It’s the last round before the byes start in the AFL, and we have a litter of title fights and potential blowouts.
BetDeluxe provides tips for every game, including the must-win match-up between the Swans and Blues.
game of the week: Swans vs. Blues
26th May 7:50PM
Friday night has produced the Game of the Week on multiple occasions this season, and this round is no exception. Instead of the top-four clash most assumed this game to be when examining the fixture in March, we have a mouthwatering match-up between two sides that could not be any more desperate for victory.
All the pressure is seemingly on Carlton and Michael Voss after 10 rounds, with the Blues sitting in 11th spot on the ladder following their fifth loss from six outings on Sunday. Their game plan needs to be fixed, their a-grade midfield of Cripps, Walsh, Cerra, Kennedy, and Hewett is underperforming, and the twin towers of Curnow and McKay are struggling to operate in the same forward 50.
However, all is not lost for the Blues, as they sit just half a game outside the eight. Tom De Koning could return to the ruck after his 24 disposals and 34 hit-outs in the VFL.
It doesn’t get much better for the Swans, as they face the prospect of a Curnow-McKay double – no matter how out of form they are – without Tom McCartin (concussion). They edged past North Melbourne thanks to an interchange infringement, but that would give John Longmire little confidence for a team that had lost its previous four.
Tom Hickey will be a test (concussion), but he will be required after fellow ruck Peter Ladhams injured his ankle.
The market is edging the way of the Blues at $1.84, and they might get lucky on the back of the Swans’ injury woes.
Suggested Bet: Blues to win @ $1.84
Saints vs. Hawks
27th May 1:45pm
Did Hawthorn improve, or is West Coast that bad? It was an astounding result last weekend, with the 18th-placed Hawks dismantling the embattled Eagles by 116 points. While Sam Mitchell would have been pleased with his side’s second win of the season, the fifth-placed Saints will be an entirely different beast, especially with a fit and firing Max King.
Suggested Bet: Saints 1-39 @ $2.20
Demons vs. Dockers
27th May 2:10pm
The Demons’ easy run with the fixture ended in Round 10 with a four-point loss to Port Adelaide, just their third of the season. The big news is that Clayton Oliver’s hamstring strain has sidelined the star midfielder indefinitely. As for the Dockers, they’re a different team to a month ago, and the $3.20 on offer in the head-to-head markets seems overs.
Suggested Bet: Demons (-18.5) @ $1.90
Cats vs. Giants
27th May 4:35PM
It’s been a rough fortnight for the Cats with losses to Richmond and Fremantle, but that could all turn around with the possible return of Sam De Koning, Gary Rohan and Oliver Henry. The Giants took a hit in more ways than one during their two-goal loss to the Saints, with injuries to Nick Haynes (concussion), Harry Himmelberg (concussion), Josh Kelly (hamstring) and Phil Davis (calf). Cats to bounce back.
Suggested Bet: Cats 40+ @ $1.95
Suns vs. Bulldogs
27th May 7:25PM
Who could possibly bet against the Western Bulldogs at this point? Since losing to Port by just 14 points in Round Five, Bevo’s chargers have strung together five wins on the trot, including a 45-point demolition of the Crows on the weekend. The Suns were found out in the Q-Clash, with the top four possession winners all Lions. A home game away from Heritage Bank Stadium (Darwin) against another dominant midfield doesn’t bode well for them.
Suggested Bet: Bulldogs to win @ $1.52
Eagles vs. Bombers
27th May 7:40PM
The Eagles are currently $9.90 with BetDeluxe and there’s an argument to be made that’s a bit generous. The Bombers snapped their four-game losing streak in style in Dreamtime at the ‘G, the perfect warm-up for a percentage booster against the Eagles.
Suggested Bet: K. Langford first goal scorer @ $10
Tigers vs. Power
28th May 1:10PM
It’s been an emotional week for the Tigers and their faithful with the sudden resignation of three-time premiership coach Damien Hardwick. The show must go on under the guidance of Andrew McQualter, but it doesn’t get much harder than a Power side coming off a season-defining win over the Demons. The Tigers must stop Zak Butters and Connor Rozee, something they will find awfully difficult.
Suggested Bet: Over (+167.5) @ $1.88
Magpies vs. Kangaroos
28th May 3:20PM
The ladder leaders against the second-worst side in the competition. Without Clarko. While the Kangaroos were valiant in their three-point loss to the Swans, the $1.04 price for A pies side that now has a notable ruckman in Darcy Cameron says it all. A massacre.
Suggested Bet: Magpies 40+ @ $1.42
Crows vs. Lions
28th May 4:40PM
The final game of the round is also one of the highlights, with the Crows needing to bounce back from a disappointing loss to the Bulldogs in Ballarat. They’ve loved the Adelaide Oval this season, with four of their five wins coming at the venue. The Lions’ train continues to roll, though, with seven wins in a row. Lachie Neale is in Brownlow Medal-winning form, while Josh Dunkley is far behind him.
Suggested Bet: Crows (+4.5) @ $1.90
