Sportsbet Blog

Rosehill Racecourse in Sydney will come alight on Saturday with the $125,000 Missile Stakes that is set to be one of the biggest with a host of classy runners. The 1100 meter race is placed perfectly in the racing calendar for both winter sprinters and spring racers resuming after a long break and attracts the big group 3 names. There are five horses tipped to be in the running. Dreamscape, Kroner, Fritz’s Princess, Olonana and last years Missile Stakes runner up Typhoon Zed all paying under $10 with the bookies.

After looking at the recent form and trial times Dreamscape is the one to beat here. I expect him to lead early from barrier four and should be well and truly up the front come the home straight. He’s also got what it takes to hold the competition out with a great 10.9 split in the final 200 meters of a 800 meter run recently.

It will be a battle of the big trainers with Gai Waterhouse and Bart Cummings training the favourites. IASbet has installed the Waterhouse trained Dream Scape as clear favourite to win over Bart Cummings Kroner.

Since Dreamscape hit the track he looked destine for a big future after he won the Group Three Up And Coming Stakes on debut in August last year and has continued to impress to this day with some great racing.

Our tips for the race

Dreamscape to win paying 2.80 with IASbet. He has earnt the respect from the field and is definitely the one to beat

Kroner will be up there with Dreamscape but may just miss with a place. There’s plenty of value for him at 5.00 with IASbet. He hasn’t raced in over a month where he was beaten as the favourite at the Takeover Target Stakes at Gosford where he previously had a great lead up to the race winning 3 of his last 4 races.

IASbet is the place to go for race betting. More times than not they have the best odds and cover all Australian and International racing events. They also give new members a $100 free racing bet when you make $50 worth of bets, simply use the promo code SBLOG100 when joining. Check their site out here for more info and the latest odds for the 2009 Missile Stakes.

Australia ($4.75 @ SportsBet) will be looking to get themselves back into the running for the Ashes by posting a win in the third test match at Edgbaston in Birmingham. After winning at Lord’s to take a 1-0 lead in the series, England ($7 @ SportsBet) will be looking to enhance their advantage and they have an excellent chance of doing so given the inclement weather throughout the preceding week.

With the bowling squad that Australia has at its disposal, it is difficult to envision a tie of 1-1 in the series at the end of the game. The Aussies may very well want to rethink their attack and probably get in an extra bowler in place of a frontline batsman for such a conclusion to happen. When looking at things from the other side if conditions play out as expected, there will be a lot of swing and seam, both through the air and off the pitch. These conditions will favour England. What may not favour England is the weather which may end the game early.

In my opinion, the inclusion of Steve Harmison is a must, especially with the lack of fitness that Andrew Flintoff has shown. The pair both bowl at a similar length, and they both have a tendency to extract bounce where few others have been able to in the series so far. If Phil Hughes is once again going to be batting at the top for the visitors, then the selection of Harmison becomes even more valuable, especially when you consider the hold that he had over Phil Hughes in the tour game.

If the Aussies are to hold any chance of out-batting the hosts it will have to be a combination of Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke and Simon Katich who do the damage. So far in the series, Katich has done well without lighting the stands on fire, as where both Ponting and Clarke have a century to their names. Michael Hussey scoring the runs he has been used to and shrugging his poor form will be just what the Aussies desire.

England will once again bank upon their top order, especially given their fragile middle order, with an intensely nervous Ian Bell, a replacement for Kevin Pietersen and an out of form Ravi Bopara. Instead it will be up to Andrew Strauss to get England off to a start like he did in the second test at Lord’s where he played some great cricket. Alistar Cook will need to support him as much as possible. Matt Prior’s aggression has stolen games from the opposition on more than one occasion in the past and Paul Collingwood is often overlooked, but is an effective middle order test match player. In the lower order, Flintoff will be a vital batsman for England.

Having been declared unfit, Brett Lee probably will not play in the test match. This leaves the other four pace bowlers and Nathan Hauritz to fight for the four bowling spots in the first eleven. In my opinion, Hauritz should unquestionably be in the eleven. If Mitchell Johnson is rested for the game due to his sporadic form, then it will be Stuart Clark who should walk into the Aussie first eleven. To me, it looks almost certain and he should even open the bowling for the Australians.

