Sunday afternoon under the roof of Marvel Stadium is where the head to head, first goal scorer and total points best bets come from.
The BetDeluxe team goes hunting for the best value across the Essendon versus Fremantle fixture.
HEad to HEAD
May 16th 1:10pm
The enthusiastic youth of both Essendon and Fremantle do battle at Marvel Stadium on Sunday afternoon in what is the BetDeluxe Game of the Round.
Essendon has been very competitive all year but sit in 15th spot on the ladder with a 2-6 record, while tenth-placed Fremantle come into this game with a 4-4 record.
Both teams suffered defeat last week with the Bombers falling desperately short against the GWS Giants 16.11.107 to 16.9.105 and Fremantle kept at arms-length all day against Brisbane to be handed a 14.11.95 to 10.11.71 loss.
The Bombers do have a slight advantage at the head to head having won their last three games against Fremantle.
The most recent of those wins came in Round 1 last season when they overcame a plucky Fremantle outfit by one straight goal in a low-scoring affair.
Fremantle has definitely improved since then and, despite going down to the Lions, actually had more inside 50s.
It suggests the Dockers midfield and ball movement is more than capable against genuine finals team.
If they clean up that ball movement going forward of centre then the losses over the last fortnight can be atoned for.
Add in the fact that Jake Stringer will be sidelined with a hamstring injury and this has the makings of a Dockers win.
Prediction: Fremantle by 8 points
Suggested Bets:
Fremantle head to head at $2.17
FIRST GOAL SCORER
Peter Wright/Lachie Schultz
The last time these two teams played it was Devon Smith who nailed the first goal back in Round 1 of 2020.
Fremantle, however, is in a purple patch of first goal scoring form having kicked the first major of the game in its last three matches.
Caleb Serong has been the unlikely source of first-goal scoring for the Dockers. The young Fremantle midfielder has snuck forward in the last fortnight to nail the first six points against Brisbane and West Coast.
The Bombers relied upon Peter Wright and Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti in the last two weeks.
An intriguing market but the value here lies with Peter Wright and Lachie Schultz.
Schultz kicked the first goal against North Melbourne three weeks ago and the Bombers defenders do sometimes struggle to handle small forwards.
Suggested Bet:
Peter Wright first goal at $14
Lachie Schultz first goal at $12
total points scored
Under 176.5
The total points scored market is incredibly overplayed here.
The 176.5 margin looks way over the top given how low scoring the games between these two teams have been in the past.
Granted, last year’s contest at Marvel in Round 1 was played on reduced minutes due to COVID, but neither team looked a huge threat offensively.
The Bombers have played in some very high-scoring games this season.
Marvel Stadium combined with the Essendon Football Club usually means high scores given five of the last six games the Bombers have played at venue have gone over the total points scored.
But Fremantle structure up quite solidly from a defensive point of view.
Unders all day in this one.
Suggested Bet: Total points scored under 176.5 points at $1.88
