The Blues also hold a strong 7-4 record as the line underdog at home this year. Essendon's season has hit a big-time snag as the Bombers look to recover from a pair of disappointing losses. The Crows dominated the territory battle – evidenced by a 35-20 inside 50 advantage – but the Cats defenders held up well under a flurry of attacking raids. North Melbourne host the Sydney Swans in Tasmania in the pick of Saturday's fixtures before Collingwood host the Gold Coast Suns in a rare fixture at Etihad Stadium. "We've been pretty focused on that throughout the whole week: what we control, what we can't control. Pies set for high-stakes afl clash 2020. The bookies have set a very slim line this week, but when you factor in the recent form of each side, it's hard to imagine this one not being close. North Melbourne were no match for Hawthorn last weekend and they are still a very outside chance of missing the AFL Finals.
Collingwood's defence is a brick wall that simply refused to budge, with Brayden Maynard, Nick Daicos and Mason Cox all putting in incredible efforts. St. Kilda open as the early favourites following last week's thrilling three-point win over the Dockers. This Sunday afternoon blockbuster under the roof of Etihad Stadium saw two 13-0 sides do battle at the peak of their powers. The Crows 68-point victory was their last at AAMI stadium. Rohan sets himself and launches a torpedo that cruises through the posts to give Geelong the lead. Pies set for high-stakes afl clash 2018. The Pies have enjoyed the better of the possession and have camped themselves in Geelong's half, continuing to create opportunities by forcing turnovers. A greater certainty is hard to conceive. 5 Total Points, Jordan de Goey 2+ Goals.
These are two teams that are tough to trust from a betting perspective and this is another clash that I am more than happy to stay out of. Sydney's chances were dampened last week in a blowout loss to St Kilda, but from a betting perspective, this does set up one of the most profitable plays of the entire season. Are they getting closer, or missing opportunities? We have had the Welcome to Country, a rendition of the national anthem and we're finally off. As far as the finals are concerned, this is a huge game with both clubs still looking a genuine chance. Fremantle know all about blowout wins, notching one themselves over Carlton last week. Taylor Walker's season is now over after accepting a two game ban, and unless Adelaide can somehow take down North Melbourne without him, the Crows season will be over too. We've reached the business end of the season with just two weeks left to play out. Unfortunately, a road game at Optus Stadium probably isn't the place to do it. Pies set for high-stakes afl clash naruto. West Coast survived a close shave against Adelaide at home last week to earn their fourth straight win in a row. Geelong and Collingwood traded blow for blow in front of 95, 000 fans the MCG with the minor premiers edging it by six points to earn themselves a week off ahead of a mouth-watering preliminary final clash with the winner of Melbourne vs Brisbane next week. AFL Round Table: The team with the most to lose this week. The Dogs and the Giants have plenty of history against one another that dates back to their famous Elimination Final back in 2019. Recommended Bet: Back Under 168.
The Brisbane Lions scored a famous victory over Geelong three seasons ago and will be looking to repeat the dose this weekend, while the found finishes when Essendon face the Western Bulldogs on Sunday afternoon. The Dons picked up what could be a season-defining victory over the Bulldogs in blowout fashion – a win that is sure to motivate Ben Rutten's men with a finals spot still up for grabs. What an astonishing game of footy. Heartbreak for Collingwood as Geelong clinch LAST-GASP victory in epic qualifying final at MCG. Before Saturday, the Cats had won just 10 of 25 finals under coach Chris Scott and since he took over in 2011, their most recent premiership, they were a dismal 2-8 in the first week of September. We need to put some thought into that and make some adjustments, " he said. Tom McDonald looks a good chance to return this week from a back injury, while the Crows' list has only gotten weaker with Matt Croush set to miss the remainder of the season with a groin injury.
There are a host of excellent betting plays to be found this weekend and below are our complete 2017 AFL Round 22 tips. Tip: Carlton to Cover the Line (+1. They'll now travel to Adelaide to face the Crows on Saturday, a team that continues to flirt with the fringes of the top eight. Up against former Brisbane teammate and Magpies coach Craig McRae, Voss joked "the wager picks itself", while he was confident his charges could avoid a repeat of their late heartbreak against Melbourne. The players hate it, coaches hate it, journos aren't getting much out of it - why not scrap it, and have open training sessions with autograph and photo opportunities afterwards. It is Collingwood that will go into this clash as clear favourites and it is incredibly tough to trust them in this position. Collingwood break quickly through the middle and look set to kick their first of the second term, but Brody Mihocek sees his effort from 30 metres out smothered at the last second, before the Cats clean up a mess of their own making by rushing a behind. In addition to the fact the bye ruins the integrity of the game, as mentioned above, it absolutely kills the momentum of the season. In snowy conditions, GWS managed only four goals in their 56-point loss, making a spot back inside the top four impossible with only two games remaining. The undermanned Pies began well against the Cats, having six goals before the 24-minute mark of the first term, but kicking only three more from that point. The Roos will also have their sights set on bigger and better things next year, which should help distract them from the fact they've lost three in a row to Adelaide dating back to last season. Crows stay in top-four hunt after sneaking past Cats in a thriller. Even though they fought back to be within a 10-points, last week was nothing short of ordinary from Geelong. 80 for the match, which is approximately the AFL average this season, while Collingwood's hasn't fallen below 1.