My bet is on the draw ($1.40 @ SportsBet), but if the weather holds off England should take the win.

Sportsbet gives new members a $50 free bet (that can be used for betting on the cricket) just for signing up, checkout their site for more info and to see the latest cricket odds.

The AFL coach betting markets have changed massively after the shock appointment of Nathan Buckley to Collingwood with a five year contract.

Buckley was previously the favourite to get the job at either Richmond or North Melbourne but now the market has been blown open with some good value for some potential new coaches for the 2010 season.

Here a run down of the Richmond Coaching markets from Sportingbet

Richmond Coaching Job

Jade Rawlings 2.00
Damien Hardwick 4.50
Leon Cameron 6.00
David King 11.00
Chris Bond 13.00
Ken Hinkley 13.00
Guy McKenna 21.00
Wayne Campbell 34.00

If you join Spotingbet through Sportsbet Blog today and make a $30 deposit they will give you a huge $100 free bet that can be put on the coaching markets. This is one of the best offers going around with such a big free bet for such a little deposit. Checkout their site here.

Back in June I made a comment in a previous post that I thought Jade Rawlings at $10 for the coaching job was great value.

Now over a month later the bookies have pulled  him back to a $2.00 hot favourite, but I still think there a bit of value here. He has had success with the group and the team seems to respond to him well. The Richmond board members have given him full support as the caretaker coach and I feel they have no other viable choice at the moment but to keep Rawlings. Taking all this into account this gives him a great chance to continue the job next year.

Allot will depend on the results for the rest of the season. The Tigers play Melbourne, Sydney, Collingwood, Hawthorn and West Coast. I think they should at least win three of the final five games.

Now that Buckley has dropped out of the list I think the Richmond board may announce the coach sooner rather than later. They could have hoped to snap up Buckley but had a plan B if thinks went wrong. The Plan B announcement may be only days away so it might be worth getting your bet on soon.

Here’s the North Melbourne Coaching Odds from Sportingbet

North Melbourne Coaching Job

John Longmire 3.00
Darren Crocker 3.50
Damien Hardwick 5.00
David King 5.00
John Blakey 11.00
Ken Hinkley 13.00
Leon Cameron 41.00
Brad Scott 21.00
Anthony Rock 26.00
Glenn Archer 31.00
Jade Rawlings 41.00
Donald McDonald 67.00

There hasn’t been a great deal of hype over this job. I think this is what North wanted and it is going to make it hard to predict the incoming coach.

The Kangaroos are currently going through the rebuilding process both on and off the field and I think they will assign a new face to the coaching job that we don’t know a great deal about. Yes, he may be on the list above but I don’t think he is it the top 5 names so be cautious when betting in this market.

Ken Hinkley might be worth a few dollars with all the work he has done with Geelong in the past but don’t put your house on it.

Round 18 is upon us and brings some important games for teams in search of a top 8 spot come finals time. The Collingwood V Brisbane match is the game of the round with both teams level pegging on the ladder with 11 wins and 6 losses. It will be a huge test for both teams and the winner will likely take a top 4 spot by the end of the weekend.

Sports Bet of the Round

Congratulations to everyone that jumped on last weeks $5.00 multi bet. It was touch and go with a few of the games but we pulled through.

My round eighteen tip is Carlton, Richmond, Geelong, Essendon and Collingwood in a multi. It will pay around $4.00 with Sportsbet who will also give you a $50 free bet just for joining them through Sportsbet Blog.

North Melbourne V Carlton Friday Night at Etihad Stadium

Tip: Carlton

Carlton will be desperate to get their game back on track after a dismal performance last Friday night against the Pies. Chris Judd is their only real shining light at the moment and looks set to be a top 3 chance for the Brownlow Medal and is paying $5.00 at Sportsbet.

With club great Adam Simpson announcing his retirement after this weekends match it may add some spark to the Kangaroos side making for a close game. But there’s no doubt that the Blues have a far stronger side and will bounce back and get a win here.

My prediction is 40+ points.

Western Bulldogs V Fremantle Saturday at Etihad Stadium

Tip: Western Bulldogs

The Dogs will be out to get back on the winners list after a heavy loss to the league leaders St Kilda. Freo have trouble playing in Melbourne and will struggle with the pace of the Bulldogs.

