Is Sydney unstoppable? Or can their fellow New South Welshmen recapture their early-season form?
BetDeluxe breaks down the three best bets heading into the second-half of the AFL season.
Best Bet: Sydney Swans
$3.75
Can any team get near Sydney? Or are they peaking too early?
The Swans have been near-perfect in their pursuit of the 2024 AFL premiership, with 10 wins from 11 games and a percentage of 150.1. They rank first for points scored (1132) and against (754), with 104 more points kicked than the following best, Geelong.
After defeating current top-eight teams Melbourne, Collingwood, and Essendon to start the season, the Swans lowered their colours for one week against the Tigers before hitting back with impressive wins over the Giants, Blues and Dogs.
Isaac Heeney and Chad Warner are in Brownlow Medal-winning form, while Brodie Grundy (Melbourne) will go down as the recruit of the season. Add in Errol Gulden and the fact Luke Parker has been plying his trade in the VFL, the Swans have no holes to speak of at this point of the year.
While $3.75 might appear unders with half a season to go, this Swans team is as good as any we’ve seen for quite a while. Jump on.
Next Best: GWS Giants
$7.50
No Collingwood? Or Carlton? Or even the high-flying Bombers?
Collingwood’s injury list keeps worsening, the Blues are the same, and the Bombers have beaten just one team currently in the top eight – ironically, the Giants.
The Giants’ price has certainly drifted in recent weeks following losses to Sydney, the Dons, and the Dogs, but they hit back in style when they defeated the Cats by four points at GMHBA Stadium over the weekend. That’s four now at the Cattery.
Adam Kingsley’s talented squad won their first five games of the season, but injuries to Lachie Ash, Isaac Cumming, Jack Buckley, and star midfielder Josh Kelly have since curtailed their momentum.
If Toby Greene can continue the resurgence of form he showed against the Cats, alongside Jesse Hogan, there’s no ceiling on the Giants this year. The $7.50 on offer might be the best you get from here.
Best Value: Port Adelaide
$15
There is no doubt Port Adelaide represents excellent value at their current quote of $15, with all but Sydney and Essendon currently above them on the ladder.
Ken Hinkley’s men have built a reputation of failing to fire in the big games in recent years, but they currently sit third on the ladder thanks in large to the dominance of their young midfield brigade, Connor Rozee, Zak Butters, and Jason Horne-Francis. The emergence of the young stars has allowed Brownlow Medallist Ollie Wines to recapture his best form. He’s accumulated 20+ disposals in all but one game, while averaging over five clearances and five tackles.
Perhaps more importantly for Hinkley is the strength of the Power’s defense this season, with the addition of Esava Ratugolea (Geelong) and Brandon Zerk-Thatcher (Essendon). Alongside Aliir Aliir, the Power’s key defenders are as reliable as any in the competition.
With wins against Geelong at GMHBA and Essendon, the Power could finally have the arsenal to go all the way for the first time since 2004.
