Adelaide Crows vs Essendon Bombers
July 19th (Friday 7.20pm) Adelaide Oval
Friday night game with so much to play for both of these sides with a spot in the top 8 on the line. The Bombers have been in great form since Mathew Lloyd came out and said this side was under achieving. They’ve beaten both Sydney sides and beat a red hot Kangaroos last week thanks to a last bit of magic from Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti. The Bombers are up against it this Friday as they don’t have a ruckman with Clarke being ruled out with illness so Mckernan and Hooker will have to try and nullify O’Brien but I think they are up for it. Mckernan stood up when they needed him vs the Giants and he would love to put in a good performance against his old side. The Crows last weekend had a training session vs the Suns beating them by 95 points and never got out of first gear. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. They bring back one of their stars in Tom Lynch who is finally over his groin injury. I am tipping an upset here with a Bombers win, they’ve been playing some great football and John Worsfold has got this side up and about heading into September Dyson Heppell back for the Bombers will straighten them up coming out of the midfield.
H2H
The Crows have won 4 out of the last 5 games vs the Bombers
Best Bet
Bombers +14.5 $1.90
Bombers win $2.75
Richmond Tigers vs Port Adelaide Power
July 20th (Saturday 1.45pm) MCG
The media has said the Tigers should be premiership favourites after last week's win over the Giants and not playing anywhere else other then the MCG till the finals. This weekend they come up against a side that no one can get a read of. One weekend they are top 4 potential next weekend they wouldn’t beat Gold Coast. The Power have gone win loss win loss for the past six weeks and this weekend if we are going off form they should be winning. It is going to be a very tough game for them against the 2017 premiers with Wines, Ebert, and Burton all out due to injury. Duursma is back for the Power who will add that X-factor when going forward. They were woeful last weekend against a red hot Lions side. The Tigers will be looking for a big win to help with their percentage as that is very important going into the last rounds of the season and that vital top 4 spot. I believe the Tigers will win but the Power have loved being the underdog this year so anything could happen, makes for great viewing Saturday midday.
H2H
Port have won 3 out of the last 5 games vs the Tigers
Best Bet
Port Adelaide +26.5 $1.90
Carlton Blues vs Gold Coast Suns
July 20th (Saturday 2.10pm) Marvel
Since David Teague has taken over the Blues have found some rich vein of form. They knocked off Sydney in Sydney last week which would have to be one of the best victories for the club in the past 5 years. They will take a lot of confidence away from that victory and surely David Teague being the Carlton Coach next year is growing. The Suns on the other hand are in trouble both on and off the field. Last week was the final nail in the coffin that this side needs help. They were belted and at some stages looked like an under 18 side rather than an AFL side. The Suns coaching team is fine Stuart Dew is the main for the job put he needs the players currently his side looked fatigued and not interested in playing football and that is fair enough as most of the side are young draftees. They will ask for a priority pick at the end of the year and boy do they need it. Tipping the Blues here in a game they should win well and possibly if results fall their way the will go above Melbourne on the ladder.
H2H
Gold Coast have won 3 out of the last 5 games vs the Blues
Best bet
Blues -24.5 $1.90
GWS Giants vs Collingwood Magpies
July 20th (Saturday 4.35pm) Giants
Match of the round heads to the harbour city for a cracker game for two teams going at it for that vital top 4 spot. The Giants had a shocker last weekend vs the Tigers at the MCG a ground which they just can’t seem to win a game, they will need to change that if they are to make an impact on finals. The Pies on the other hand had one of their best victories of 2018 backs up against the wall and beat the team they just couldn’t beat for 4 games in the Eagles at their home ground. They were 17 points down going into the last qtr to win by a point and to hold onto that top 2 spot. The Pies have a very tough draw heading into the final stages of season 2019 so any win is taken and banked. They welcome back Howe, Varcoe and Adams for this very important clash with the Giants. Scott Pendlebury is a shock in after he had finger surgery last weekend where reports were that he would miss 6 weeks. Tipping the Giants in a thriller here. They play their home ground very well and will be hurting from last weekends poor display, look for Cameron and Greene to lead this side.
H2H
Collingwood have won 3 out of the last 5 games vs the Giants
Best Bet
Giants win $1.82
Giants -2.5 $1.90
Brisbane Lions vs North Melbourne Kangaroos
July 20th (Saturday 7.25pm) Gabba
The Lions are a threat for the top 4 and if I was any side I wouldn’t want to be playing the Lions at the Gabba in a finals match. They play a style that not many can match as they are so quick and when they have the ball they are off to the races and good luck catching them. Mitch Robinson is in career best form Lachie Neele is unstoppable and add in Charlie Cameron kicking goals this side is to be feared. They get back to the Gabba this weekend for a game against a side who is improving since Rhyce Shaw was appointed caretaker coach. He would have to be leading the race to coach this side next year with the results he has had since he took over. They were unlucky last weekend vs the Bombers but this weekend gets a whole lot tougher in the way the Lions play the Gabba. Daniel Rich 200th game for the Lions so they will want to put in a good showing for a player that has given so much to this side through the good and the bad. Luke Hodge and Eric Hipwood are back for the Lions and Shuan Higgins and Mason Wood are back for the Kangaroos. Lions to win this but if the Kangaroos bring the heat early it could be a good viewing game.