Brad Johnson will be the man of the moment when he lines up on Saturday to play a Bulldogs record breaking 342 game for the club. Interesting enough the Bulldogs are letting every child who is accompanied by a paying adult to enter free for this match, which should see a nice sized crowd to the game.

Geelong V Adelaide Saturday at Skilled Stadium

Tip: Geelong

Geelong again need to prove to their supporters they have what it takes to win the Premiership this year. They looked far from impressive in their 1 point win over the Hawks after the siren and need to clean up their skills if they are to get back to their usual form.

Adelaide continue to impress and would be confident coming down to Skilled Stadium this weekend. But Geelong at home are a unstoppable force and should wrap the game up early.

If your looking at betting on Geelong to win the Grand Final now is a good time as I think the odds wont get any longer than they are now. Currently they are paying $2.55 and are close favourites to St Kilda at $2.60. IASbet have a great promo at the moment that will give you a $100 free bet on heaps of events including the Grand Final when making $50 worth of bets.

Sydney V St Kilda Saturday Night at the SCG

Tip: St Kilda

The Saints are on the road to the finals now with the final 5 games being all teams that are out of the eight. Those that took up my St Kilda tip last week will be rubbing their hands together after the odds dropped from $3.15 to $1.85 for the Saints to go undefeated after the win against the Bulldogs. Their perfect run will continue up in Sydney and I’m tipping it will end any chance of the Swans getting to the finals.

As usual Nick Riewoldt and Stephen Milne will be the ones to watch after both kicking 5 goals last weekend.

Collingwood V Brisbane Saturday Night at the MCG

Tip: Collingwood

The Pies are on top of the world with the signing of Nathan Buckley this week and a big win over arch rivals Carlton last weekend. This will spur the Pies on this weekend and should get the points.

The match up against the Lions will still be great with Jonathan Brown showing he can play a one man forward with a massive eight goals last week in their 41 point win. After that effort he is now clear favourite to win the Coleman Medal with Sportsbet and is paying $2.25.

Tim Notting will be missed at the Lions with one week on the sidelines after a high hit on the Kangaroos Scott Thompson.

Melbourne V Richmond Sunday at the MCG

Tip: Richmond

Both teams are playing for pride but have shown some signs of success in the last month or so. Richmond have pleased their supporters will some hard pressure football that has resulted in a nail biting draw and a great win against Essendon.

Jade Rawlings looks to be getting somewhere with the list and has sparked up the team to give all they have. This should see them to a win over an inaccurate kicking Daemons side.

Port Adelaide V Hawthorn Sunday at AAMI Stadium

Tip: Hawthorn

The Hawks are back and this game will show they mean business. They are playing with allot of flair which saw them win the Premiership last year and if they can continue this they may just scrape into the top 8 come the end of the year.

Buddy looks to have his confidence back and playing great footy with goals from all over the ground. His presence on the field is enough to spur the team on which should see them onto a big win at AAMI Stadium.

West Coast V Essendon Sunday at Subiaco

Tip: Essendon

This is a must win game for Essendon to keep their finals chances alive. They seemed to be off their usual game last week losing in a nail biter but should bounce back over in the West.

The Dons will be do it tough though up forward with goal kicker Matthew Lloyd to miss the game with a badly bruised heel.

It’s a great time to be with Sportsbet as they have announced today they will be having a Super Saturday this weekend the 25th of July.

What’s this involve you ask? Around every month or two Sportsbet have a massive free bet promo weekend with six ways of getting some great free bets just for placing a few bets or making a deposit.

Last time Super Saturday was on I took advantage of the the offer called Resurrection Bet. This one is my favourites because if you lose you get a 100% refund of your bet to place on the following Wednesday. For example, if you put $200 on a horse to win and it comes 2nd by a nose there no need to worry, you get your money back! Just make sure you bet on the nominated Resurrection Bet races that are listed on the Sportsbet site and you can’t lose.

For more info on Super Saturday or to join Sportsbet checkout their site.

Here’s some details on the offers available

1. Everyone’s a Winner

You’ll win even if you lose. Sportsbet will refund 10% of your net losses on Randwick racing win, place and each way bets placed from 10am to 6pm AEST Saturday 25 July.

