Round 1 action in the 2024 AFL season continues on Saturday with a juicy four-game slate for fans to sink their teeth into. Last to get underway will be the clash between Gold Coast and Adelaide in Queensland. We have a full betting preview available below!
Also, Before You Bet will be providing free previews and betting tips for EVERY game in the 2024 AFL season, so make sure to head over to out our AFL Tips regularly to keep up to date with all of our free content.
2024 AFL Round 1 Preview & Betting Tips
Gold Coast v Adelaide
People First Stadium, Saturday 16th March, 8:10pm (AEDT)
The Gold Coast Suns get their chance to secure back-to-back wins with another home game on the coast on Saturday night.
Their opponent, the Adelaide Crows front up for their first match of the home and away season with high expectations from members, most expecting them to make the top 8 in 2024.
The Suns get a seven-day break after defeating Richmond by 39 points, and have miles in the legs, while the Crows obviously come into this fresh as they did not play in Opening Round.
Gold Coast got out to a hot start last week and were amazing to watch, although against a team that did look like witches hats in the early minutes. The Suns led by 67 points at one stage in the second quarter and a first half margin bet might be worth looking at this week as a result.
Matt Rowell had 20 clearances, so there’s potential for the Crows to put a tag on early, while Ben King at full forward will need to be matched up on tightly after starting the season in a blaze of glory too.
Jarrod Witts (ruck) started the season well, and the 31-year-old will be keen to put another forward showing in against Reilly O’Brien who looked to be in great form in the pre-season.
Adelaide will be without Riley Thilthorpe who is out for around 12 weeks, and Taylor Walker is out as well as confirmed on Thursday morning by the club. Where are the goals going to come from? You would think smalls Josh Rachelle and Izak Rankine would have to hit the scoreboard multiple times for them to get the win.
A lot of focus will also be on Darcy Fogarty who will be a key target in the forward 50, but he now will take the best defender of the Suns.
The last time Adelaide played for premiership points was on that cold Saturday night where Ben Keays seemingly kicked a goal at the death to secure a spot in the finals, all for the goal umpire to adjudicate the kick incorrectly, saying it grazed the post for a behind.
They’ll be itching to get their campaign underway and will need to win these types of games against similar opposition if they are to play finals in 2024.
Match Prediction: It's a tough match to pick, and is having a hitout in Opening Round an advantageous or not? Potentially, if Gold Coast only had a five or six day break in between. However, the Suns have had a full seven-day rest, which should aid their chances against a team who may experience a couple of players cramping late in the game as can often be the case in the early rounds. All in all, we’ll be taking the Suns to win for a single unit.
Gold Coast to Win
$1.68 (1 Unit)
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Gold Coast HT/FT – For the reasons mentioned in the preview above.
Touk Miller 25+ Disposals – Expecting to have a bounce back season after a quieter 2023. He also had 28 disposals against the Tigers last weekend.
Ben King 1+ Goals – Looked fantastic last weekend with five majors and should be prominent again.
SGM Odds: $2.90 at BoomBet
