With the Game of the Round all sorted, it’s time to get our teeth into the rest of the Round 4 fixtures and it’s all headlined by a massive clash between Port Adelaide and Richmond on Friday night.
We also think there might be a bit of an upset on the cards at Marvel Stadium on Sunday afternoon!
Richmond vs. Port Adelaide
April 9th 7:50pm
Port Adelaide welcome Richmond to Adelaide Oval for the first time since its agonising preliminary final loss to the 2020 premier.
In a game which saw the Tigers prevail by a goal to reach the grand final in Brisbane, Port will be on the hunt for revenge and look to have the perfect set up to do so.
Richmond was terrible in its round three loss against a faster, hungrier and younger Sydney Swans outfit who would go on to inflict the 17.15.117 to 10.12.72 defeat.
Meanwhile, Port Adelaide was left to rue a shocking first-half against a rampant West Coast Eagles to eventually succumb to a 16.12.108 to 11.5.71 loss.
Playing West Coast at Optus Stadium is one of the hardest road trips in the AFL and the Power did stem the bleeding after half time.
A return home to Adelaide Oval in front of its endearing home fans.
The Tigers will be without Dion Prestia who flared up a hamstring in the loss to Sydney and they will also be waiting on the fitness of captain Trent Cotchin.
Prediction: Port Adelaide by 25 points
Suggested Bets:
Port Adelaide to cover the -8.5 line at $1.91
Suggested Same Game Multi:
Leg 1: Port Adelaide -8.5
Leg 2: O. Wines 25+ disposals
Leg 3: C. Rozee to score 2+ goals
Combined odds = $7
Sydney vs. Essendon
April 8th 7:20pm
Sydney has a golden opportunity to go 4-0 when it hosts Essendon at the SCG on Thursday night.
The Swans have been one of the surprise packets of the 2021 season having easily accounted for Brisbane, Adelaide and Richmond to sit in second spot on the ladder after three rounds.
A host of youngsters for the Swans have stolen the limelight this season with academy product Errol Gulden being the pick of the bunch averaging 20 disposals and just over a goal a game to start his debut year.
A 45-point thumping of the reigning premier Richmond last week at the MCG has the Swans primed to knock off an Essendon side who finally get their season rolling against St Kilda last week.
Ben Rutten, in the face of an injury crisis, managed to get the first win of 2021 and as senior coach of the Bombers on the board with a huge 22.11.143 to 9.14.68 thrashing of the Saints last week.
It was looking doom and gloom for the Bombers after a one-point loss against Hawthorn was followed up by a nine-goal hiding against Port Adelaide in Round 2, but win against the Saints brought about some much needed relief for Bombers fans.
It won’t get any easier against the Swans, but they can definitely cover the line with the return of skipper Dyson Heppell.
Prediction: Sydney by 19 points
Suggested Bet: Essendon to cover the +28.5 line at $1.90
Suggested Same Game Multi:
Leg 1: A. McDonald-Tipungwuti 2+ Goals
Leg 2: L. Franklin 2+ Goals
Leg 3: Essendon +27.5
Combined Odds: $4.75
Western Bulldogs vs. Brisbane
april 10th 1:35pm
Mars Stadium in Ballarat plays host to the Western Bulldogs and Brisbane on Saturday afternoon.
The Bulldogs stamped themselves as a genuine premiership threat with the biggest win in the club’s history following a 25.17.167 to 5.9.39 belting of North Melbourne which was forward Josh Bruce kick 10 goals.
A Zac Bailey goal after the siren ensured Brisbane secured the premiership points over Collingwood after trailing for the majority of the game.
It was a much needed victory for the Lions after starting the season 0-2.
The Lions have had the wood over the Dogs in the last outings with the most recent fixture being a 24-point win at the Gabba last year.
But Ballarat provides the Bulldogs with a distinct advantage having played the Lions there in 2018 and coming away with a 13.14.92 to 11.10.76 win.
The Lions are clearly a much improved team since that loss three years ago and are likely to welcome back Jarrod Berry and Darcy Gardiner.
This will be a close game.
Prediction: Western Bulldogs by 5 points
Suggested Bet: Brisbane to cover the +11.5 line at $1.89.
Suggested Same Game Multi:
Leg 1: Brisbane +11.5
Leg 2: L. Neale 25+ disposals
Leg 3: Total score under 168.5 points
Combined odds = $4.33
ST KILDA vs. west coast
april 10th 4:35pm
West Coast make the trek across the Nullabor when it faces St Kilda at Marvel Stadium on Saturday.
The Saints were dealt a 75-point hammering against Essendon last week and to take make matters worse it will be without gun on-baller Jade Gresham for the rest of the season who tore his achilles tendon in the loss.
St Kilda was lost for answers against the Bombers and the Eagles represent an ever greater challenge.
Adam Simpson led his men to a big 16.12.108 to 11.5.71 victory of Port Adelaide as key forward veterans Josh Kennedy (four goals) and Jack Darling (three goals) booted the Power out of Optus Stadium.
The Eagles, however, will have to deal with the loss of Luke Shuey who injured his hamstring yet again.
Rohan Marshall will give the Saints ruck stocks a big boost after successfully getting through a half of a VFL practice match last weekend.
Despite the form suggesting this will be a comfortable win to the Eagles, expect a response from the Saints after horrible performance.
Prediction: West Coast by 13 points.