2. Happy Hour

For one mad hour from 1pm to 2pm AEST 25 July you can boost your payouts on 10 win, place or each way bets of up to $200 stake each on nominated Flemington & Doomben races with Sportsbet’s great Happy Hour 20% Bonus offer!

The 20% bonus is also on top of the Best Odds (better than the TAB) available through Sportsbet.

Heres the Happy Hour times for each state

Qld:  1pm-2pm.
SA:  12:30pm-1:30pm.
NT: 12:30pm-1:30pm.
WA: 11am-12pm.
Vic/NSW/ACT/Tas: 1pm-2pm.

3. Fifty/fifty bet

Earn a $50 free bet on each of the four 50/50 bet offer available on Super Saturday. You can get up to $200 in free bets!

4. Funky Fourth

Place an Each Way wager on one horse in any of the nominated Morphettville races and if your horse Runs 4th, your stake will be refunded and you’ll get your money back.

5. Resurrection Bets

Place a win, place or each way wager of up to $200 stake on the nominated Resurrection Bet races and if your bet loses, your stake immaculately resurrects as a Free Bet for ONE DAY only on Wednesday 29 of July.

6. Seeing Double 1st Deposit Bonus

Sportsbet will double the value of their ’1st Deposit’

Make your 1st deposit and earn up to $200 in free bets (2 free bets equal to 20% of the deposit amount up to $200).

See the 2010 Round 17 Tips Here

A massive rivalry round of football with some important top eight clashes and a couple of local derbies to add to the mix. To name a game of the round would be too hard with so many blockbuster games on but I think the St Kilda V Western Bulldogs game also the classic Carlton V Collingwood clash on Friday night could prove to be the most exciting games of the round.

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Sports Bet of the Round

Last weeks four leg multi bet of the round just scraped in with the Richmond drawn game which halved the winnings but at least we still got to collect.

This weeks bet of the round is Geelong, Sydney, Freo and Adelaide also in a multi bet. There’s plenty of value here and will pay around $5.00 at Canbet who will also give you a $40 free bet just for using the promotional code 2040BFF when signing up and making $20 worth of bets with them. Check out the latest odds here.

Carlton V Collingwood Friday Night at the MCG

Tip: Collingwood

The Pies are coming off a shock loss to the Hawks last weekend and they will be out to win as they can’t afford another loss this time of the season.

The end result will depend on another great game from Dane Swan as he continues the best form of his career. Swan is fast becoming Gary Ablett’s toughest opposition for the Brownlow with another 35+ possession game last week. The Pies by 30 points.

Geelong V Hawthorn Saturday at the MCG

Tip: Geelong

What a time for the Grand Final rematch. The Hawks supporters believe they are back on track and this game will truly show if they have even a little of their form back from last year.

The Cats will be out to embarrass Hawthorn and keep the Hawks chances of a top eight spot slim after the unexpected Grand Final loss last year. My prediction is this will be the case with a 30+ points win.

Fremantle V West Coast Saturday at Subiaco

Tip: Fremantle

This game is the “tanking” match of the round. West Coast can’t afford to win another game and loose the chance of a priority draft pick. Freo on the other hand have 3 wins so can get another victory while being under the 5 game cut off for the extra pick.

So looking at this I’m tipping Freo and the bookies agree with Sportsbet pricing Freo at $1.70 ahead of the Eagles $2.20. Get a $50 free bet with Sportsbet just for signing up with them through Sportsbet Blog, check their site out to join and for the latest odds.

Brisbane V North Melbourne Saturday Night at the Gabba

Tip: Brisbane

Depending on other games, the Lions could see themselves in the top four after round 17 is complete. They will see this game as an opportunity for a much needed percentage booster with a few tough games on the road ahead.

It will be a tough ask without Daniel Bradshaw and Jared Brennan both out for around three weeks but they have a fair bit of depth that should see them through at least this game.

St Kilda V Western Bulldogs Saturday Night at Etihad Stadium

Tip: St Kilda

A massive test for both clubs. St Kilda will be without forward Justin Koschitzke and Zac Dawson with both being pulled up by the tribunal. This will force the Saints to change things up a bit which could cause some headaches for Ross Lyon. It could be a blessing in disguise for the Saints with a near unchanged side this year.

