Round 16 in the AFL comes to a close on Wednesday night this week as the Brisbane Lions host the Gold Coast Suns at the Gabba from 7.10pm! As usual, we have a dedicated preview and betting tips for the clash below.
AFL Round 16 Brisbane vs Gold Coast Betting Tips
Gabba, Wednesday 7.10pm (AEST)
Brisbane
The Brisbane Lions currently sit in third place on the AFL ladder but can jump the Geelong Cats and climb into the top two with a win over the Suns. While home field advantage won’t mean a lot to the Victorian teams in the finals this season, it will to the Lions, who are undefeated at the Gabba this season and can lock up a home qualifying final with a top two finish.
The Lions were great last week, racking up a 7th straight win at the Gabba as they downed the Magpies by eight points on Friday night. Following the win, however, the team was dealt a massive blow as it was announced that star defender Harris Andrews would miss an extended period with a hamstring injury.
Daniel Rich came back into the Lions side last week against the Pies and had an immediate impact, racking up 18 touches, 14 of them kicks in the win. With Alex Witherden being dropped from the side last week, Rich is the sole kick-out taker for the Lions, so he should continue to rack up the touches. In his last three games against the Suns, Rich has averaged 22.7 touches and represents great value to clear the 20 disposal mark this week.
Gold Coast
The Suns captured a fantastic win over the Kangaroos in their last game back in Round 14. They dominated right from the outset, plundering 31 scoring shots to just 8 as they racked up a 63 point win. The victory helped them climb to 14th on the ladder with a 5-8 record and while finals is certainly out of the question, the Suns will look to end the season on a high note with games against Brisbane, Collingwood and Hawthorn remaining.
The Suns have impressed at times throughout the season but are still definitely on the rebuilding path. Impressively, the had eight players (the most of any team in the competition) named in the 22 under 22 squad throughout the week, led by the likes of Ben King and Izak Rankine.
Jarrod Witts has been an absolute monster against the Lions in recent history, racking up an average of 98.3 fantasy points per game across his last four against Brisbane on the back of 38.5 hitouts and 14 possessions. Should be even more likely to have a big game on Wednesday night with Lions starting ruckman Stefan Martin currently on the sidelines with a back injury.
Bet Coming Soon
Prediction
The Lions should be too good here, especially at the Gabba, where they remain undefeated all season. The only question is whether or not they will be able to cover the 17.5 point line. Games at the Gabba and Metricon have been low scoring since the weather has started to heat up resulting in dewy conditions, particularly at night. The Lions have won their last three games in Queensland by a combined margin of just 11 points, and with humidity reaching around 80% in Brisbane at game time on Wednesday night, this could be another low scoring affair.