H2H
Lions -16.5 $1.90
Best Bet
Kangas have won 4 out of the last 5 games vs the Lions
Fremantle Dockers vs Sydney Swans
July 20th (Saturday 6.10pm) Optus Stadium
Many would think this game would be a boring affair with both sides not in great form and both losing last weekend but I expect this game to be a cracker. The Dockers are without Nathan Fyfe which will give the Swans a lot of confidence that they can knock them off in Perth. The Swans have been up and down this year and it’s mainly because of injury and a bit of bad luck they are without the best player in the game in Lance Franklin and that is costing them about 3 goals a game. Add in injuries to other star players and the season gets tougher and tougher. Fremantle on the other hand have had horrible luck with injuries in season 2019. Hogan is most likely out for the year, Fyfe out this weekend and other stars have missed large chuck of season 2019. This game will be on from the outset with both teams needing a win to show that they are both on the improve in season 2019. Tipping the Swans to cause an upset in the West and add salt to wound for the Dockers.
H2H
Sydney have won 3 out of the last 5 games vs the Dockers
Best Bet
Swans win $2.30
Swans +8.5 $1.90
Geelong Cats vs Hawthorn Hawks
July 21st (Sunday 1.10pm) MCG
These two sides hate each other the rivalry has been solid for years, maybe since the Hawks knocked off the Cats in the 2008 Grand final. The Cats have been the best team in the competition this year but over the last month have looked shaky and are just beating sides instead of putting them away like they did in the first part of the season. They beat the Saints last weekend but it was far from impressive. The Hawks on the other hand had a great victory last week vs the Dockers where they brought such physical pressure around the ball and didn’t take any nonsense from the Dockers expect the Hawks to do the same to the Cats this weekend to ruffle them up. Scott Selwood is back for the Cats and it is great to see him back as he has had a long battle with injury. The Hawks welcome back Jack Gunston and John Ceglar who are vital ins if the Hawks are to win this weekend. Tipping an upset here with the Hawks to cause an upset over an old rival.
H2H
Geelong have won 3 out of the last 5 games vs the Hawks
Best Bet
Hawks +18.5 $1.90
Melbourne Demons vs West Coast Eagles
July 21st (Sunday 2.50pm) TP
Football heads to Alice Springs for the first time in season 2019 and what a great thing it is for the game and the people in Alice Springs. Even better, they get to see last years premiers in action. The Eagles will be kicking themselves all through the week that they let slip a 17 point lead which may be the difference in them finishing with a top 2 spot. They didn’t kick a goal in the last qtr and Josh Kennendy for the second week in a row was held goalless. A positive for the Eagles was the 4 goal haul from Jarrod Cameron who looks a player for the future the negative was the injury to Nic Naitanui who will miss 8 weeks with an ankle injury. The Demons pushed the Eagles at Optus Stadium when they played earlier in the year and will take a lot of confidence out of that game as Max Gawn had a field day collecting 60+ hit outs. They looked ok last week vs the Bulldogs but again they ran out of legs. I am tipping an Eagles win in this game but wouldn’t be surprised if the Demons pushed them the whole way. Again fantastic to see the game being played in Alice Springs.
H2H
West Coast have won 3 out of the last 5 games vs the Demons
Best Bet
Eagles -15.5 $1.90
St Kilda Saints vs Western Bulldogs
July 21st (Sunday 4.40pm) Marvel
Brett Ratten is back in a senior coaching role and it is great to see. The Saints board last weekend voted that Alan Richardson time at the club was up and to many from the outside it wasn’t a shock. The Saints looked like a side that could push for a top 8 position this year and save their coaches career but over the last 6 weeks have looked nothing of that and will struggle to make it out of the bottom 4. Saying that every time this year a coach has been sacked the team responds with a great effort the next weekend. The Bulldogs had a great victory last week against a Melbourne side that pushed them the whole way. Josh Dunkley is turning into a star and he will love the addition of Tom Liberatore this weekend to help him in the midfield. The Dogs won’t play finals this year but watch out for next year as I believe they are building towards something out West. The Saints will hopefully show up this weekend and make this game interesting but you never know what you’re going to get with St Kilda this year. Bulldogs to win but it won’t be a pretty win.
H2H
The Bulldogs have won 4 out of the last 5 games vs the Saints
Best Bet
Saints +15.5 $1.90
