2024 AFL Round 2 Betting Predictions
After a cracking Round 1, let's discuss the AFL Round 2 action with BlueBet's betting predictions for every game.
St Kilda Saints (11th) vs Collingwood Magpies (15th)
The Saints kicked off the season with a real nail-biter, just falling short with an 8-point loss down in Geelong. However, Riley Bonner made a ripper debut for the club, snagging 28 disposals, while Tim Membrey kicked a tidy three goals. Now, they haven't exactly had a stellar run against the Pies, but they've been holding their own at the MCG lately. Plus, it looks like Ross Lyon's crew is about to get a boost with Jack Sinclair back in the mix for Spud's Game on Thursday night.
Bit of a rocky start for last year's premiers with an 0-2 record and their defence has been leaking points like no tomorrow, giving up 100+ points against both the Swans and Giants. But they've got a massive clash against the Saints coming up, and then a bye before taking on Brisbane at the Gabba. They've had a decent run against the Saints recently, so fingers crossed they can turn things around. Oh, and good news for the Pies - Tom Mitchell's ankle's been acting up, but he's expected to be back in action against the Saints. Young superstar Nick Daicos also brings up 50 games and comes up 37 disposals.
Collingwood hasn't been able to cover the line in its last four matches and the Saints should be fired up for Spud's game.
Stadium Record
St Kilda are 4-3 at the MCG since 2021. Collingwood are 6-4 in their last 10 games at the MCG.
Head to Head Record
The Magpies are 4-1 against the Saints in the last 5 meetings.
Best Bet
Adelaide Crows (10th) vs Geelong Cats (9th)
So, Round 1 wasn't exactly a stellar performance for the Crows, especially with that wet Gold Coast weather giving them a bit of grief. And to top it off, they were missing Tex Walker up forward, which hasn't been great for them in the past – they've only managed a 2-8 record without him since 2021. But hey, there's a glimmer of hope – Tex might just make a comeback for this showdown!
Now, onto the Cats. They had a ripper win against the Saints in Round 1, with Dempsey putting on a real show with three goals to his name. But let's not get too ahead of ourselves – heading over to Adelaide is never an easy feat. Plus, there's the whole Patrick Dangerfield facing off against his old team angle to consider. It's shaping up to be a cracker of a game!
Geelong has been struggling to cover the line in its last six matches and the home team has come out on top in 14 out of the last 17 matches between Adelaide and Geelong.
Stadium Record
Adelaide are 7-3 in their last 10 games at this venue. Geelong are 3-3 at this venue since 2021.
Head to Head Record
The Cats are 5-2 against the Crows since 2018.
Best Bet
North Melbourne Kangaroos (16th) vs Fremantle Dockers (6th)
The Roos didn't exactly get off to a flyer, taking a bit of a beating with a 39-point loss in Sydney to kick off the season. But hey, it's their first game back in Melbourne this week, so maybe they'll find their groove. On the flip side, they're gonna be down a key player – young defender Josh Goater's out for the season with an Achilles injury. But there's a bit of good news too – co-captain Luke McDonald might be back from his hamstring drama to shore up the backline for Saturday's clash with the Dockers. And keep an eye out for Jy Simpkin – looks like he's on track to shake off a concussion and hit the field again.
Now, onto the Dockers. They pulled off an impressive win against the Lions at home, even though they were down by four goals early on. Ended up snagging a 23-point victory, thanks in no small part to Caleb Serong's absolute blinder with 46 touches and Amiss' four goals. But they've got to keep the momentum rolling, especially with Brennan Cox nursing a hamstring injury. Heading into enemy territory against a rebuilding team like the Roos ain't gonna be a walk in the park, but hey, they've got a decent track record at Docklands, so fingers crossed they can get the job done!
North Melbourne hasn't had much luck, losing eight out of its last nine matches at Marvel Stadium by a margin of 1-39 points.
Stadium Record
Since 2021, North Melbourne have a 3-25 record at this venue. Fremantle are 4-4 at Docklands since 2021.
Head to Head Record
Since 2018, the Dockers are 4-2 against the Kangaroos.
Best Bet
Hawthorn Hawks (13th) vs Melbourne Demons (8th)
The Hawks copped a rough result in Round 1 with a 24-point loss against the Bombers. But hey, there's a silver lining – skipper James Sicily had his suspension overturned at the Tribunal on Tuesday night, so he's good to go for the clash against the Demons.
The Dees bounched back with a bang after the Sydney defeat, thrashing the Dogs by a whopping 45 points for their first win. Chandler and Van Rooyen were on fire, bagging three goals each. And can we just take a moment to appreciate Jack Billings' debut as a Dee? Impressive stuff. And let's not forget about Clayton Oliver – 35 touches is nothing to sneeze at, especially after some preseason struggles.
Melbourne has come out on top in seven out of its last eight matches against Hawthorn.
Stadium Record
Hawthorn are 2-8 in their last 10 games at the MCG. Melbourne are 7-3 in their last 10 games at this venue.
Head to Head Record
The Demons are 7-1 against the Hawks since 2018.
