Sportsbet Blog

Round 5 could be one of the most exciting this season with some really hot matches on the cards. The stand out games being the traditional AFL Anzac Day match between Essendon and Collingwood and the Easter clash which pits the Hawks Vs Geelong.

Best Bet of Round Five

For me is Fremantle to win between 1-39 at $2.35 at Sportsbet where they give you a $200 free bet bundle just for signing up. See more info here.

Brisbane V St Kilda Thursday Night at the Gabba

Both teams need to win this game if they are serious about season 2011 with the Saints currently sitting 13th and the Lions 15th on the ladder with both teams still searching for their first win of the year.

Without Jonathan Brown I can’t see the Lions having enough firepower against a strong Saints defense who will be out to impress after letting through 136 points in their last outing against Essendon.

Tip: Saints by 33 points

Odds: Brisbane 3.50 St Kilda 1.31

Port Adelaide V Gold Coast Saturday at AAMI Stadium

The Power were a different team after quarter time last week against the Crows and will look to carry that form into Saturdays game against the Suns. Daniel Motlop showed he still has his silky skills for the power and David Rodan was outstanding with 4 goals last week.

Gold Coast should welcome back Gary Ablett but even that will not be enough to get them the 4 points at AAMI. The suns need to stick to their game plan and work hard and they will eventually get a win, just not this week!!!

Tip: Power by 59 points

Odds: Port 1.03 Gold Coast 12.00

Carlton V Adelaide Saturday Night at Etihad Stadium

The Blues had the chance to put away an undermanned Essendon side last week but couldn’t get the 4 points and were lucky to escape with 2 points after the seasons 3rd draw already. Jeff Garlett & Kade Simpson were superb for the Blues last week but will be out to make up for their late game mistakes.

Adelaide were woeful against Port Adelaide so I’m tipping coach Neil Craig will make a few changes to shake things up a bit. Big name players need to step up if they want to get the points over Carlton though. Expect big things from Tippett, Dangerfield, Van Berlo & Vince.

Tip: Carlton by 17 points

Odds: Carlton 1.28  Adelaide 3.72

North Melbourne V Richmond Sunday at Etihad Stadium

One team will finally record their first win of the season (unless we get another draw) on Sunday. I expect this to be won in the midfield. If Cotchin, DeLedio, Foley, Martin & Grigg can all make a solid contribution for all 4 quarters I can see the Tigers getting the Win.

Likewise, the Kangaroos midfield stars of Swallow, Harvey, Wells, Firrito & Liam Anthony need to lead from the front if the Kangaroos want to kick a winning score. I predict this to be a very close game with Jack Reiwoldt to kick a bag and get the Tigers across the line narrowly.

Tip: Tigers by 5 points

Odds: North 1.92  Richmond 1.92

Essendon V Collingwood Monday at the MCG

The traditional ANZAC day clash is built up as the biggest game of the Home & Away season and this year promises to be one of the biggest in years with both teams in great form.

Essendon were hurt by injuries last week and were gutsy to fight out a draw against Carlton. The Bombers will welcome back David Hille and will be looking at Kyle Reimers, Alwyn Davey and Michael Hibberd to possibly come into the side.

Collingwood just keeps rolling and sit a top the AFL Ladder aster 4 rounds with a percentage of 187.0. Darren Jolly will come back into the side after one week off with injury while Tyson Goldsack and John McCarthy continue to push for selection.

Essendon will be Collingwoods first real test of the season but I cant see them beating them just yet.

Tip: Collingwood by 28 points

Odds: Essendon 4.10 Collingwood 1.24

Fremantle V Western Bulldogs Monday night at Patersons Stadium

Fremantle are hitting some decent form but continue to be struck by injuries, this time defender Nick Suban going down with a long term leg injury. Hayden Ballantyne was superb for the Dockers last week with 25 possessions and 4 goals and is the best small forward in the comp at the minute.

After a weeks rest it will be interesting to see how the Dogs come out. Victories against Brisbane and the Gold Coast are nothing to brag about and the Bulldogs will look to Monday night against the Dockers to show they are legitimate contenders again this year.

