AFL Round 3
Collingwood Magpies vs Brisbane Lions – Marvel Stadium, 1st April 7.40pm
Not the ideal situation for the Lions leading into their round 3 game against the Pies. The game was meant to be played at the Gabba but due to the Covid scare in the Sunshine State, the game has been moved to Melbourne and will be played at Marvel Stadium on Thursday night. The Lions have stayed an extra week in Melbourne and will stay there until their game against the Bulldogs next week in Ballarat. Look, it can go both ways here. They can rise to the occasion and beat a Pies side who is coming off a good win against the Blues last weekend, or they can go into their shells and say too hard and go 0-3. I think this Lions side are stronger than this and you will see a spirited effort Thursday night. In saying that, I don’t think it will be enough to beat a Pies side, who, in my eyes, are doing everything right. They don’t need to be winning by 30 points to say they are a good side. Their defence is solid and their midfield is very good. I expect them to beat the Lions tomorrow night. Pies by 10+
Head 2 Head
Pies have won four of the last five vs the Lions
Best bet
Pies win $1.80
Pies -2.5 $1.90
North Melbourne Kangaroos vs Western Bulldogs – Marvel Stadium, 2nd April 4.20pm
Well this could be a bloodbath for the Kangaroos on Good Friday. They lost to the Suns last weekend and didn’t look like winning at any stage of the game. They have a lot of questions to ask but honestly think they just don’t have the players to compete to standard. Some players think they are better than they are. The Dogs, on the other hand, had a great win against a top four fancy in the West Coast Eagles at Marvel Stadium. Neck and neck all game but the Doggies got the chocolates. They can thank the Bont and Libba for their games and their clutch in the last quarter to help them win a thriller. Dogs to win this by 30+. I don’t mind the Kangaroos line at 42.5 and you would think they would show some sort of effort come Friday. Dogs 30+
Head 2 Head
Bulldogs have won three of the last five vs the Kangaroos
Best bet
Kangaroos 42.5 $1.90
Adelaide Crows vs Gold Coast Suns – Adelaide Oval, 2nd April 7.250pm
My best bet of the round here and if you had a bet earlier in the week you could have got $2.65 for the Crows. The Crows weren’t that bad last weekend against the Swans in Sydney. They led for most of the first quarter and if it wasn’t for their horrendous kicking the game, they would have been a lot closer. Tex is back! The big Texan kicked six and if he kicks a bag this weekend, they will win easy. The Suns had an easy win against the Kangaroos last weekend and they need to have those wins as years gone by, they would have dropped games they should have won They have flown out early this week due to the Covid situation but this young side will rally together and put on a good show come Friday. I love the Crows at their win odds and the line odds. Crows by 20+
Head 2 Head
Crows have won four of the last five vs the Suns
Richmond Tigers vs Sydney Swans – MCG, 3rd April 1.45pm
Great game this one come Saturday midday and I pray to the lord Buddy is playing. I would love to see two of the game’s greats go at each other in Dustin Martin and Lance Franklin. Jeez, haven’t the Swans found some young guns and they haven’t looked out of place at all. It was good to see Buddy back last weekend. He was handy with three goals and if he can get on top early come Saturday, we could be in for a blockbuster. The Tigers, on the other hand, had a workman-like performance against the Hawks on Sunday. Didn’t shoot the lights out but were very good and again Dusty led the way when they needed a spark. Tigers will need to stop the Swans' run coming out of the midfield as that is their driving force. I love the Swans line in this game as I really think they can cause a big upset. Tigers by 12+
Head 2 Head
Tigers have won three of the last five vs the Swans
Best bet
Swans 25.5 $1.90
Essendon Bombers vs St Kilda Saints – Marvel Stadium, 3rd April 4.35pm
