2020 AFL Premiership Finals Week 1 Betting Preview

Okay MYBookie online Australian Football betting buffs, with the first round of postseason action set for this coming weekend, it’s time to find out where the best betting value lies in the quartet of AFL qualifying and elimination matches that will get underway, starting on Thursday, October 1. The top-seeded Port Adelaide Power and second-seeded Brisbane Lions highlight the top title contenders after going an identical 14-3 in the regular season. Let’s take a closer look at the upcoming matches so you can make your bets against their AFL odds.

Online Australian Football Betting Predictions – AFL Finals Week 1

Port Adelaide Power (14-3-0) vs Geelong Cats (12-5-0)

  • When: Thursday, October 1, 220 at 4:40 AM
  • Where: Adelaide Oval
  • TV: FOX

Port Adelaide finished atop the AFL ladder with 56 points while Geelong finished in fourth place with 48 points. Port Adelaide has won each of their last five matches while Geelong went 4-1 over their last five.

While the Cats will put up a real fight in this affair Port Adelaide is just too good at both ends of the field. The Power have gone wire-to-wire in first place this season and have a superior defense that averaged 56.2 tackles per game to Geelong’s 52.2 per contest.

Ryan Burton, Tom Clurey and Zak Butters are in for this matchup while Boyd Woodcock, Jarrod Lienert and  Riley Bonner have all been omitted for Port Adelaide. Rhys Stanley and Tom Atkins are in for Geelong while Esava Ratugolea and Jack Steven are out for the Cats.

“It certainly gives you confidence that over the whole season we have earned the right to be on top,” Hinkley said. “Our team has been a really consistent team right through this season … we’re in a pretty good space and we have built to play finals footy. So far, I’m really proud of what the boys have been able to do … we’re really good team, we’re a strong team, we’re very capable.”

The Cats have won just four of 15 finals and lost five of their last six opening finals heading in Thursday night’s Qualifying Final against Port Adelaide.

Brisbane Lions (14-3-0) vs Richmond Tigers (12-4-1)

  • When: Friday, October 2, 2020 at 4:50 AM
  • Where: Gabba, Brisbane
  • TV: FOX

The Lions finished in second place in the AFL Ladder with 56 points while scoring 1,184 points and allowing 948 points defensively. Richmond finished third in the ladder with 50 points while scoring 1,135 points and allowing just 874 points to finish second in points allowed. Both teams have won five straight heading into this affair. While the Tigers have the slightly better defense in this clash, Brisbane leads in disposals, clearances and tackles and free kicks. Take the favored Lions to get it done in this one to secure their fourth Preliminary final in four years.

Pick: Brisbane 75 Richmond 68

St Kilda Saints (10-7-0) vs Western Bulldogs (10-7-0)

  • When: Saturday October 3, 2020 at 1:40 AM
  • Where: Gabba, Brisbane
  • TV: FOX

St Kilda finished in sixth place in the ladder with 40 points while Western finished in seventh place with an identical 40 points. While St Kilda dropped two of their final five matches, Western won their final three games and four of five overall to close out the regular season. Western also has the edge in disposals (5,281-4,963), free kicks and tackles (862-833). More importantly, the Bulldogs have gotten hot at just the right time. While St Kilda took out Western in Round 2 this season, I’m going with the Bulldogs to get it done this time around despite being on the road.

Pick: Western 80 St Kilda 72

West Coast Eagles (12-5-0) vs Collingwood Magpies (9-7-1)

  • When: Saturday October 3, 2020 at 5:10 AM
  • Where: Optus Stadium
  • TV: FOX

West Coast finished the regular season in fifth place in the AFL ladder with 48 points while Collingwood got the eight and final spot in the postseason by finishing eighth with 38 points. The Eagles closed out the regular season by winning two straight and three of four while Collingwood dropped two of their last three. Still, the Magpies finished with more disposals, clearances and tackles and I believe the Eagles are ripe for the upset. West Coast scored 1,095 points this season while allowing 936 points. Collingwood scored 965 points, but finished a stellar third in points allowed with 881 points conceded. Defense rules the day in this one as Collingwood gets the huge upset.

Pick: Collingwood 77 West Coast 72

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