Sportsbet Blog

Round thirteens games have some great matchups but none more than the game of the round on Friday night against Essendon and Carlton. It should be a great match with both teams on six wins and six losses and the possibility for the winner to be in the top four. Another interesting game this week is the West Coast V Hawthorn game. The Eagles played well last time at Subiaco and if the Hawks can’t get a win here their season will be officially over.

Want your 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  in a Carlton, Hawthorn, Collingwood and the Bulldogs in a multi bet. It will pay around $3 at Sportsbet who will also give you a $50 free bet on this weeks tip just for signing up with them here.

Essendon V Carlton Friday Night at the MCG

Tip: Carlton

Carlton on paper should have a win here, they have many more experienced players with the likes of Chris Judd and Brendan Fevola that should get them over the line. But Essendon have had the wood over the Blues in recent times which will make for a great match. Watch out for Aaron Joseph who is this weeks NAB rising star. He has kept some big names quiet in the last few weeks and should line up on Alwyn Davey on Friday which will be another big test for him.

Collingwood V Fremantle Saturday at the MCG

Tip: Collingwood

Freo showed that they have the skills to match it with the big boys with a gallant effort against Geelong last week in a match they could well have won. Unfortunately I don’t think they will be able to reproduce the effort this week at the MCG against the Pies. Collingwood showed that they are a true top four side last week finishing well in a close game with the Swans and should be able to overcome any attack the Dockers bring to the game. Alan Didak is the key to the Pies winning after a great 34 possessions and two goals last weekend.

Adelaide V Sydney Saturday at AAMI Stadium

Tip: Adelaide

Adelaide are a underestimated team and I have a prediction that they will have a strong finish to the season and will shake thinks up come the finals. They should get a pretty easy win at their home AAMI stadium. Simon Goodwin has given himself a 50/50 chance of playing this weekend and if the Crows captain does it will cause massive headaches for Sydney coach Paul Roos as he is very difficult to shut down when in form. The Crows by 30+

West Coast V Hawthorn Saturday night at Subiaco Oval

Tip: Hawthorn

This game could be D-Day for the Hawks if they can’t get a win here. We are all waiting for them to return to last years form but every week they fail to fully impress. Luckily for Hawthorn key ruckman Dean Cox is suffering a groin injury  and is unlikely to line up for the Eagles. If West Coast can reproduce the good form when they played Geelong a couple of weeks ago in Perth it may make for a very close game. If your looking to put a bet on this game Sportsbet have the Hawks to win  between 1-39 points paying $2.25 which might be worth a look at. Sportsbet will also give you a $50 free bet on this when making a new account here.

Brisbane V Melbourne Saturday night at the Gabba

Tip: Brisbane

Melbourne will struggle to get a winning score in Brisbane. They have shown some signs of light but they are still a few years away from stringing consecutive wins together. James Frawley (the nephew of former St Kilda captain Danny Frawley) has stepped up this year and looks to be a great pickup for Melbourne with some great efforts down back in the last couple of weeks. He will have his work cut out for him this weekend against the Brisbane forward line.

Geelong V Port Adelaide Sunday at Skilled Stadium

Tip: Geelong

Geelong can chalk up another win before they walk out on the ground on Sunday. They play Skilled Stadium very well and I suspect the game over by half time. Sportsbet agree and have set Geelong at a short $1.60 to win by over 40+. Cameron Mooney will be hoping to get his mojo back in time for the massive game against the Saints next week after only managing two points last week in a dismal performance.

North Melbourne V Western Bulldogs Sunday at the MCG

Tip: Western Bulldogs

The Doggies are looking good and will have another decent win over an “off the track” North Melbourne on Sunday. Caretaker coach Darren Crocker may have Brent “Boomer” Harvey back for the game which will add some much needed depth but it wont be enough to stop the speed of the Dogs running forward. Bulldog’s Will Minson will be out to have another great game after 23 possessions and three goals against Port last week. I think the Bulldogs here to win by 40+ points is the best bet for the game, Sportsbet have it paying $2.05.