I think they have enough belief in their game that should see them home but not without a fright from the Dogs. The Bulldogs have shown that they have alot of spirit with a fight back last weekend after trailing most of the first half.

Melbourne V Sydney Sunday at Manuka Oval

Tip: Sydney

Both teams are coming off heavy losses and both out of contention for the finals. Swans defender Ted Richards is an obvious omission for the game in Darwin after suffering from a punctured lung, broken ribs and internal chest bleeding in last weeks game against Carlton.

Jesse White is a shining light for the Swans, there has already been talk of him to taking Barry Hall’s position now that he has retired. He will be out to make his mark in the game after last weekends four goals and 12 kicks in his best game since joining the AFL.

Essendon V Richmond Sunday at Etihad Stadium

Tip: Essendon

This is a must win game for Essendon for a chance to play in the finals this year. They currently sit 8 on the ladder with 8 wins and 8 losses along with Port and the Hawks.

Angus Monfries will be a key inclusion up forward for the Bombers after recovering a hamstring injury.

The Bombers should get a comfortable win by around 24 points to continue the Tigers disappointing year.

Adelaide V Port Adelaide Sunday at AAMI Stadium

Tip: Adelaide

The Crows will be desperate to get their confidence back up after a disappointing effort against the Saints last week. They play AAMI stadium well and have the man power to get over Port.

Showdown XXVII will see the return of Nathan van Berlo and Rob Shirley which are are missive inclusions for Adelaide and Patrick Dangerfield is also expected to play after a heavy knock to the head last weekend.

Update:

Sportingbet have just opened a new market now that St Kilda has lost a game. Will St Kilda lose a 2nd game in 2009 (finals included) Yes is paying $1.35 and No $3.00. Interesting odds for both sides and I think its worth a bet for Saints to not lose another at $3.00. Checkout the latest odds at Sportingbet.

Its the question on everyone’s lips. Can the Saints go 22 wins in a row in what would be a new AFL record?

The current AFL record is 20 consecutive wins in a season which Essendon currently holds (year 2000). One record St Kilda does already own is its AFL/VFL record breaking losing streak. Between 1897 and 1899 they went 48 games without a win, a fine effort that would be worth many priority draft picks these days!

Sportsbet definitely don’t think they can get the record. They are paying $3.15 for St Kilda to go the whole home and away season undefeated and $1.35 for them to have at least one loss.

Here’s St Kilda’s run home

1. Western Bulldogs at Etihad
2. Sydney at the SCG
3. Hawthorn in Tasmania
4. Essendon at Etihad
5. North Melbourne at Etihad
6. Melbourne at the MCG

So looking at the final six games there is currently only one true danger game, the Bulldogs this weekend. The Saints comfortably bet the Doggies in round 6 by 28 points. If the Saints can emulate the way they played against the Crows on Sunday they look to have the goods not only over the Bulldogs but over the other final five teams they play this season.

Ross Lyon said they want to better their game in certain areas before the finals which at face value means they should only get better. The Saints have also said they wont be taking Geelong’s counter productive approach in resting players.

Personally as a St Kilda supporter, I think they can do it. Their bottom tier players Sam Gilbert, Sean Depster, Zac Dawson Clinton Jones and Andrew McQualter have all stepped up this year making life much easier for the leadership group. The Saints back line although not star studded is currently the most efficient in the AFL only conceding 967 points, 311 points clear of 2nd place Geelong’s defence.

My tip is to get your money on the Saints before the Bulldogs game. If they beat them on Saturday the odds to finish the season unbeaten will dramatically shorten and most of the value from the bet will be lost.

Here’s another tip, Sportsbet will give you a $50 free bet just for joining them through Sportsbet Blog. The free bet can be placed on any market including the Saints tip I mentioned earlier. They will also match your first deposit 100% up to $100. Check out the Sportsbet site to join and for the latest odds for the Saints.

Caulfield will come to life with the $100,000 Sir John Monash Stakes on Saturday. It should be an exciting race with a handy field of winter sprinters lined up in the race.

IASbet’s bookmaker Mark Read is tipping the favourite, Gran Sasso, to have a win.