Best Bet
Sydney Swans (2nd) vs Essendon Bombers (7th)
The Swans had a cracker of a game, smashing the Pies by 33 points on Friday night footy. Logan McDonald was on fire, kicking four goals and helping the Swans secure a sweet victory. Now they're sitting pretty at 2-0, with some winnable games on the horizon. It's also impressive considering that they're doing so well despite missing key players like Mills, Parker, and Adams. Heeney's really stepped up in the midfield, which has been a massive boost for the Swans.
As for the Bombers, they had a solid win over the Hawks, bagging a 24-point victory. Stringer was on fire with four goals, and Archie Perkins really stepped up in the absence of Darcy Parish. But now they're facing a tough trip to Sydney, so it'll be interesting to see how they fare. They've got a few key players sidelined too, like Zach Reid with a hamstring issue, Mason Redman out on suspension and Matt Guelfi nursing a calf injury. Fingers crossed they can still bring the heat against the Swans!
In the recent matchups between Sydney and Essendon, the underdog has managed to cover the line in seven out of the last eight matches.
Stadium Record
Sydney are 5-4 (1 draw) in their last 10 games at the SCG. Essendon are 0-2 at the SCG since 2021.
Head to Head Record
The Swans are 5-4 against the Bombers since 2018.
Best Bet
Western Bulldogs (17th) vs Gold Coast Suns (3rd)
The Dogs got a bit of a thrashing from the Dees last Sunday, going down by 45 points. But they usually play like champs at Mars, their unofficial home ground, so maybe they'll bounce back strongly. They definitely need to tighten up their defence though – giving up 109 points ain't gonna cut it. Plus, they'll be missing James Harmes for Sunday's game due to suspension, but Caleb Daniel should be back in action after firing up as the sub last weekend.
Looks like those preseason predictions were right on the money – they're off to a cracking 2-0 start! They battled it out in the rain against the Crows last week and came out on top. Their midfield's firing on all cylinders too, with Anderson and Flanders racking up 35 touches each. But they've got to work on their second-half performances if they want to keep that winning streak alive. Let's see if they can keep the momentum going against the Bulldogs!
This will be a real test of the Suns form as their interstate record isn't great. But after the Dogs let in 109 pts against the Dees, you have to like the Suns chances of an upset.
Stadium Record
The Bulldogs are 4-2 at the Mars Stadium since 2021. Gold Coast are 1-1 at this venue since 2021.
Head to Head Record
The Bulldogs are 4-1 against the Suns in the last 5.
Best Bet
Richmond Tigers (14th) vs Port Adelaide Power (5th)
The Tigers nearly pulled off a massive upset against Carlton last week, but now they find themselves sitting in 14th place with an 0-2 start to the season. Injuries are becoming a real headache for them, and it's starting to show. They've had to make some pretty big changes to their lineup, mainly due to injuries rather than poor form. With Josh Gibcus out due to a torn ACL, Ben Miller's expected to step back into a key defensive role. It's tough times for the Tigers.
The Power kicked off their season with a breeze, scoring an easy win over the Eagles by a whopping 50 points. They were absolutely on fire, with a staggering 40 shots on goal – could've been even more if they'd been a bit more accurate! Charlie Dixon led the charge with three goals, while the dynamic duo of Butters and Rozee each racked up 27 touches. Now, they don't travel to the MCG all that often, but this game looks like a golden opportunity to make it two wins in a row, especially in Travis Boak's 350th AFL game.
Richmond hasn't managed to cover the line in seven out of their last nine matches, while Port Adelaide has nailed down a win in all of their last 12 interstate matches as the favourite.
Stadium Record
Richmond are 6-4 in their last 10 games at the MCG. Port Adelaide are 4-4 at the MCG since 2021.
Head to Head Record
The Power are 3-2 against the Tigers in the last 5 meetings.
Best Bet
West Coast Eagles (18th) vs GWS Giants (1st)
The Eagles didn't exactly get off to a flying start this year, copping a 50-point loss in their first game – tough break! And to add insult to injury, they're now gonna be without Oscar Allen for a few weeks. Plus, it looks like veteran Gaff might be getting the chop. But hey, it's not all doom and gloom – they did manage to snag a win against the Giants last season, so who knows, lightning might strike twice in their home opener
The Giants thrashed North by 39 points. Jesse Hogan was unstoppable with six goals and Tom Green was a beast with 37 disposals. With a perfect 2-0 start to the season, the Giants are looking like a real force to be reckoned with. And with a lineup like theirs, they've got a real shot at going 5-0, especially with matchups against the Eagles, Suns (in Gather Round), and Saints (in Canberra) coming up after their Round 3 bye.
GWS has come through with the goods, covering the line in nine out of their last 10 away matches. No Allen for the Eagles will see them struggle to score.
Stadium Record
West Coast are 1-9 in their last 10 games at this venue. GWS are 0-4 at the Perth Stadium since 2021.
Head to Head Record
In the last 7, the Eagles hold a 5-2 record.
Best Bet