St Kilda V Richmond Sunday at Etihad Stadium

Tip: St Kilda

The Saints wont let the Tigers ruin what will be a great game next week against Geelong, with hopefully both teams going into the the big game undefeated. Nick Riewoldt will be out to show his cousin Jack Riewoldt how its done after his five goal haul last week in a man of the match performance. The St Kilda backline will need to keep a close eye on Tiger Mitch Morton after also kicking five in last weeks game.The Saints had their first true scare against Carlton but showed that they had the professional mindset to keep it together and eventually scrape a win together. They would have learnt alot from the game and will know how to get themselves out of trouble when a close game comes up again.

This weekends round 12 football has three games remaining from the split round including the the much anticipated match against Sydney and Collingwood on Saturday night. Checkout the first week of round twelves tips here.

I’m not much of a fan of the split round, there isn’t any games in Melbourne on both Saturday and Sunday which will leave hundreds of thousands of people wondering what to do with them selves. There isn’t any good reason to have the break other than for the players (who’s job it is to kick the ball around) to have the weekend off. I say, let them play! They have three or four months off at the end of the season to kick back and relax!

Now to the tips…

Essendon V Melbourne, Friday Night at Etihad Stadium

Tip: Essendon

The Bombers should have a comfortable win on Friday night. They play Etihad stadium well and the return of Dustin Fletcher to spice up the Essendon back line should see them home. The much needed Paddy Ryder will line up in the ruck after beating a two match ban at the AFL tribunal last week for rough conduct.

Sydney V Collingwood, Saturday at ANZ Stadium

Tip: Collingwood

This should be a great game with both teams level on form and looking for a position in the top 8 after this game. Sydney’s odds have widened a little from $1.82 last week to $1.87 with Sportsbet. My tip is Collingwood, there’s great value for them at the moment at $1.95 with forward duo Anthony Rocca and Paul Medhurst likely to be named to play after coming back from injuries in the VFL last week. Even though the game is in Sydney, I predict that the Pies should have a fairly easy win here, they can be inconsistent at times but after the weeks break they should be ready to go.

Sportsbet will give you a $50 free bet to place on any AFL game (including my Collingwood tip!) just for making a new account, with no deposit necessary! Check them out here.

Fremantle V Geelong, Sunday at Suibiaco Oval

Tip: Geelong

This ones pretty self explanatory. Freo can’t beat a down and out Richmond at home so how could they possibly beat the class of the Cats? Geelong by a large margin. With the St Kilda V Geelong blockbuster match now only a couple of weeks away, injuries will become very important to their chances of winning. Taking that into account there may not be as much head first to the ball kind of things we are used to from the Cats this weekend if the game is a blow out.

See the 2011 Round 11 tips here

Round elevens tips are fairly straight forward. The only upset that I predict  happening this week is Sydney beating the Hawks at the MCG. The game of the week is Richmond Vs the Bulldogs on Friday night, both teams are coming off wins and Richmond coach Terry Wallace is looking to leave on a high note.

Want your 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 Bulldogs, Essendon and Sydney in a multi bet. Sportsbet will give a $50 free bet on this weeks bet of the round just for signing up with them here.

Richmond V Western Bulldogs Friday Night at Etihad Stadium
Tip: Western Bulldogs
The Bulldogs are playing great footy with a nice forty point win over the Swans last week. Giansiracusa’s skill in the middle will be again game winning, he breaks the middle with ease which gives the forwards numerous uncontested possessions and goals. Ben Cousins has hit back well for the Tigers, returning from a fractured hand last week with twenty possessions in the second half. Can the Tigers do it for Terry Wallace in his last game as coach? I can’t see it happening.

