Saturday night footy heads north this weekend with premiership fancies Brisbane taking on Essendon at the Gabba.
The Lions are on an absolute roll at the moment, with five wins from their last five matches, so the Bombers will enter this Round 9 clash as massive underdogs.
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AFL Round 9 Preview & Betting Tips
Brisbane vs Essendon
Saturday 7:25pm AEST, May 13th, Gabba
Essendon will have their work cut out trying to stop a rampant Brisbane on Saturday night.
As previously mentioned, the Lions have now won five games on the trot, including victories against strong opponents Collingwood and Carlton. In each of those five games Brisbane have scored 100+ points, reminding us of their league leading scoring power when in form. The load has been shared by all of the Lions forwards – Cameron, Daniher, Hipwood, Rayner, Bailey and Gunston have all hit the scoreboard in different matches, with the former leading the goalkicking tally (26). The work hasn’t just been done up front – Josh Dunkley has slotted seamlessly into the midfield alongside Neale and Rising Star candidate Will Ashcroft, while Harris Andrews has experienced a renaissance down back. As such, the Lions are well on their way to another top four berth in 2023, with an elusive premiership in their sights. Looking to this week’s encounter, Brisbane are likely to pick a similar 22 to the one that triumphed over Carlton. Veterans Dayne Zorko and Daniel Rich are the only players occupying the injury list, with both set to return in the next fortnight.
On the other hand, Essendon are sliding and have some serious injury concerns. After three consecutive losses, the Bombers now face the challenge of filling another void in defence after Jordan Ridley went down with concussion. Ridley joins Laverde, Stewart and Reid on the sidelines, leaving the Dons with few options to combat Brisbane’s ample tall timber. While Essendon have been competitive in their recent losses, accurate goalkicking has papered over some cracks, with the team managing 29.17 combined against Geelong and Port Adelaide. Given results so far, it appears likely that the Bombers will finish in the 9th-12th bracket, which is a shame for the fans considering how well they started the season. Nevertheless, an upset win this week would surely reignite belief that an unlikely top eight finish is possible.
All the signs point towards a Brisbane victory on Saturday night. The Lions are in great form and will relish playing at home where they have a serious advantage, while the Bombers are winless in their last three and badly undermanned. Essendon have managed to keep things close in their recent losses, but I can see the dynamic Brisbane forward line teaching them a lesson, leading the Lions to a big victory.
Brisbane -25.5
$1.90 (2 Units)
Same Game Multi
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Joe Daniher 2+ Goals – It’s all about stacking the Lions tall forwards this week, with Daniher being the first of them. Big Joe has kicked 18 goals this year at an average of 2.25 per game and this week he should feast on Essendon’s undersized backline, especially as they are his former side.
Eric Hipwood 2+ Goals – Hipwood also earns a spot in the multi as a tall forward in this smash spot. He has averaged 1.62 goals per game and should better that here, but there is always some doubt over the accuracy of his kicking.
Jack Gunston 2+ Goals – Gunston has flown under the radar in his first season as a Lion. With 10 goals to his name, the experienced sharp shooter has been solid if not outstanding, but I expect him to join the party on Saturday.
Cameron Rayner 1+ Goals – Rayner is a great shout for 1+ goals on Saturday. The former top draft pick has kicked nine goals in eight games this year, and has hit the scoreboard in his last two matches against the Bombers.
Same Game Multi odds - $4.33