“I Am Invincible ($3.70) will set a keen pace up front and, from his gun draw, Gran Sasso ($3.10) will be right on his hammer,” said Read. “Besides the perfect run, his current form and fitness easily sets the benchmark for this race.”

While confident about the chances of the favourite, Read believes that any boil over will be an in house job, giving Orange County a rough chance, “Orange County ($6.00) has a class edge, goes well when fresh and appreciates give in the track, ticking all the boxes as an appealing each way value in this race. Inversely, I’m opposing Damselfly ($5.00) as I regard his current quote as under the odds.”

I agree with Mark Read and think Gran Sasso is the logical choice for the big race. He’s a fit and in form horse and has responded to Chris Symons every move. With the coverted barrier number 1 he has the box seat and expected to do well.

His last run was on a dead track and showed that he is a true sprinter and took the lead from mid pack just before the striaght where he finished to a fairly comfortable win. I think that he will surprise some people come the Spring Carnival.

Mark Read’s IASbet have a huge range of horse racing markets including the Sir John Monash Stakes. They have a great promotion on at the moment, that if you use the promo code BFF100 when joining and make $50 worth of bets you will get $100 worth of free bets. Checkout their site for more info and the latest odds for the race.

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The favourites for the Richmond coaching job have been dropping like flies leaving the betting markets up in the air on who will get the top job.

First it was hot favourite Kevin Sheedy who on July 2nd declared he was the man to turn the Tigers around and had the backing of SEN radio broadcaster and long time Tiger great Kevin Bartlett. Then nine days later he put his hand down after long meetings with club officials saying that the club was bigger than an individual.

I think there was mixed emotions in the Richmond camp about the potential of Sheedy taking the helm. Richmond president Gary March said on the Footy Show that Sheedy wouldn’t get the job as long as he is President. Not much encouragement for other coaches looking for the job. Kevin goes down as one of the most decorated player/coaches around.

Richmond club captain and now assistant coach Wayne Campbell set his intentions to coach as soon as Terry Wallace announced that he wouldn’t go on.

It was only three days later after Kevin dropped out of the picture that Campbell also followed suit. He said that he just wasn’t ready for the job.

“I reckon I’m about 80 per cent, and that’s nowhere near enough. It’s just such a full on job.”

“In the last few weeks, I just got a feeling I wasn’t 100 per cent prepared,” he said.

For someone that has been in a coaching position since 2007 you would think you would know what was needed before announcing that you wanted the job.

How I see it is both Sheedy and Campbell were knocked back from the club early and rather than tarnish their coaching reputations they spin up a story in positive light.

I think the Richmond board have made a decision and have two names in mind, Nathan Buckley and current stand in coach Jade Rawlings.

Buckley ($3 favourite at Sportsbet) continues to state that he is ready to coach and is in talks with both Richmond and North Melbourne. Maybe he is waiting to see if Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse resigns with the club which he looks more likely to do every day.

Rawlings on the other hand has had the initial support from the club as a stand in coach but hasn’t had much early success.

“I’m going for it” he said

“I’m in it head deep, and I want to come out the other side as Richmond senior coach.”

Sportsbet has drifted him out on the last couple of weeks to $14. If you feel Rawlings has a chance I’d get in early, the odds can tumble very quickly when any word gets out.

If you join Sportsbet through Sportsbet Blog today they will give you a $50 free bet to place on any market including the Richmond job. Checkout the latest odds here.

What’s you opinion? Do you think Bucks or Rawlings will get the job or will Ken Hinkley or even Mick Malthouse get the nod?

Were starting to come into the business end of the home and away season and there are a few important games in round sixteen that could shape the top 4 at the end of the season. The St Kilda V Adelaide game will be a big test for both teams, a win for Adelaide will secure a top four position. The Collingwood V Hawks will be an interesting one as well. Can the Hawks keep the winning feeling going at the MCG or will the Pies finish all what is left for the Hawks to make the finals this year?

Want our tips delivered to you each week? Then follow us on Twitter or subscribe to our blog.

Sports Bet of the Round

This weeks bet of the round is Richmond, Port Adelaide, Brisbane and St Kilda in a multi bet. It will pay around $4.00 at Canbet who will also give you a $40 free bet just for using the promotional code 2040BFF when signing up and making $20 worth of bets with them. Check out the latest odds here.