North Melbourne V St Kilda Saturday at Etihad Stadium
Tip: St Kilda
I can’t go past the Saints. They are playing tough football at the moment that even when playing bad still looks good. Lenny Hayes has strung a three great games together in the past few weeks so expect another big one from him. Look out for Clinton Jones. He has stepped up his game in the middle this year making it much easier for the Saints senior play makers to move the ball forward cleanly.

Brisbane  V Carlton Saturday Night at the Gabba
Tip: Carlton
This should be a great game for the neutral supporter with both forward lines known for big marks and goals. Fevola is back in form after a six goal bag and numerous second efforts last weekend so expect another big effort from him. Marc Murphy will be the tell tale early on. If he gets a few early possessions you know the Blues are going to have a good game. Daniel Rich may be a handful for the Blues, his ball carry and tackling pressure has been second to none this year for Brisbane.

Port Adelaide V Fremantle, Saturday Night at AAMI Stadium
Tip: Port Adelaide
Once again Freo let us down with another loss in game they should have won last week, I will never learn… The Dockers suffered a few injuries during last weeks narrow loss to Richmond which will most likely carry over into this game. As long as Power can hold Arron Sandilands down Port shouldn’t have any problems beating Freo.

Essendon V Adelaide, Sunday at Etihad Stadium
Tip: Essendon
The Bombers need a win this week to lift their spirits after a big loss to Geelong. It will be a big test for Essendon to see if they are a true top eight team after Adelaide’s victory over last years premiers last week. Matthew Lloyd may need to play up the ground a little more to add some bulk to the Essendon midfield.

Hawthorn V Sydney, Sunday at the MCG
Tip: Sydney
I’m unsure about the Hawks this year. Obviously at the start of the year they were expected to be a super team again but it is still yet to happen. I’m jumping off them this week as they have dropped too many winnable games. I think the Swans have the man power to beat the Hawks with Barry Hall in good form and Adam Goodes directing traffic in the middle and bobbing up for a few goals.

West Coast V Geelong, Sunday at Subiaco Oval
Tip: Geelong
One can not got past Geelong. They are a strong fast unit that can with withstand any game plan thrown at them. The Eagles were disappointing last week and will be hapless against Geelong’s forward pressure. Geelong by 45 points.

Melbourne V Collingwood, Monday at the MCG
Tip: Collingwood
The Pies should be able to get a win here. Although Melbourne have shown some signs of success in recent weeks they fail to play a full four quarter game. This gives teams a period of time to dominate play to put the game out of reach. My prediction is that Collingwood will do the same and get a 30 point win on the board.

If you looking at placing a few bets on the footy this weekend make sure to checkout Sportsbets free $50 signup offer where there is no deposit needed!

See 2010 Round 10 Footy Tips here

What a week of footy last week was! The two top teams just managed to scratch victories together making the competition even more level for the year. Saying that though, both St Kilda and Geelong are now four games clear of third place and if their form continues over the next few weeks the top two spots will be almost sealed for the rest of the season. In my view round tens match of the round is Essendon V Geelong. I think Essendon will be able to get a good start in this game making for a super match.

Sports Bet of the Round

This weeks bet of the round is Bulldogs, Freo, Hawks and Collingwood to win in a Multi bet. I think they all have decent chances to get up for a win this weekend and paying around $5.80 with Sportsbet is well worth a few dollars. It’s also worth noting that when you signup with Sportsbet they give you a $50 free bet to place on anything, just for signing up!

Carlton V West Coast, Friday Night at Etihad Stadium

Tip: Carlton

This should be a pretty close game. West Coast played hard footy last week but faded out towards the last quarter. With Jarrad Waite now out for the season either Sentana O’hAilpin or Brad Fisher need to stand up and contest the ruck against big man Dean Cox. This is where the game win be won or lost for Carlton but I feel they have the class in the midfield to make up for what they will lack at the stoppages that should see them win. My prediction here is around 15 points.