Grudge match, this one, for two teams that haven’t had a lot of success of late. The Bombers have been hit hard by injuries to key players in Shiel and Caldwell, who join Hurley on the sidelines, but these are the games the Bombers rise for - backs against the wall - and everyone writing them off. They come up against a Saints side who got ahead of themselves last Saturday night. They lost to Melbourne but should have beaten them. Demons jumped them and they were always 1 – 2 goals behind and ran out of legs come the last quater. The Saints will need to be on their game come Saturday or the Dons will jump them again. Game will be won in the middle and the Saints have the better mids. Tipping the Saints but after last weekend's game, I do not have a great deal of confidence. Saints by 7+
Head 2 Head
Saints have won three of the last five vs the Bombers
Best bet
Bombers +21.5 $1.90
West Coast Eagles vs Port Adelaide Power – Optus Stadium, 3rd April 8.10pm
Match of the round Saturday night in the wild West. Eagles are coming off a loss last weekend against the Bulldogs in a game they definitely could have won. They played well in patches but a slow start gave advantage to the Bulldogs and the Dogs pounced on that. Liam Ryan is the Eagles weapon. Kicks goals and also sets up goals. He is a star of the comp. Kennedy and Darling were in great nick on Sunday and if one of them pops up and kicks a bag, again they will be hard to stop. The Power haven’t got out of first gear and this will be their biggest challenge of season 2021. No games are ever easy in the West and come Saturday night, there will by 50K+ screaming Eagles fans, so watch out Power. Eagles need to start well to win this. I like the Eagles H2H bet linked with the line bet. Eagles by 10+
Head 2 Head
Eagles have won three of the last five vs the Power
Best bet
Eagles win $1.92
Eagles +1.5 $1.90
Carlton Blues vs Fremantle Dockers – MCG, 4th April 3.20pm
A snooze fest on Sunday afternoon footy. Two teams I have no real opinion on. The Dockers had a good win I guess against a Giants side who are in all sorts. The Blues lost to Collingwood in a game many had pencilled in for a win at the start of the year. Kane Cornes came out during the week and whacked a few older players for the Blues and rightly - they have been horrendous. Expect Teague to cull a few at selection. I am tipping the Dockers here. I know it will be tricky with no Nat Fyfe but they can roll a Carlton a side who are lacking confidence and if they are 0-3, get ready for the “sack Teague” to come out front and back page of the Herald Sun come Monday. Dockers can beat them with their electric run through the midfield led by Brayshaw and Mundy to hit up big boy Taberner who looks in great touch. Dockers by 6+
Head 2 Head
Dockers have won three of the last five vs the Blues
Best bet
Fremantle 15.5 $1.90
GWS Giants vs Melbourne Demons – Manuka Oval, 4th April 6.10pm
Loving this fixture, it will be chilly come Saturday night in the nation’s capital. The Giants are playing a few games on the road due to their stadium being used for the Easter Show. The Giants were pathetic last weekend and that wasn’t an effort they will be proud of. Beaten by a team who are going nowhere quick, it wasn’t up to standard. They will rally and come out firing Sunday night and I would watch out, Melbourne. The Demons had a good win Saturday night against the Saints but there was still some cracks that need to be fixed up. I believe if the Giants get off to a good start led by Ward, Greene, and the new livewire Bobby Hill, they can win this game and can win well. Giants by 15+ get on that line of 8.5 asap.
Head 2 Head
Demons have won three of the last five vs the Giants
Best bet
Giants 8.5 $1.90
Geelong Cats vs Hawthorn Hawks – MCG, 5th April 3.20pm
The Easter fixture rounds out with the traditional Hawks vs Cats game on Easter Monday. The Cats got out of jail last weekend against the Lions with a very 50/50 call in the last 30 seconds that got them a win. I have seen those paid and I have seen those not paid, so we move on. Isaac Smith comes up against his old side in the Hawks and they will be out to get him. I like the Hawks a lot this year they beat a Bombers side in round 1 who matched it with the Tigers for four quarters last weekend, so they will take a lot of confidence into this one come Monday. I am tipping a Cats win but it won’t be by a lot. The big marker power forwards the Cats have should be too tall and strong for the Hawks. Hawks line and Cats 1-39, thank you very much.
Head 2 Head
Hawks have won three of the last five vs the Cats
Best bet
Hawks 22.5 $1.90
Cats 1-39 $2.05