B [37] Brayden Maynard, [30] Darcy Moore, [38] Jeremy Howe. Essendon's finals hopes might be over, but the Dons will be looking to end their season on a high note by knocking off the reigning premiers at the G'. With Marcus Adams now out as well, Brisbane's defensive struggles will again be enhanced, and going out in the first week of the finals would be a massive disappointment. There has been plenty to like about the way that the Brisbane Lions have played in recent weeks and they can cover the line with a start of 34. The last time Essendon defeated Fremantle in Perth was 2013, and since then, their most recent meetings have turned into relatively close affairs. Overall, the Dees should win this game comfortably, and it might just get out of hand if they find some accuracy in front of the sticks. Brayden Maynard kicks the ball out of the full, giving the Cats stalwart a set shot from the pocket. Blues, Pies set for high-stakes AFL clash | | Inverell, NSW. With an eight-game winning streak against the Hawks since the 2008 grand final, Geelong wanted to maintain their dominance once again. Danielle Ponter booted two goals, and could've had a third to seal the game, but lost the ball on her fourth bounce. A win for West Coast will see them into outright second on the ladder, while a Richmond victory would only further widen the gap between themselves and fifth-place Collingwood. The Magpies have won three of their past ten games as underdogs for a small loss, but much more impressively they are 8-2 against the line when being given a start. A similar first half won't fly against a class side like Geelong, and given the Cats have won five in a row over the Suns dating back to 2015, it's hard to see any kind of upset unfolding. Another big crowd is expected at the 'G on Saturday night as the Dees and Blues meet with plenty at stake. On the flip side, the Eagles' last win at the MCG over the Tigers came back in 2015.
The minor premiers surge to the other end of the field, with Brad Close going through the Pies midfield unchallenged to finish in style. For the first time in their short history, the Power had the chance to win the minor premiership, but would have to go through a prime Brisbane outfit to do so. Collingwood's Jordan De Goey and Jack Ginnivan have shrugged off their respective injury concerns and will play. But it's hard work for the Cats. The Cats have won in the first week of September for the first time since 2016, but the Pies have absolutely nothing to blame themselves for. The Saints have won five straight over the Blues dating back to 2016, but in case you've missed it, the Blues are no easy beats with the season winding down. The Lions played a strong first half last week against Collingwood, trailing by only a matter of points at the main break. The Blues still stood a chance at the eight before last week's blowout loss to the Suns, bringing an end to yet another lost season for a team that hasn't played finals since 2013. The Bulldogs dropped out of the top eight following their defeat at the hands of Greater Western Sydney and a loss here would make qualifying for the AFL Finals a very difficult task. Get the latest news from in your inbox. The Pies have scored 39 goals from a free kick this season, the sixth-most in the AFL. After so many weeks of "close but no cigar" type efforts, Brisbane would like to finish on top of the Suns on the ladder for their own peace of mind. Sunday 21 August, 4:40pm, Etihad Stadium. GWS looked toast six weeks ago, but all of a sudden the Giants have won five on the trot.
Hawthorn's ability to gracefully move the ball by foot against Geelong last week was impressive. After looking doubtful for finals, the Swans now look like one of the most dangerous teams in the eight. The third term was a beauty, with first Geelong and then Collingwood nailing big goals. The Magpies have won 12 of their last 13 games this season and have clinched top four in Craig McRae's first season in charge, a stunning turnaround for a team that finished 17th last season. The Giants did look much-improved last week in their win over the Bombers as they dominated inside 50 on both ends of the ground. The Cats lead the overall clearances 20-17, but the Pies are up at centre bounces 5-2.
It's a bit of a Friday fizzer, but with both sides looking to end the season on a high note, this cellar-dweller clash could produce a few fireworks. The Hawks were solid against North Melbourne, but they are still a tough team to trust from a betting perspective. FF [18] Tyson Stengle, [26] Tom Hawkins, [23] Gary Rohan. Patrick Dangerfield and Mitch Duncan were superb, but Scott said his team must get off to better starts. To their credit, the Pies do deserve the benefit of the doubt away from home.