Round 14 in the AFL kicks off what will be another massive stretch of footy action that sees just one night without games for the next few weeks. The round gets underway on Thursday with a double header starting at 4.40pm and we have a full preview and betting tips for both games below!
We will be providing daily AFL articles during the busy stretch of games across the next few rounds, so make sure you continue to check out our AFL Betting Tips page for regular updates.
AFL Round 14 Thursday Betting Tips
Hawthorn vs Essendon
Adelaide Oval, 4.40pm (AEST)
Two great rivals will square off from 4.40pm on Thursday afternoon as the Hawks and the Bombers kick off the Round 14 action. Both teams are coming off tough losses in Round 13, with the Hawks going down to the Power by just 10 points and the Bombers losing to the Tigers in the Dreamtime game by just 12 points.
While the Hawks chances of making finals are already dashed this season, there is still hope for the Bombers, who showed plenty of signs of like against Richmond and look a much better team with some of their key players back in the line-up. The Bombers could be bolstered even more this week with the return of bookends Cale Hooker and Joe Daniher, who would play his first game since Round 9 last season.
The Bombers start as 4.5 point favourites here but with Hooker and Daniher potentially back in the line-up, it adds a lot of stability to their spine and makes them a much more talented team. They were impressive against the Tigers last weekend and if they bring that form into Thursday night they should win this game.
Richmond vs West Coast
Metricon Stadium, 7.10pm (AEST)
The Eagles have won eight games in a row and are surging up the AFL ladder. They currently sit in fourth place and could potentially jump all the way to first if they secure a big win over the Tigers. Richmond secured a good win over the Bombers in Darwin in Round 13 and advanced their own position on the ladder, currently sitting fifth with a 8-4-1 record.
The Eagles are still without Elliot Yeo but apart from him their injury list looks pretty solid at the moment. The Tigers could get ruckman Toby Nankervis back from injury this week, and are now only waiting on Dion PRestia, Shane Edwards and David Astubry to be at full strength.
The Tigers start as slight favourites here, which is odd given the dominant form the Eagles have been in lately. Tough to call this game either way but we do like the look of the overs. The Eagles have put up big scores in their eight game winning streak and in perfect conditions on the Gold Coast, the game should be pretty free flowing.