Expect another close one

Tip: Fremantle by 9 points

Odds: Freo 1.70  Bulldogs 2.15

Hawthorn V Geelong Tuesday at the MCG

“We’ve sort of said to ourselves that, if we can, we should never let Hawthorn beat us again,”. They were the words of Paul Chapman stating that after losing the 08 Grand Final to the Hawks they never want to lose to them again.

This should be a cracker game, 2nd Vs 3rd, Buddy Vs Taylor, Roughead Vs Lonergan, Sewell Vs Selwood, Hodge Vs Bartell.. Superstar match ups all over the park. I think the cats have been remarkable this season so far and deserve to go in favourites.

The Hawks were nowhere near their best against the Eagles last week but still managed to get over the line narrowly and will need to play a lot better to beat Geelong.

In what could be one of the games of the season I expect it to be the left boot of Buddy Franklin that will decide this game.

Tip: Hawks by 26 points

Odds: Hawks 2.02  Cats 1.80

Round 5 looks to be one of the easiest to tip with the shortest odds for an underdog this round being Melbourne to win at $3.50.

The Match of round 5 is the ANZAC clash between Collingwood and Essendon, its always a huge event and shouldn’t disappoint.

Best Bet of Round 5

I’m taking the plunge this week and taking the 8 leg multi of all the teams I’ve tipped in round five. Its paying around the $4.00 mark with Sportsbet and at a glance looks a safe bet.

Western Bulldogs V Adelaide Friday Night at Etihad Stadium

Tip: Western Bulldogs

Odds: Western Bulldogs 1.15 Adelaide 7.20

Adelaide are looking like they won’t break their bad form and bombing out this year. Although Nathan van Berlo is returning for the Crows I can’t see them beating the Bulldogs who are recalling Brad Johnson and Jason Akermanis. The Doggies are now pretty much equal favourite for the flag this year at $5.00.

Sydney V West Coast Saturday at the SCG

Tip: Sydney

Odds: Sydney 1.19 West Coast 5.80

The Swans look very strong at the moment especially at the SCG and will go on to win their 4th game in a row. West Coast are without star midfielder Daniel Kerr which will make the task even more difficult. My prediction is Sydney by over 39 points paying  $2.25 at Sportsbet

Melbourne V Brisbane Saturday Night at the MCG

Tip: Brisbane

Odds: Melbourne 3.50 Brisbane 1.37

The Lions will upset Melbourne’s 2 game winning streak this weekend when they match-up on Saturday night. Brisbane is a much stringer side and will out muscle Melbourne all over the ground.

Expect a big bag of goals from Brown and Fev in what should be a training session for the Lions.

Port Adelaide V St Kilda Saturday Night at AAMI Stadium

Tip: St Kilda

Odds: Port Adelaide 3.90 St Kilda 1.33

I think the bookies haven’t given Port much respect with long odds of $3.90.  This match will be much closer than many people think.  The Saints welcome back star forward Justin Koschitzke which should see a more conventional St Kilda game.

The Saints have a decent record at AAMI Stadium and should win on Saturday night but not without a gallant fight from Port who are welcoming back Jay Schulz from injury and blooding untried ruckman Matthew Lobbe.

Collingwood V Essendon Sunday the MCG

Tip: Collingwood

Odds: Collingwood 1.31 Essendon 3.95

The ANZAC Day match between these two clubs always lives up to the day we are guaranteed a great match. Both clubs have recalled some big names making the match definitely one to watch.

Essendon expect Brent Stanton, Mark McVeigh and Angus Monfries all to play after recovering from injury.

Collingwood have named Nathan Brown, Chris Dawes, Shane O’Bree and Ben Reid to play with defender Simon Prestigiacomo the only star to miss. The Pies should win the game after the solid 64 point thrashing of the Hawks last week.

Hawthorn V North Melbourne Sunday at the MCG

Tip: Hawthorn

Odds: Hawthorn 1.39 North Melbourne 3.55

The Hawks will bounce back with a win this week with Lance Franklin and star midfielder Brad Sewell both returning. It’s an important match for both the Hawks and North who still only have one win for the season. This will put alot of pressure on the losing club.