Essendon V Western Bulldogs Friday Night at Etihad Stadium

Tip: Western Bulldogs

Another super night of Friday night footy in which should be a goal bonanza. Both teams are capable of quickly running the ball straight into the attack and both are even quicker at getting the ball down the other end after a turnover. Fingers crossed this game is similar to last weekends 1 point margin which saw the Dogs just fall short of the win. The Dogs have beaten the Bombers in their last five clashes which in the end should be the case here to. They are a more solid and skilful team that has set its targets for a top four finish to the season.

Carlton V Sydney Saturday at the MCG

Tip: Carlton

The Blues are clear favourites with Sportsbet at $1.27 with Sydney out to as much as $3.85 with some bookies. Carlton’s only multiple goal scorer last week Brendon Fevola will be a headache for the Swans backline after he kicked nine goals in what was a near perfect day for the big man. More than half of his total possessions resulted in goals in that game so we don’t blame the bookies for having the Blues priced so short! The usual names will once again shine this weekend for the Blues, Andrew Carrazzo, Bryce Gibbs and Chris Judd (who is in Brownlow winning form) will all see Carlton over the line.

Geelong V Melbourne Saturday at Skilled Stadium

Tip: Geelong

The rumours of the Cats deliberately dropping their star players (tanking) last week have deepened with the return of most likely all of them for the weeks game in Geelong. Brownlow medal favourite Garry Ablett, Matthew Scarlett, Andrew Mackie and Travis Varcoe are all certain starters. Cameron Ling and Darren Milburn and still 50/50 but are expected to play. This all being said the Cats will end Melbourne’s chances of a three game winning streak, not that they want to win to many more games as they would miss out on the chance of a extra draft pick if they win a couple more games.

Fremantle V Brisbane Saturday Night at Subiaco

Tip: Brisbane

Freo now sit firmly on the bottom of the ladder with no signs of a recovery. The Dockers football manager Chris Bond has said they will continue their youth policy even after the record breaking 117 point loss to Adelaide last week which included only 1 Freo goal. This will delight Lions coach Michael Voss with now two weeks in a row where a team has selected youth over a strong side and he should get a rare win over in the West. Jed Adcock will missed in backline for the Lions after a season ending knee injury last week.

Collingwood V Hawthorn Saturday Night at the MCG

Tip: Collingwood

The Pies are in flying form at the moment with majority of their guns firing. They may be a little sore going into this match after the blockbuster 1 point win against the Dogs last week but they should be able to get over the line. Collingwood have had an extra 2 day break over the Hawks who played at a rain soaked Tasmania on Sunday which would have taken everything out of them. A loss here for the Hawk will be season ending making it to near impossible to make the top 8. The massive pressure for them to get a win against a classy Pies unit will break them. My prediction is the Pies by 30 points.

Port Adelaide V West Coast Sunday at AAMI Stadium

Tip: Port Adelaide

After a dismal performance against the bottom of the ladder Melbourne last week Port will be looking to bounce back with a win at AAMI stadium. They have have a punishing week on the track including a 6am beach session on the Monday after the loss which should spark them up for the round sixteen clash. Matt Thomas and Travis Boak are set to return to the Power side that should be a massive help for them in the midfield. Both Cox and Kerr will miss the next 2-3 weeks for the Eagles with groin injuries.

Richmond V North Melbourne Sunday at the MCG

Tip: Richmond

The bookies are on the fence about this one with Sportsbet giving both teams an even $1.90 chance to win. Any wonder, both clubs are in disarray with no finals hopes and both have no official coach. I think the telling tail will be if Ben Cousins can reproduce his efforts in last weeks game. He showed signs of his former self with a season high 35 possessions. It’s also Brett Deledio’s 100th game which will give the Tigers some lift.

St Kilda V Adelaide Sunday at Etihad Stadium

Tip: St Kilda

The Saints looked flat for the first three quarters over in the West last week but turned it on in the last bringing back their regular brilliance. I expect this to continue into this game in what could be a defining match against the Crows. Adelaide are in great form and they would believe they can knock off the unbeaten Saints and secure a top 4 position. The Saints should win although the Crows have much more to play for. St Kilda may be starting to take the foot off the pedal a little, now that they have the top spot nearly secured.