AFL Round 15 betting preview, premiership odds & market news

The bye rounds of the 2021 AFL Premiership season are done and dusted, meaning the fixture returns to the usual nine-match format from this week onwards. Round 15 is filled with important clashes, including Thursday night’s blockbuster rematch between the Lions and Cats. Here’s a look at all the matchups and the latest news from the premiership market, with odds courtesy of Sportsbet.com.au.

AFL Round 15 matchups & odds

Brisbane Lions $1.68 vs Geelong Cats $2.19

The Lions and the Cats played in an unforgettable contest back in round two that went down to the final seconds and ended with a one-point victory in favour of Geelong. This time it is Brisbane’s turn to play host as the Cats will travel north to the Gabba this Thursday night. We expect another tense and exciting contest between these two top-four sides.

Richmond Tigers $1.18 vs St Kilda Saints $4.95

Back in round five, Richmond decimated St Kilda en route to an 86-point win. Brett Ratten will expect a much harder performance from his Saints this time around, while Damian Hardwick and the Tigers will be hoping for another percentage-booster. With Victoria’s COVID restrictions set to ease further this week, this match is expected to take place at the MCG as scheduled.

North Melbourne Kangaroos $1.75 vs Gold Coast Suns $2.10

Saturday’s games start off with North Melbourne and Gold Coast at Blundstone Arena in Tasmania. The Kangaroos have won just one match this season, yet they will start as favourites against the undermanned Suns. Stuart Dew’s side is clearly out of form, only winning one of its last six contests.

Collingwood Magpies $1.71 vs Fremantle Dockers $2.14

Robert Harvey will take over as interim coach of Collingwood this week, and he comes up against former Magpies defensive coach Justin Longmuir. Collingwood’s Jordan De Goey is suspended for this contest after a high bump on Clayton Oliver, while Darcy Moore is out for the season with a PCL injury. Nat Fyfe may return from a shoulder injury for the Dockers, while Brodie Grundy and Taylor Adams are a chance for Collingwood.

Essendon Bombers $3.80 vs Melbourne Demons $1.27

Essendon will face its biggest test of the season of the season to date when it takes on a fired-up Melbourne outfit. Simon Goodwin’s men will be eager to get a victory after losing to the Magpies before heading into their bye week, while the Dons will be looking to build on their gutsy win over the Hawks. This could be a reality check for the injury-riddled Bombers, or their miraculous run could continue.

Port Adelaide Power $1.34 vs Sydney Swans $3.30

Ken Hinkley’s Power return to the Adelaide Oval this week to host the Sydney Swans, who are desperate to get back into form after an unexpected loss to the Hawks. Both teams have won three of their last five matches despite sitting in the top six on the AFL ladder. Online bookmakers are siding with Port Adelaide at this stage, but you cannot count out the enthusiastic Swans in 2021.

GWS Giants $1.25 vs Hawthorn Hawks $4

The GWS Giants firmly believe there is a spot in this year’s finals series with their name on it. Alastair Clarkson pulled a rabbit out of a hat against the Swans in round 13, but we do not expect any tricks from Hawthorn in this match at Giants Stadium. Leon Cameron selected a very strong side for last round’s win against the Blues, so they should be in decent nick this weekend.

West Coast Eagles $1.84 vs Western Bulldogs $2

Optus Stadium will be packed to the brim with avid Eagles fans for Sunday’s massive contest against the Western Bulldogs. West Coast must win this match to stay in touch with the top four and avoid a possible drop out of the top eight, while the Bulldogs will want to make amends for their after-the-siren loss to the Cats last week. The Bulldogs’ prized no.1 draft pick, Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, could debut this week if Aaron Naughton’s rib injury rules him out.

Carlton Blues $1.60 vs Adelaide Crows $2.34

Both Carlton and Adelaide have slid down the ladder in recent weeks. The Blues started the season with finals ambitions, but David Teague may struggle to keep his position as coach if they cannot put the Crows away at Marvel Stadium. Matthew Nicks’ men will be well-rested after the bye and may fancy their chances of springing an upset.

AFL 2021 premiership market update

The Cats have moved into equal-favouritism in the 2021 AFL Premiership betting market alongside the Demons at $5 following their after-the-siren victory over the Western Bulldogs ($6) on Friday night. Despite the Power flexing their muscles against the Gold Coast Suns on the road, they dropped from $9 to $10 over the weekend. The top seven contenders in the market are starting to solidify, but the eighth spot in the finals is still up for grabs. The Bombers ($51) have plunged in the outright betting in recent weeks and could shorten further with a strong showing against the Dees this weekend.

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