I predict the Hawks to take the four points by winning between 1-39 points paying a honest $2.25 with Sportsbet.

Fremantle V Richmond Sunday Night at Subiaco Oval

Tip: Fremantle

Odds: Fremantle 1.07 Richmond 13.00

Sportsbet have the odds spot on here with Richmond out at $13.00. You would expect to see those kind of odds in a horse race let alone a win/lose event!

The Tigers have made six changes to the squad with Nathan Foley, Ben Cousins, skipper Chris Newman, Luke McGuane, Dean Polo and Robin Nahas all named to play, this should make a great after party in WA after the game!

Freo will win comfortably on Sunday and will work their way back up the ladder after falling four spots after the loss to the Saints last week.

Carlton V Geelong Monday at the MCG

Tip: Geelong

Odds: Carlton 5.10 Geelong 1.24

I can’t go past Geelong again this week. They are looking more and more polished every week and will make Carlton look unorganised.

With the short odds of $1.24 I’ll be keeping away from this and taking the 31 point $2.00 line bet.

Round 5 of the Hyundai A-League is set to start and the competition is really coming alive. Gold Coast United has been handed its first defeat of the year by the Newcastle Jets after an impressive season start. Sydney FC has now claimed top spot on the A-League table after a fantastic 2-0 win over Wellington Phoenix.

North Queensland Fury has finally taken their first point after a gruelling 3-3 draw with Adelaide United. North Queensland has a desperate need to continue scoring goals and take a win or two in the coming rounds as their season quickly dwindles away.

Shane Smeltz of Gold Coast United has maintained his stunning form that has seen him lead the A-League goal scoring for the first 4 rounds so far. Scoring again last weekend, Smeltz now has a total of six goals from 4 games. The Gold Coast United star is also leading attempts on target with a total of 10.

Danny Vukovic from the Central Coast Mariners is so far the stand out goal keeper of the A-league. Vukovic leads the A-League in saves with a total of seven-teen and in clean sheets with a total of two.

Worst discipline so far his being held by five players. Ljubo Milicevic, Danny Tiatto, John Hutchinson and Steve Pantelidis have all been awarded 3 yellow cards while Tommy Oar has received 2 yellow cards and a red card.

When it comes to soccer betting, CentreBet is the place to go. CentreBet has a great market for soccer betting with a good range of betting options. Check out the site for all the latest odds on the A-League.

My tips for round 5 are as follows.

Thursday 3^rd September @ 7.30pm

Melbourne Victory FC vs. Newcastle Jets FC

Melbourne Victory shouldn’t have too much trouble winning this match. However, the Newcastle Jets will be looking for a win in order to maintain their league position. The match will be played on Thursday night at Etihad Stadium, Melbourne, so be sure to get your bets in before the kick-off.

My Tip – Melbourne Victory FC with odds of $1.73 @ Centrebet.com.au

Friday 4^th September @ 7.30pm

Wellington Phoenix FC vs. Adelaide United FC

Both of these teams are not playing the best at the moment and I cannot see any outcome other than a draw. If either team can take the win, they will be looking at a top 5 position in the A-League. The game will be played in Wellington on Friday night at Westpac Stadium.

My Tip – Draw with odds of $3.20 @ CentreBet.com.au

Friday 4^th September @ 8pm

Central Coast Mariners FC vs. Perth Glory FC

Only a single point separates these two teams on the league table. My prediction is a draw with the more likely winner being the Central Coast Mariners. Kick-off has been scheduled for 8pm Friday night at Canberra Stadium.

My Tip – Draw with odds of $3.30 @ CentreBet.com.au

Saturday 5^th September @ 5pm

Gold Coast United vs. Sydney FC

This is the big match for round 5. Again, there is only one point separating the two teams and Sydney FC is undefeated so far this season. Meanwhile, Gold Coast United will be looking to strike back after last week’s upsetting loss. This incredible match will kick-off on Saturday evening at Skilled Park on the Gold Coast.

My Prediction – Gold Coast United with odds of $2.17 @ CentreBet.com.au

Saturday 5^th September @ 7pm

North Queensland Fury vs. Brisbane Roar FC

Although the Brisbane Roar has not had the best start to the season, they should easily take the points over the North Queensland Fury. The Fury has only scored 1 league point in their first 4 games this year and I simply can’t see their form improving any time soon.