Western Bulldogs V Sydney, Saturday at Manuka Oval

Tip: Western Bulldogs

The Bulldogs will be out for blood this weekend after the loss to Geelong. They would have taken alot of positives out of last weeks game that should see them run over the top of Sydney. Lets hope Brad Johnson has had some kicking practice…

North Melbourne V Brisbane Lions, Saturday at Etihad Stadium

Tip: Brisbane

Brisbane probably should have beaten the top of the ladder Saints last week. They showed great talent getting the ball forward while slowing the Saints down at the same time. Watch out for Simon Black in the middle, his precision and speed makes him a key player to winning this weekend.

Fremantle V Richmond, Saturday Night at Subiaco

Tip: Fremantle

Freo should have a good win at Subico. The Tigers have thrown the white towel in and the big trip over will only worsen things. Richmond will enjoy the weekend out of Victoria where the media pressure wont be present. Luke McPharlin had a great game kicking four goals last week which should see him deeper forward this week.

St Kilda V Melbourne, Saturday Night at Gold Coast Stadium

Tip: St Kilda

The Saints have been a little flat in the last few weeks so this game should be a good pick-me-up. The Melbourne youngsters are no match for St Kildas line up and will struggle kicking a score. Clinton Jones is having a steller season which has cemented his place in the Saints side. Expect another good game from him this week.

Adelaide V Hawthorn, Sunday at AAMI Stadium

Tip: Hawthorn

The Hawks are slowly building form with each game they play which should see them overcome the Crows at AAMI stadium, even with Buddy or is that “Tubby” Franklin not bothering the score keepers as much as last year. Beau Muston has recovered nicely after enduring three knee reconstructions in the last few years and getting a game high 31 possessions last week.

Essendon V Geelong, Sunday at Etihad Stadium

Tip: Geelong

Don’t blink or you will miss a goal! It will be a very fast paced straight through the middle type of game. Geelong should be able to hold Essendon off enough to win but I think it will be much closer than first thought. Andrew Lovett and Alwyn Davey are super quick that will make for a great spectacle against the leagues best.

Collingwood V Port Adelaide, Sunday at the MCG

Tip: Collingwood

The Pies need to start winning at home if they are going to make an attack on the top four this year. Collingwood members would be furious as they have only won one home game this year but are winning games out of Victoria. They have reshuffled their line up due to numerious injuries and are starting to be accustom to their new rolls. There is also word that Paul Medhurst, Alan Didak and Dale Thomas may be available to play this week.

If you looking at placing a few bets on the footy this weekend make sure to checkout Sportsbets free $50 signup offer where there is no deposit needed!

Theres only one real standout game in round eight worth tuning in for with arch rivals Collingwood and Carlton going head to head. This should be a great game, both teams are looking to cement a spot into a top four and both play a great brand of attacking football. The Essendon V St Kilda may also be worth a look but I suspect that a poor Essendon side to turn up on the day and will be crushed by the Saints pressure game style.

Sports Bet of the Round

This week I recommend a multi bet with the following teams. Brisbane, Sydney, Collingwood and St Kilda. All teams are destine to have a win and should pay around $8 . I also recommend Sportsbet for all your footy bets. I’ve found they have the best odds around for all the games and they also double your first deposit when joining with them. Find out more info on this here.

Fremantle V Hawthorn, Friday Night at Subiaco Oval

Tip: Hawthorn

This is a hard one to pick. On one hand I think that playing in Perth, Freo should have a win against a undermanned and out of form Hawks side. But on the other I can see the Hawks get their act together and start playing the footy they are known for. I’ve gone with the latter and think the Hawks should get the points. It was also interesting to see that the bookies have still set the Hawks as third favourite for the flag even after their rocky start to the season.

Melbourne V Western Bulldogs, Saturday at the MCG

Tip: Western Bulldogs

This ones a no brainer, the Doggies will have a nice win this weekend that should see them cement a top four position on the ladder. Melbourne have done everything except wave the white flag as they look towards the future playing youth and trying new game plans. Watch for Adam Cooney and Nathan Eagleton to both have big possession games, Melbourne will struggle to hold down any of fast paced midfielders from Bulldogs.

