams produced hard fought victories in their Round 1 fixtures with the Eagles overcoming a dogged Gold Coast Suns to record a 25-point win, and the Bulldogs went on to record a gritty 16-point victory over Collingwood.
The Dogs proved the superior team last time it played the Eagles with a pulsating two-point win at Metricon Stadium in Round 2.
It’s going to be a battle of the midfields in this one, with bot teams batting very deep in the middle of the park.
The Eagles will be without Luke Shuey and Elliot Yeo who continue to recover from injury and that might be catalyst for a Bulldog win.
Prediction: Western Bulldogs by 11 points
Suggested Bets: Western Bulldogs head to head at $1.48
fremantle vs. GWS
march 28th 6:10pm
The pressure gauge continues to rise on GWS Giants coach Leon Cameron as his side travel to Perth to face the Fremantle Dockers in a bid to notch up its first win of the year.
After going into its season opener against the Saints as the favourites, the Giants looked a shadow of the team that nearly went all the way in 2019.
In wet and wild conditions, the Saints inflicted an eight-point loss upon the Giants.
Fremantle, too, was dealt defeat in its Round 1 game against Melbourne.
Having to deal with an injury ravaged squad, Justin Longmuir’s men toiled away all day but just found the Demons at the MCG a task too difficult to overcome and would ultimately go down by 22 points.
The Dockers will still be without their gun forward Michael Walters who continues to recover from a hamstring strain.
GWS may be boosted by the return of lively small forward Brent Daniels who would be a much welcomed addition to a forward line that lacked creativity last week.
The Giants look good value to win this one and should be able to bounce back.
Prediction: GWS by 19 points
Suggested Bets: GWS head to head at $1.95
Suggested Same Game Multi:
Leg 1: GWS head to head
Leg 2: J. Hopper 25+ disposals
Leg 3: T. Greene 2+ goals
Combined odds = $4.50
