Can we get a petition together to have football from Thursday to Monday every single week? It feels like Round 6 just ended and already we are delving right into the Sunday action of Round 7. There are three games across the Sunday slate this week, two of which should be fairly interesting clashes.
As usual, we have you covered with a preview and betting tips for all three games. If you want to see the rest of our Round 7 previews and betting tips, head to our AFL Tips page.
AFL Round 7 Sunday Betting Tips
Carlton Blues vs Port Adelaide Power
Gabba, 1.05pm (AEST)
The Blues were fantastic in their Round 6 win over the Bulldogs, becoming the first team to score 100 points in a game since Round 2 of the AFL. Eddie Betts was dominant in the win, kicking four goals while big man Harry McKay added three of his own. The Dogs had the top five possession getters on the ground but were outplayed by the Carlton midfield, who had more hitouts, clearances and marks.
The Power staked their clam as premiership contenders with a great win over the Giants at Metricon Stadium. They kicked away to a two goal lead at half-time and never looked back, winning the game by 17 points in the end on the back of strong performances from Dan Houston and Sam Powell-Pepper.
While the Blues were absolutely dominant on the weekend, we think that says a little bit more about their recent history against the Dogs than it does about their actual current form. They get a much harder test this weekend, and we think the Power should prevail quite easily. After all, you can’t expect two good games in a row from the Blues.
Hawthorn vs Melbourne
GIANTS Stadium, 3.35pm (AEST)
After what seemed to be season defining wins over the Tigers and Roos to send them 3-1 on the season, the Hawks have lost their last two games, albeit to quality sides in the Giants and Pies. They’ll be desperate to bounce back this week, but catch a fired up Melbourne side at the wrong time after a gutsy win over Gold Coast.
Melbourne and Gold Coast traded blows throughout the game before some final quarter magic from Christian Petracca sealed the deal to help the Demons record just their second win of the season. The big bodied midfielder seems to have taken the next step this year and inserted himself into the ‘elite’ category, and looks there to stay.
The Hawks start as 5.5 point favourites here but we are going the other way. Apart from a Round 5 loss against the Tigers, the Demons have been pretty competitive in all of their games since the AFL resumed and we think the win over the Suns could be just what they needed to spark their season. Petracca is playing at another level at the moment and it wouldn’t be fun to bet against him.
Fremantle Dockers vs West Coast Eagles
Optus Stadium, 6.35pm (AEST)
The Dockers might have played their Grand Final on the weekend. Trailing by 36 points at quarter time, Fremantle went on to kick 10 of the next 11 goals to snatch a miraculous win off the Saints, their second on the trot after losing their first four. Michael Walters was sublime in the win, racking up 26 touches while Nat Fyfe had 20 disposals and two goals.
West Coast are also on a two game winning streak, after downing the Crows comfortably at the Gabba on Saturday afternoon. The Eagles controlled the game from start to finish, with Tim Kelly accumulating 24 touches and Jack Darling booting two goals in the win.
The Dockers win was inspiring, no doubt, but how much will they have left in the tank after that performance? The Eagles on the other hand were in cruise control for the majority of the game against Adelaide, and should come into this clash with less fatigue. 17.5 points is just a little too high for our liking though, especially given how competitive the Dockers have been in their losses this season.