Geelong V North Melbourne, Saturday at Skilled Stadium

Tip: Geelong

Another Skilled Stadium game = another win for the Cats. Steve Johnson has taken the injured Gary Ablett’s position nicely with a definite 3 Brownlow vote performance with four goals and eleven marks last weekend. They have a huge presence all over the ground that would leave any coach scratching his head when trying to match up the classy unit. Geelong by 45+

Brisbane V Adelaide, Saturday Night at the Gabba

Tip: Brisbane

On paper Adelaide may be having their worst year on record with the team notching up a never seen before four straight losses at AAMI stadium. Brisbane on the other hand have only dropped one at home and had a nice win last week at the MCG. Brisbane seem to be playing as a team and are all in a good zone together which makes for some fast precise footy. Jonathan Brown and Daniel Bradshaw continue to be a handy forward duo providing easy targets for the Lions midfielders.

Sydney V West Coast, Saturday Night at ANZ Stadium

Tip: Sydney

This should be a close scoring game with both teams needing a win to keep in touch of the pack. Darren Jolly had a poor game against the Cats last weekend where he was considerably beaten in the hitout count so expect a big game from him against big man Dean Cox. With Daniel Kerr our for a couple of months West Coast will have a few problems in the middle that will play into Sydney’s hands especially Jude Bolton will his high tackling pressure. This is where the game will be won and I think the Swans will get over the line.

Port Adelaide V Richmond, Sunday at AAMI Stadium

Tip: Port Adelaide

Although Port lost last weekend they played pretty well in Melbourne and should take it step further at AAMI stadium. Even with Ben Cousins back playing half a game and decent games from both Joel Bowden and Nathan Foley they cant kick a winning score so I have trouble finding any light at the end of the tunnel for the Tigers. Port are showing good form and currently sit fourth on the ladder and a hapless Richmond sit fifteenth with only one win on the board. Warren Tredrea continues to prove his critics wrong with a handy three goals and seven marks on his last outing.

Collingwood V Carlton, Sunday at the MCG

Tip: Carlton

An interesting stat for this game is over the last seven rounds whoever St Kilda has beaten the week before has had a win the following round. I was at the game on Monday night against St Kilda and if the Pies play anything like they did then this stat will be blown out of the water. Suspect knee injuries to both Fraser and Swan will make it even harder for the Pies. Both teams are at level pegging on the ladder at seventh and eighth spots so this result will be very important come the end of the season. Carlton by a comfortable 24 points.

Essendon V St Kilda, Sunday at Etihad Stadium

Tip: St Kilda

As mentioned in the first paragraph I think Essendon will come to the game in a poor mind set and fall to the Saints pressure from all over the ground. St Kilda are going nicely at the moment and I can’t see an inconsistent team in the Bombers stopping them. Nick Dal Santo and Leigh Montagna both had exceptional games on Monday with 38 possessions so expect a similar proformance from them this weekend.

Round seven brings up two games of interest with Essendon V Hawks on Friday night and Collingwood V St Kilda on Monday night. The Hawks are looking like they are returning to their 2008 form with a very close win against a classy Blues outfit but the Bombers can show brilliance in big games and Friday night footy doesn’t get much bigger. A odd Monday night game will be played out against two of the leagues toughest teams in the Saints and Pies that will be well worth a look. The Pies know they are a half a chance to knock off the league leaders and will play a high pressure game.

Essendon V Hawthorn, Friday Night at Etihad Stadium

Tip: Hawthorn

This should be a interesting game. I think Essendon will play a very defensive game and will send alot of numbers back to fill the open areas in the Hawks attack stopping Buddy and Roughhead in the process. But as we have seen in the last 12 months it is easier said than done, and if the Hawthorn forward line can take only a few of the contested marks they will kick a winning score. Jobe Watson will be out to have another great game for the Dons after great 36 possessions last week.

