We kick off Round 9 with an intriguing battle between two sides occupying spots in the top 4. The Suns are coming off a wire to wire win over the Bulldogs and are yet to suffer consecutive defeats this season. The Hawks extended their win streak to three games and have won those games by an average of 50ppg. The Suns have won 4 of the last 5 meetings which includes a 67-point in their most recent clash at TIO Stadium in 2022. This may be taking place at a neutral venue, but the Suns are notably 5-2 both straight up and at the line in the last 7 meetings as the betting favourite. The winning team has posted 100+ points in 6 of the last 7 clashes and has hit in 78% of Suns home games in the last year.
Inaccuracy in front of goal proved costly for the Swans as they went down to the Bombers despite having 7 more scoring shots. The Blues go right back in the winner’s circle with a narrow win over the Saints but beating the Swans will not be an easy task. Their last win at the SCG came back in 2019 and the home team has won 14 of the last 17 matches in this series. The Swans have won and covered the last three clashes as the home team and have taken the points in 10 of the last 12 as a home favourite. The Under is 3-0 in the Blues last 3 games with an average of 156.3 total match points in those games. That trend will likely continue as the Under is 3-0 in the Swans last 3 games at the SCG.
The Crows are coming off a thrilling 5-point win in the latest edition of The Showdown but backing that win up will be no easy task against a Magpies side that improved to 7-2 on the season with a win over the Dockers. The Pies have won 6 of the last 7 clashes as a home favourite but have successfully covered the start in only two of those games (29%). The Crows rarely win out of turn in the last year. They have won 80% of games as the betting favourite in that period but only 1 of their last 9 as an away underdog. The Under has held on in 10 of the last 14 meetings between these two teams including each of the last three.
The theme of close contents continued last week for the Cats but this time around they were on the losing end. Similarly, the Dockers are also coming off a loss by less than a single kick and have covered the line in 50% of games in this scenario in the last year. The Cats are 7-3 both straight up and at the line in their last 10 following a loss and this is accompanied by wins in 13 of their last 16 against the Dockers as the betting favourite. The Dockers should be respected as they have covered the line in 4 of their last 5 as a home outsider. The Over is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings with an average of 190.4 total match points in those games.
A 7-goal haul from Jesse Hogan helped the Giants to a narrow win over the Cats while the Dockers came up short at home to the Magpies. Home ground advantage has been a factor in this matchup with the home team winning 73% of matches. That includes the Giants winning 5 of 7 home games (5-1 as the betting favourite). The Over has hit in 75% of Dockers away games in the last year and is 4-1 in the Giants last 5 home games dating back to last year. It has been a genuine case of rocks or diamonds for the Dockers this season. Their four wins have been by an average margin of 33.3 points with their defeats coming by an average of 33.2 points. They are yet to come back when trailing at half time this season which makes Giants in the half time/full time double the play.
The Bombers improved to 5-1 in their last 6 with a narrow win over the Swans while the Bulldogs 3-game win streak was snapped by the Suns who kicked 15 goals. This is the ideal time to back the Bulldogs as they have won 7 of their last 8 with a 75% success rate at the line in those games. The Over has hit in all but one of those games and is 10-3 in Bulldogs games played in the last year. There is more support for the home side as they have won 7 of their last 9 as a home favourite and have covered the line in 67% of those games. If that is not enough, the Bomber have a 2-8 line record in their last 10 following a win.
The Kangaroos may not have won last week but they overcame a 20-point deficit against the Lions to claim an unlikely draw. The Tigers kicked a solitary goal in the 4th quarter last week, but it was enough to take the win against the Eagles. The concern for the Tigers is that of their limited wins in the last year (3) they have lost their following match. The Kangaroos have lost their last 9 away games, but they have covered the line in their last 4 and 9 of their last 11 on the road. The Under is 5-0 in the Tigers last 5 and 73% of their home games in the last year. A low total makes a Kangaroos cover more likely.
In reality, a draw against the Kangaroos is two points dropped for the Lions. They have won 9 of their last 11 as a home favourite but have successfully covered the line only twice in those games. They are notably 0-8 at the line in their last 8 day games at The Gabba which opens the door for the visitors. Their attack has regressed at home with the Under going 8-0 in their last 8. There has been an average of 159.2 total match points in games at The Gabba dating back to the start of last season and the Demons are unlikely to run riot as they have averaged a mere 73.2ppg this season. The Lions have won 4 of the last 5 clashes but the Demons have held their own with an average losing margin of only 12.8 points.
The Eagles went awfully close to ending the drought but a 2-point loss against the Tigers means they have now gone 11 games without a win. It marked the second time this season that they lost by less than a kick but on the previous occasion they lost their following game by 50 points. The Saints came up short against the Blues, but history suggests they will bounce back here. They have won their last 4 against the Eagles and 7 of the last 8 as the betting elect. They have covered the line in 6 of their last 9 trips west and are seeking a third consecutive win as a road favourite. The Under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings with the Saints holding the Eagles to 62ppg in those matches.