Three games in the AFL this Saturday, the 15th of August, headlined by what should be an interesting clash between two maligned teams in the Demons and Pies from 5.10pm. Catch our preview and betting tips for all three games below.
We will be posting a new article EVERY DAY during footy mania, so make sure you regularly check our AFL Betting Tips page for tips on the games of the day.
AFL Round 12: Saturday Preview & Betting Tips
North Melbourne vs Brisbane
Metricon Stadium, Saturday 2.35pm (AEST)
The Roos were decimated by the Demons in Round 11 to the tune of 57 points to continue their horror run in 2020. They are just 3-8 on the season so far and sit in second last place on the ladder, ahead of only Adelaide. It’s pure carnage on the Roos injury list at the moment as well. It would be easier to name the players that are available for selection this week rather than those who are injured. The notable injuries include Ben Cunnington, Ben Brown, Ben Jacobs, Robbie Tarrant, Josh Walker and Jack Ziebell, just to name a few.
The Lions bounced back from a disappointing loss to the Tigers in Round 10 by beating the Bulldogs in Round 11 by 24 points. Eric Hipwood was dominant in the win, booting five goals while Lachie Neale had another potential three Brownlow vote game with 36 touches and a goal. The Lions currently sit in second place on the ladder with an 8-3 record.
This is one of the biggest lines we have seen since the season resumed at a whopping 28.5. We are still leaning marginally towards the Lions at this line, but depending on who is available for the Roos and what type of mood they show up in, we could see the result landing right around this margin. Opting instead to back the over, which sits at just 116. The bookies think this will be a blowout in which North Melbourne struggle to score, which is true. However, the last three games the Lions have been involved in have had an average winning margin of 42.6 points, and the average total points of those games, 136.6 points.
Over 116.5 Total Points
$1.91
Melbourne vs Collingwood
Gabba, Saturday 5.10pm (AEST)
Is it possible for two teams to be in bad form while both being on two game winning streaks? The Demons and Pies have definitely tested that theory over the last few weeks. They have both been blessed by the easiest of matchups right when it looked like their seasons were about to implode with the Demons capturing comfortable wins against the Crows and Kangaroos while Collingwood faced the Swans and Crows.
One of the two teams will be on a three game win streak after Saturday, which is pretty hard to believe given the way both teams have played since the season restarted. The bookies seem to see this one the same as us, opening with the teams at even $1.90 odds.
So tough to get a read on this game, so once again we are going to opt for the over. Low scoring games involving the Pies over the last few weeks has brought this line all the way into just 101.5, but we think their style of play opens up a bit against a faster paced Melbourne outfit. The last seven Melbourne games have totalled over 101.5 and we expect this one to as well.
Over 101.5 Total Points
$1.88
Fremantle Dockers vs Carlton Blues
Optus Stadium, 8.10pm (AEST)
Can somebody wake me up when this one is over? Two teams that I have had absolutely no interest in this season despite both actually showing some impressive glimpses at times. They both sit in that boring bottom third of the ladder zone, with the Blues in 13th and the Dockers in 14th both with a 4-6 record.
Fremantle have won their last two games on the trot, both close games over the Magpies and Hawks, and they will somehow enter this game as underdogs against a Blues outfit that looked absolutely deplorable against the very same Hawks side in Round 9 and were comfortably beaten by the Eagles in Round 11.
Not that I really want to even watch this game, but it seems strange to me that the Dockers are underdogs here after displaying much better form over the past two weeks and being at home in front of an actual crowd at Optus Stadium. They also have their best player and captain Nat Fyfe back, who dominated on the weekend and they will get their second best player, Michael Walters back from injury this week. Dockers all day.