Geelong V Sydney, Saturday at Skilled Stadium

Tip: Geelong

The Cats will eat the Swans alive at Skilled Stadium. Geelong match up Sydney all over the ground with an exception to Michael O’Loughlin who may cause some headaches for the Cats. I can see another 35 point plus win here.

Richmond V Brisbane, Saturday at the MCG

Tip: Richmond

Richmond are running out of opportunities to turn their disappointing start to the season around and I think this will be the game to make or break the Tigers. They have a decent list and the $2.05 odds Sportsbet are offering is a pretty good price. The Tigers play well at the MCG and if Jack Riewoldt can get into the game early they should be able to have a win even without the injured Matthew Richardson. Ben Cousins horror return to the game may continue with a sore looking Ben during his VFL game with Coburg. As pictured here Ben’s knees and calf were heavily iced up which Richmond officials said was for a precautionary measure only, but who knows.

North Melbourne V Port Adelaide, Saturday Night at Etihad Stadium

Tip: Port Adelaide

Port have the ability to play decent footy when it counts and these away games against middle grade teams are important for a top 4 finish this year. Both Kane and Chad Cornes are the keys to Port winning this weekend and I can’t see North having the answers to stop the skilled brothers.

Carlton V Fremantle, Saturday Night at the Gold Coast Stadium

Tip: Carlton

Fremantle will have to contend with both a strong Blues team and one of the longest flights for an AFL team when they play at the Gold Coast on Saturday night. This will be one of the deciding factors when they line up against Carton. Depending on how they have recovered during the week I think they will run out of legs towards the end of the game which should see Carton run over the top for a good win. Carton will also be out to make up for last weeks very disappointing loss to one of the best games so far this year after big Fev hit the post right on the siren handing the Hawks the victory. Watch out for a big bag of goals from Fevola (im sure he will be practicing his set shots this week!)

Adelaide V Western Bulldogs, Sunday at AAMI Stadium

Tip: Adelaide

Anyone who plays at AAMI stadium against the Crows will take a good part of a quarter to get started and I think this is where the Crows will set the play on their terms for the remainder of the game. The Crows will have learnt from the disappointing loss to Port last week in the “show down” and I predict they will bounce back with a win at home. Nathan Bock has not let recent assault charges effect his game since returning after a weeks ban. He has had a handy 26 possessions in both games giving them the depth they need in the half back line.

West Coast V Melbourne, Sunday at Subiaco Stadium

Tip: West Coast

West Coast at Subiaco are near unstoppable even when they arn’t playing well and once again Melbourne will continue to have trouble holding down the opposition. Dean Cox will dominate as the Deamons struggle to find a decent full time ruckman. Arron Davey continues to put good games together for Melbourne and will be one to watch as he weaves his magic in the middle.

Collingwood V St Kilda, Monday Night at Edihad Stadium

Tip: St Kilda

St Kilda have been near perfect which wont give Colloingwood enough chances around the ground to cause turnovers. Saints will again be very hard at the ball and will try to get the winning margin early in the game as they have done on all occasions this season. Brendon Goddard is having his best year at the saints including a match high 33 possessions last week and should once again rule the defencive 50 mtr arc. Goddard maybe worth a small wager for the Brownlow Medal now that Ablett will miss a few weeks with injury, at the moment he is paying $17 at IASbet. IASbet also give a $100 free bet with a deposit of $50 or more which would be pefect for this Brownlow bet.

St Kilda

The Saints are just about over the hill. They have been the “about there” club for the last few years and it’s time for them to do or die. Now that Robert Harvey has departed the Saints it may cause some insecurities to the midfield as his chip kicks into the forward 50 and quick movements have been the stability of St Kilda for many years. Brendon Godard is the key to the Saints side and should once again prove a headache for most forward area players.

If they can keep relatively injury free during the year they should do well as they know how to play good footy come the end of the year. They should win more games that losses but will struggle to keep up with the pace.

