It’s Round Eight of the 2023 AFL season, and things are starting to take shape.
BetDeluxe takes us through all the best bets this weekend, including the first game of the fixture between the Blues and Lions.
game of the week: Blues vs. Lions
5th May 7:50PM
Once again, the AFL fixture gods have gifted us the Game of the Week on the opening night of the round, with Carlton and Brisbane locking horns at Marvel Stadium.
The Blues, who have worked their way back into sixth spot on the ladder, ended a two-game losing streak last weekend with a dominant 108-point victory over the Eagles. Led by Charlie Curnow’s nine-goal haul, the Blues piled on 37 scoring shots to 14 and racked up 170 more disposals than the struggling Westerners.
Despite heading into the game as underdogs in the market – thanks to their terrible Melbourne form – the Lions are cruising with four consecutive wins. They were never in doubt against Fremantle last weekend, with Lachie Neale (35 touches), Josh Dunkley (28) and Will Ashcroft (28) dominating around the stoppages. They will be without Dayne Zorko (hamstring) and Daniel Rich (calf) while sidelined with injury.
Having won their past three games between the two sides, the Lions should be too strong for Carlton but once again must combat their inability to put it all together in Melbourne.
Suggested Bet: Lions to win @ $1.96
Tigers vs. Eagles
6th May 1:45pm
If it were any other team, any other opponent, or any other living entity, Richmond would not get close to the $1.11 quote they’re currently trading at against West Coast. A team has never needed a win more than Damien Hardwick’s men, and it should come in the form of another West Coast massacre. The Eagles simply don’t have any players to choose from.
Suggested Bet: Tigers 40+ at $1.86
Cats vs. Crows
6th May 2:10pm
It could easily have been the Game of the Week, with both sides eyeing off a genuine finals run in 2023. During the Cats’ current four-game winning run, they’ve kicked over 127 points every time, with Jeremy Cameron and the eight-goal Tomahawk causing incredible issues for defenders. The Crows gave up a chance to take down the Pies, which will hurt if they lose this one and go 4-4.
Suggested Bet: T. Hawkins first goal scorer @ $8
Suns vs. Demons
6th May 4:35PM
Two wins on the trot now for the Suns, but they’ve come against North and Richmond. Melbourne is a different beast and showed that again with a 90-point demolition of the Roos. All things being equal, even though the game is on the Gold Coast, this shouldn’t be close.
Suggested Bet: Demons 1-39 @ $2.20
Giants vs. Bulldogs
6th May 7:25PM
Are the Bulldogs going under the radar? After losing their first two games of the season, they’ve now won four of their past five, allowing an average of just 69 points during that time. The Giants seem to have found some form and ran over the Swans by one point in the local Derby, but with Tom Liberatore possibly returning for the Dogs, their $1.56 seems very reasonable.
Suggested Bet: Bulldogs to win @ $1.56
Dockers vs. Hawks
6th May 7:30PM
14th vs 17th, this isn’t exactly the blockbuster that will bring your friends together for a BBQ and beers on a Saturday night. The Hawks have arguably been in better form than the Dockers, with two of their last three losses by three points or less. The home crowd and potential return of dual Brownlow medallist Nat Fyfe should be enough to carry the Dockers to their third win of the season.
Suggested Bet: Dockers 1-39 @ $2.08
Power vs. Bombers
7th May 1:10PM
The pick of the games on Sunday, Port Adelaide will be looking to make it five wins on the bounce following their gutsy seven-point win over the Saints last weekend. They’ve now got multiple contributors through the middle, with Travis Boak returning to form with 30 disposals and Jason Horne-Francis recording 11 clearances. The Bombers, however, fell out of the top eight with their loss to Geelong, making this a crucial away fixture for Brad Scott’s men.
Suggested Bet: Power to win @ $1.52
Magpies vs. Swans
7th May 3:20PM
The great escape artists were at it again in Round Seven as Collingwood came from 22 points down and knocked off Adelaide in one of the tremendous one-point performances. This week bodes a much easier assignment for the ladder leaders as they host a wildly out-of-form Sydney with their own one-point debacle against the local rivals. They should, however, have the ruck advantage with the return of Tom Hickey.
Suggested Bet: Magpies (-16.5) @ $1.90
Kangaroos vs. Saints
7th May 4:40PM
If things couldn’t get much worse for Alastair Clarkson and the Kangaroos, they are coming up against a St Kilda side that lost their second single-figure game in three weeks. Add the foot injury to Jack Ziebell, Tom Powell and Charlie Comben’s ankles and Callum Coleman-Jones’ concussion issue, and they will be lucky to get close to the (+37.5) handicap.
Suggested Bet: Saints 40+ @ $1.98
