The Bombers and Giants will meet at Metricon Stadium this Sunday from 6.10pm to close out an eventful Round 19 in the AFL. As always, PuntingInDanger has a full preview and betting tips, as well as a same game multi for the clash below.
Remember to check out our match predictions for every game in Round 19 by heading to our AFL Tips page.
AFL Essendon vs GWS Betting Tips
Metricon Stadium, Sunday 25th July, 6.10pm (AEST)
While this game was originally scheduled to be played at Marvel Satdium, COVID-19 restrictions in both Victoria and NSW have forced the teams north to play on the Gold Coast.
Match Preview
The Bombers recorded another important win on the weekend against the Kangaroos to put them into the top eight at the end of the round. They sit inside the eight on percentage alone ahead of a trailing pack of three teams in the Tigers, Dockers and Saints.
Jake Stringer was dominant in the win, kicking four goals on his way to a best-on-ground performance while the dominant season of midfielders Zach Merrett and Darcy Parish continued, racking up 73 touches between them.
The Giants squandered another golden opportunity to jump into the top eight on the weekend with a disappointing loss to the Swans. They led the game by 36 points in the 2nd quarter but allowed 9 unanswered goals to lose by 26 and now find themselves two points out of the eight.
A win here would be massive for the Giants, as it would not only give them a valuable four points, but deny four points to one of their main competitors for the final few spots in the top eight.
The Giants are absolutely ravaged by injuries at the moment. Both Josh Kelly and Lachie Whitfield will need to pass fitness tests to play, but that is the least of their concerns, with Lachie Keefe, Tom Hutchesson, Toby Greene, Bobby Hill, Matt Flynn and Matt de Boer all set to miss this week.
The Bombers are also without key players this week in the likes of Andrew McGrath, Jye Caldwell, Michael Hurley, Kyle Langford and Dylan Shiel. They could get veteran David Zaharakis back from a wrist injury though.
The Giants seem to keep doing just enough to keep them in the hunt for the top eight before failing to capitalise on it the very next week. If that trend continues, they should win a crucial game this week before dropping points next week. They have arguably the best depth of any club in the league, so even without the likes of Kelly and Whitfield, who have not yet been ruled out, I think they can beat this Bombers team who has been running hot of late but could be starting to run out of gas.
The Giants have won their last two against the Bombers, including a 2-point win back in Round 8 this season.
Giants H2H (1 Unit)
$2.13
Same Game Multi
Tim Taranto had another big game on the weekend, racking up 27 touches in the loss to the Swans. He has surpassed 25 touches in 15/17 games this season and could be asked to do more this week with Kelly and Whitfield potentially out of the line-up.
Nick Haynes missed the 15-touch mark last week by one in a heartbreaking final quarter for punters, but that was the first time he has failed to accumulate 15 disposals in the last eight games. Back him to bounce back this week.
Jake Stringer went on a run of four straight games with 23+ disposals but played more time in the forward line on the weekend, with just 17 touches but kicked four goals in the process. I expect him to be in the forward line again this weekend, where he was against the Giants earlier in the season.
Taranto 25+ Disp.
Haynes 15+ Disp.
Stringer 2+ Goals
ESS vs GWS Same Game Multi
$2.70