My Tip – Brisbane Roar with odds of $2.10 @ CentreBet.com.au

So far this season, CentreBet is tipping Gold Coast United to take the 2009/10 honours with odds of $3.25.

Round 5 has some great games starting with the Port V Saints, both teams are going better than expected and will be a big test for both teams. The Bulldogs V Blues game will also be another to watch with both teams having start studded lineups and exiting game styles. We should see what Carton is truly made of after that match.

Here are my predictions for Round 5

Port Adelaide V St Kilda. Friday Night at AAMI Stadium

Selection: St Kilda

This is one of the games on the weekend with both teams coming off great wins. Saints are in perfect form with a dream start of 4 wins and no losses and a percentage of over 200. This will be St Kilda’s biggest test so far with Port convincingly beating the 2008 premiers at the MCG last weekend. The saints have shown good form over in Adelaide a few weeks ago with a win against the Crows and I think this will see them play a confident attacking game that will show many weak spots in the Port lineup. Watch out for the Saints midfield with Lenny Hayes, Nick Dal Santo and Luke Ball all in super form.

Essendon V Collingwood. Saturday at the MCG

Selection: Collingwood

The Pies are playing good footy at the moment and this should continue against the Dons. An Essendon V Collingwood game is always huge and the players lift to the expectations of the day and I think the Pies have much more power and skill that will see them run over the top of Essendon early. Tarken Lockyer and Scott Pendlepury will likely be the game breakers with Scott’s tackling pressure and Tarkyn’s push forward they both will be ones to watch.

Hawthorn V West Coast. Saturday at Aurora Stadium

Selection: Hawthorn

Surely the Hawks can start to play as they did last year! They have been the surprise after 4 rounds with only 1 win to show for it after a steller 2008. Maybe they are still on the Premiership honeymoon but if they don’t win this weekend in Tazzie things will go very sour very quickly. They have the class and skill to heavily out weigh the Eagles it just depends what Hawks teams comes out to play. The Hawks play well at Aurora and all eyes will be looking for a winning score from both Lance “Buddy” Franklin and Jarryd Roughead usually produce.

Fremantle V Sydney. Saturday Night At Subiaco Oval

Selection: Sydney

If there’s one tip that can be made every week, its not to tip Freo. They continuously lose games they are favourite to win and this year they look to only disappoint more especially after last weeks thumping only scoring four goals, their second lowest score ever. This game will still be a tight finish that will be won in the ruck with the two best ruckmen in the comp Darren Jolly and Arron Sandilands.

North Melbourne V Richmond. Saturday night at Docklands Stadium

Selection: North Melbourne

Richmond are in crisis control and this will show in their game. I think Richmond will lose the game on their own rather than the Kangaroos winning it. Once again Ben Cousins along with Nathan Brown will be wondering about their futures in the game with the Tigers starting to look to youth rather than the six over 30 year old players Richmond have.

Geelong V Brisbane. Sunday at Skilled Stadium

Selection: Geelong

The Cats have continued their great form from last year and look near unbeatable especially at Skilled Stadium. Ablett has started the year off huge equaling the handball record of 33 in last weeks win against Adelaide. Brisbane will struggle to make a decent score with Johnathan Brown out of touch and Matthew Scatlett beating anyone who enters his defense.

Western Bulldogs V Carlton. Sunday at Docklands Stadium

Selection: Western Bulldogs

The Bulldogs played an ugly game last week in the Perth heat against the Eagles which on paper they should have easily won. Most people say any team that plays in WA will lose the next week due to the long traveling taking a toll on the body. I think they will overcome any slight strains and should have a decent win over an up and flying Carlton if they can stop the likes of Chris Judd and Fevola.

Melbourne V Adelaide. Sunday at the MCG

Selection: Adelaide

This ones a no brainer! Melbourne have had their one and only win for the season which will see Adelaide have a comfortable win over a struggling (both on and off the field) Demons side. Adelaide played a great 3 quarters against a classy Geelong unit last week to show good promise but failed to close the game out.