AFL Round 4 Betting Tips
Despite a Covid scare last weekend, the 2020 AFL season continues to roll on with Round 4 coming our way this weekend, kicking off with the Swans and the Dogs on Thursday night. The team at Before You Bet are bringing us their preview and AFL tips for Round 4 here.
Thursday 7:40pm
Sydney Swans vs. Western Bulldogs @ SCG
Sydney were strong against North Melbourne in Round 3 to get the chocolates fairly comfortably.
The Bulldogs were just as good, if not better with their performance against the Giants and will be hoping that they’ve set a new benchmark for effort.
Unfortunately, they’ve taken a bit of a hit with star midfielder Josh Dunkley sidelined for the next six weeks, but if there’s one area they have the depth to cover, it’s in the engine room.
Both of these sides will feel this is a very winnable game and you can expect it to play out that way. We do slightly lean towards the Dogs however, as they simply have the greater upside despite missing a few key stars.
Tip: Bulldogs to win – $2.22 at PlayUp
Friday 7:50pm
GWS Giants vs. Collingwood Magpies @ Giants Stadium
The Giants tried to flex their muscle against the Bulldogs last weekend, but they ended up licking their wounds in another loss.
Lachie Whitfield went down with concussion but is expected to be available for selection, while Josh Kelly and Toby Greene are also likely to return.
This should be a cracking match if it’s anything like last year’s Preliminary Final when the Giants caused a big upset. The Magpies are the clear form team at the moment, however they should cover the small line here.
Saturday 1:45pm
Port Adelaide Power vs. West Coast Eagles @ Metricon Stadium
The Power are yet to put a foot wrong in 2020 and have held onto top spot for three months now. Travis Boak is in career best form despite being on the wrong side of 30 and Brad Ebert is lining up for game 250.
The Eagles have been arguably the most disappointing side this season and were outgunned by a talented Lions Midfield last weekend.
Tim Kelly has found plenty of the ball in his first three games for his new club, but his disposal efficiency (49%) needs some serious work.
It’s hard to knock the Power on current form and we expect them to extend their winning streak to four with a win inside the 1-39 margin.
Tip: Power to win 1-39 – $1.96
Saturday 4:35pm
St Kilda Saints vs. Richmond Tigers @ Marvel Stadium
Back-to-back wins wasn’t to be for the Saints who were thoroughly outplayed by the flag-fancied Magpies in Round 3.
The Tigers were also big losers last weekend and will be desperate to make amends on Saturday.
Richmond have won each of the last four against the Saints by 4+ goals and you can expect something similar again here despite the shortened quarters. Take the Tigers -13.5 line here and move onto the next game.
Saturday 7:40pm
Essendon Bombers vs. Carlton Blues @ MCG
The Bombers were all the talk over the weekend and it wasn’t for any on field antics. Defender Connor McKenna was diagnosed with Covid19, which meant their clash against the Demons had to be postponed.
All of the Bombers players have been cleared of Covid19 this week, so they’ll be fine to play against the Blues on Saturday as scheduled.
The Blues caused the upset of the round when they defeated Geelong down at the Cattery. Eddie Betts turned back the clock and Patty Cripps was at his brilliant best.
This will be an interesting game for a couple of reasons and it’s a hard one to get a grasp on. The Bombers at 2-0 have to be respected however, so back them in to win by 1-39 points.
Saturday 7:40pm
Gold Coast Suns vs. Fremantle Dockers @ Metricon Stadium
The Suns are now officially everyone’s second favourite team after another brilliant display last weekend against the Crows.
The young Suns, led by 18-year-old-superstar Matt Rowell are as exciting as anyone to watch and will be for many years to come.
Honest defeats are becoming the norm for the Dockers in 2020 – they now have three of them under their belt!
The Suns have the greater talent and have been blessed with this Hub situation on the Gold Coast. Out on Metricon Stadium again, expect to see them to cover the -6.5 line and extend their unlikely winning streak to three.
Sunday 1:05pm
Brisbane Lions vs. Adelaide Crows @ Gabba
The Lions seem to have avoided the second-year blues after such a fantastic campaign in 2019. They’re 2-1 and will be making it 3-1 when they come up against the worst team in the competition this weekend.
The Crows, who are now everyone’s favourite for the Wooden Spoon, were pathetic again last weekend and have now stooped to 0-3 with a percentage just above 50%.
The Lions outgunned the Eagles in the middle of the park last weekend and they’ll do the same against an inferior Crows outfit. Lions by 40+ looks a huge chance.
Tip: Brisbane 40+ – $2.28
Sunday 3:35pm
Melbourne Demons vs. Geelong Cats @ MCG
The Demons were the unlucky ones that were scheduled to play against the Bombers in Round 3, but had their match postponed due to a Covid19 scare.
The Cats would’ve been a lot better off having their match against the Blues postponed as they certainly weren’t in the right frame of mind. They were on the wrong end of a huge upset and are now 1-2 this season.
Geelong is a proud club and the embarrassment they endured last weekend is sure to motivate them against the Demons. They’ll bounce back and cover the -12.5 line against a Melbourne side that has played one match in three months.
Sunday 6:05pm
Hawthorn Hawks vs. North Melbourne Kangaroos @ Marvel Stadium
The Hawks were sharp improvers in their huge upset win over the Tigers in Round 3.
Clarkson was sure to have his men primed after their embarrassment against the Cats and the Hawks now move to 2-1 as a result.
Jaeger O’Meara was phenomenal in his return game, showing just how important he is to their structures in the middle of the ground.
The Kangaroos were brought back down to earth last weekend when they suffered their first loss of the season. They were no match for the Swans despite another fantastic game from young gun Jy Simpkin.
Hawthorn have the talent edge over North in this matchup, particularly in the midfield. Expect them to get on top in that area and make it very hard for North to get repeat inside 50’s. Hawks to win by 1-39 points is the best way to approach the Round 4 closer.
*Prices correct at time of posting.
For more great sports betting tips head to www.beforeyoubet.com.au including an independent review of PlayUp.