Prediction: 5th

Collingwood

The Pies seem to know how to keep to the top half of the ladder and have been the consistent team of the last few years and I don’t think this year will be an exception. They play a great brand of footy with loads of flair from players like Dale Thomas, Alan Didak and Leon Davis will give the Pies the edge over most teams this year.

Some of the senior players at Collingwood are in the twilight of their careers and we may see some retirements towards the end of the year. They have recruited well with players including Steele Sidebottom and Chris Dawes expected to step up and show the AFL world what they are made of.

Collingwood are a good bet as they usually win more games than lose, also a top 8 finish bet might be worth a look if the odds aren’t too short.

Prediction: 6th

Western Bulldogs

The Bulldogs are a small quick unit that makes it tough for any team to hold up but unfortunately I don’t think they can build on the great year they had in 2008. They may have a few injury worries this year in Jason Akermanis and Brad Johnson that could see them lose too much leadership and talent to replicate last year’s form.

The doggies have a quality list but I think they will show too many holes in their game plan this year. A player to look out for is Jarrod Harbrow, his explosive quickness and agility will keep the fans coming back.

Prediction 7th

Sydney

Sydney will again play their slow “soccer like” brand of footy. It has worked in the past so I can’t see them changing now. Although sometimes boring for the spectator the Swans will again have many close low scoring games that will take the full four quarters to decide a clear winner.

Barry Hall will show his brilliance again this year and during the off season I’d expect he has learned how to keep a level head during a game.

Irishman Tadhg Kennelly heading back home will hurt the Swans bringing the ball into the forward 50 which has been a strong point in the team’s game plan. What’s interesting about the Swans is that they are yet to bottom out, they have consistently finished up the ladder for consecutive years and may do so until their next real attack on the top four.

Prediction: 8th

There is likely to be a couple new teams in this years top 4 with plenty of opportunities to be had with the top four finish betting markets.

Geelong

With last year’s grand final loss the Cats will be looking for blood and I find it hard to see a team to match them this year. With the finals experience under the belt and knowing what a loss does, Geelong will play for keeps throughout the season.

With multiple leaders in Tom Harley, Garry Ablett and Cameron Ling Geelong are once again the team to look out for. With the shorts odds for Geelong to win the premiership I wouldn’t bet on them until they have a mini slump midyear which may cause the odds to blow out a little.

Prediction: 1st

Hawthorn

Hawthorn will step up again have a great year knowing what finals footy feels like. Although they are the 2008 premiers I think that it will be a hard fort year for the Hawks with many games going down to the wire.

With Shane Crawford now retired the Hawks may lose some of the glam that helped them throughout last year in the midfield, but with Lance “Buddy” Franklin in the forward 50 who knows what will happen. If he can stay injury free, they should finish top 4, but don’t put your house on it.

Prediction: 2nd

Carlton

The Blues are due. They have been building in the last few years and are looking to get thing balanced. Chris Judd is the key to the team and they cannot do without his knowledge of the game.

They have recruited very well with Matthew Kreuzer and Bryce Gibbs both staring in their 20 games and will be the ones to watch again this year. Brendon Fevola should do well again as he tries to do one better this year and kick the illustrious 100 goals. Worth a look at backing them to finish top four.

Prediction: 3th

Richmond

Richmond should finally shake the dreaded 9th position this year and break into the top eight. The rookies have started to get a few games under their belts and Matthew Richardson is playing like his a born again footballer. This combination along with the hopeful come back of Graham Polak should give the Tigers a good year. Nathan Brown is the inspiration of the team and his skills seem to rub off on the players when he is on the field.

The addition of Ben Cousins to the Tigers will be the talking point for the year. I predict he will continue where he left off at West Coast and be an asset all over the ground. A few dollars on Ben Cousins to win the Brownlow Medal might be wise as I predict the odds will get shorter and shorter as the year goes on.

Prediction: 4th

Checkout the predictions for the rest of the 8 here