Suggested Bets: St Kilda to cover the +17.5 line at $1.90
Suggested Same Game Multi:
Leg 1: St Kilda +17.5
Leg 2: D. Butler 2+ goals
Leg 3: J. Steele 25+ disposals
Combined odds = $5
Gold Coast vs. Carlton
April 10th 7:25pm
Carlton take the flight over to Queensland when it prepares for a Round 4 clash against the Gold Coast Suns at Metricon Stadium on Saturday night.
The Blues registered their first win of the 2021 season with a resounding 45-point beating of the Fremantle Dockers last Sunday as tall forward Harry McKay booted seven goals.
Co-captain Patrick Cripps was also back to his dominant best with 34 disposals, 11 clearances and two goals.
The Suns, meanwhile, were left to squander after a 10-point loss against Adelaide last week.
To make matters worse for the Suns, captain Jarrod Witts went down with what has now been confirmed a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament which will see him miss the remainder of the season.
It’s a big blow the Suns who will now be without a genuine recognised ruckman but they did adjust well in the midfield against the Crows despite the loss.
Last year’s game between the two teams saw the Blues pick off a tired Suns team with 33-point win in dewy conditions at TIO Stadium.
With Cripps back in form and McKay firing up front we will side with the Blues… just.
Prediction: Carlton by 8 points
Suggested Bets: Carlton head to head at $1.84
Suggested Same Game Multi:
Leg 1: Carlton 1-39
Leg 2: E. Curnow 25+ disposals
Leg 3: E. Betts 2+ goals
Leg 4: A. Sexton anytime goal scorer
Combined odds = $7.5
Collingwood vs. GWS Giants
April 10th 7:25pm
Following the heartbreak of losing by a kick after the siren, Collingwood now set its sights upon an injury depleted and out of form GWS Giants on Saturday night.
Leading for the majority of the game against the Brisbane Lions, the Magpies coughed up a game it looked destined to win with Zac Bailey drilling a goal after time expired.
Sitting in 11th spot at 1-2, the Pies arguably have their easiest contest to date this season with the Giants winless in their opening three rounds.
Giants captain Stephen Coniglio (ankle) has become the latest casualty on a growing injury list which includes Lachie Whitfield, Phil Davis, Matt De Boer and Harry Perryman.
With the pressure continues to heap on Leon Cameron – who is yet to win a game since signing his contract extension – there needs to be a response after the disappointing 34-point loss to Melbourne in round three.
Doubt it will come against the Pies who should be able to go 2-2.
Prediction: Collingwood by 31 points.
Suggested Bets: Collingwood to cover the -25.5 line at $1.89
Suggested Same Game Multi:
Leg 1: J. Crisp 25+ Disposals
Leg 2: T. Greene 2+ Goals
Leg 3: Total Points Under 175.5
Leg 4: Collingwood Win
Combined Odds: $5.25
North Melbourne vs. Adelaide
April 11th 1:10pm
After a Good Friday disaster North Melbourne will be keen to make up for a horror display when it faces the Adelaide Crows at Marvel Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
It was one of the worst performances in North’s history last week after being walloped by 128 points against the Western Bulldogs last week.
The Kangaroos were super competitive early in the game going into the quarter time break trailing by two goals but it all fell away from there and will now have to contend with a Crows team who is up and about thanks to Coleman medal leader Taylor Walker.
The Crows’ big man has slammed home 17 goals in the opening three rounds this season and will be looking for more against a depleted Roos backline.
A glimmer of hope is afforded to North Melbourne given its imposing record over the Crows in recent fixtures.
Last year it was the Roos who skipped away with a 69-point drubbing of the Crows at Metricon Stadium.
North Melbourne did start favourites in that game and while its form this season has been horrendous, the $3.42 on offer for them to turn it around is tempting enough.
Adelaide are clearly in better form but it’s tough to trust them enough to get the job done at such a short price.
Prediction: North Melbourne by 1 point.
Suggested Bets: North Melbourne head to head at $3.42.
Suggested Same Game Multi:
Leg 1: Ben Keays 20+ Disposals
Leg 2: North Melbourne +19.5
Leg 3: T. Walker 3+ Goals
Combined Odds: $4.33
Fremantle vs. Hawthorn
April 11th 4:40pm
Fremantle and Hawthorn bring an end to round four when they do battle at Optus Stadium on Sunday.
A last quarter surge from the Hawks was not enough to get over the line against Geelong on Easter Monday, while the Dockers were bullied by Carlton on Easter Sunday.
Nathan Fyfe will rejoin the Dockers lineup with the 12-day concussion mandate coming to an end this week after he was concussed against Giants in round two.
He will be a timely addition to a Fremantle squad already plagued with a huge amount of injuries.
From head to head perspective, whichever team starts the favourite in this game has won 13 of the past 14 games but last year that trend was bucked with Fremantle defeating Hawthorn as the $2.10 outsiders.
A return home to Optus Stadium alongside with the inclusion of Fyfe will no doubt spark improvement in the Dockers.
Justin Longmuir will need to tweak a few things on the whiteboard to deal with a Hawthorn forward line consisting of Luke Breust, Mitchell Lewis and Jacob Koschitzke.
Prediction: Fremantle by 17 points
Suggested Bets: Fremantle to cover the -11.5 line at $1.91
Suggested Same Game Multi:
Leg 1: J. Koschitzke Score Anytime
Leg 2: M. Walters 2+ Goals
Leg 3: Fremantle -10.5
Combined Odds: $3.9
