We’ve got another Super Saturday on our hands for AFL Round 17 with five matches on the slate. There’s so much on the line for just about every team at this point in the season, which should make for a great day/night of footy. As always, we preview each match and provide our best bet. Check them out below and good luck to everyone following!
Don’t forget, AFL Saturday will be our focus today, but you can head to our AFL Tips Page for a bunch of content for Round 17 in the AFL including preview and tips for EVERY GAME.
AFL Round 17 Saturday Betting Tips
Sydney Swans vs Carlton Blues (1:45pm, SCG)
The Swans three match winning streak came to an end last weekend when they were defeated by the Bombers by 10 points. They had equal chances to win the match but were on the wrong end of a Bombers fourth quarter surge. The Swans remain in an unfavourable position on the ladder with their 6-9 season record placing them all the way down in 14th.
The Blues had another big fourth quarter last weekend against the Demons, although this time they weren’t able to pull off the miraculous. Regardless, it was great to see them playing with great spirit and fight it out until the end. The Blues are 17th on the ladder with three wins next to their name.
It’s pretty hard to see the Swans blowing out the Blues here despite it being played in Sydney. The Blues have covered the spread in each of their last four matches since Teague took over as caretaker, and we expect them to make it five on the spin on Saturday.
Carlton Blues +22.5
$1.90
Hawthorn Hawks vs Fremantle Dockers (2:10pm, UTS)
The Hawks kept their slim finals hopes alive with a courageous win over the Magpies last Friday night. They trailed for most of the night but were able to come up clutch and record a four-point win. James Sicily was best afield and is a shoo-in for the three Brownlow Votes. The Hawks are now in 13th position at 6-9.
The Dockers suffered an embarrassing defeat in the Derby last weekend, going down to the Eagles by 91 points. They kicked 2.19 for the match, which is their most inaccurate performance in club history. The wheels seem to have fallen off for the Dockers since their win over the Power. They’ve lost three on the spin and are now in real danger of seeing their finals hopes drift away.
Neither of these sides are in great form, but the Hawks are certainly playing the better footy of the two. Expect them to be too strong for the Dockers in a must-win at game the MCG.
Hawthorn Hawks -12.5
$1.90
Essendon Bombers vs North Melbourne (4:35pm, Marvel)
The Bombers have now grinded out back-to-back wins in matches that could’ve easily gone the other way. Last weekend it was the Swans who they defeated, which made it four wins from their last five games. The Bombers are now a healthy 8-7 on the season and have a very real chance of making the finals if they continue their recent form.
North Melbourne are another side that’s making a late push towards the finals. They look a completely different team since Rhyce Shaw took over, winning four from five in his tenure so far. Take into account the win the Roos had prior to Shaw taking over and they’ve actually won five from their last six, which makes them one of the most in form and dangerous sides in the competition.
This match has great potential to be the match of the round. It’s 9th vs 10th and both sides are in the best form they’ve been in all season. Both sides have also been scoring a lot easier in recent weeks and will look to continue to take the game on. We expect this to be a high-scoring affair that should eclipse the 167.5 line.
Total Points Over 167.5
$1.88
Gold Coast Suns vs Adelaide Crows (7:25pm, Metricon)
The Suns have been brave in most of their matches this season and have found a way to stay competitive in them despite having arguably the least talented list in the competition. However, what they dished up against the Tigers last weekend was nothing like their previous performances. They were dominated from start to finish and lost by a whopping 92 points on their home deck.
The Suns were extremely poor last weekend, but you could argue that the Crows were even worse. They led the Power by four points early in the third term, only to concede nine straight second half goals to lose by 57 points to their cross-town rivals. Not only did they lose to the Power, they also went behind them on the ladder and now sit in eighth position.
Both teams were really poor last round and will be low on confidence. However, we expect the superior Crows team to bounce back strongly with a big win on the road. They’re a proud club and will be well aware of what’s at stake.
Adelaide Crows -31.5
$1.91
Geelong Cats vs St Kilda Saints (7:25pm, GMHBA)
The Cats were another team that underperformed in Round 16 and will be looking to bounce back in a big way this weekend. They were outworked by the Bulldogs in an entertaining match, eventually going down by 16 points. Despite the loss, Geelong remain at the top of the ladder by four points + percentage.
The Saints season has gone from bad to worse in recent weeks. They began their 2019 campaign at 3-1 but have since lost eight of their past 11 matches and now sit in 15th spot on the ladder. Coach Alan Richardson is probably under the most pressure of all 18 coaches at the moment and will be desperate to get some positive results ASAP.
The Saints absolutely need a win, but we just can’t see it happening this weekend. Taking on the Cats at GMHBA Stadium is arguably the toughest task in footy and will be a task too much for them this weekend. Take the Cats to win this comfortably.
