AFL Round 5 odds, betting preview & market news

The AFL 2021 Premiership season continues this week with several matchups where teams fighting for a top-eight position will face off. BettingSite.com.au brings you the best AFL odds and latest betting news for round five, with all prices courtesy of Sportsbet.

AFL Round 5 betting odds & matchups

St Kilda Saints $3.01 vs Richmond Tigers $1.39

Looking dead and buried halfway through the third quarter, the Saints kicked eight consecutive goals to beat the Eagles by 20 points. The Tigers come into this clash off back-to-back losses, and they will need to be switched on this week. St Kilda got the chocolates against Richmond last season, so this Thursday night blockbuster is one not to miss.

West Coast Eagles $1.35 vs Collingwood Magpies $3.22

Two teams with something to prove will collide when the under-the-pump Magpies travel to Perth to take on the Eagles on Friday night. Adam Simpson and Nathan Buckley have coached a handful of brilliant games against each other, but it would take a special effort from Bucks to get his Pies a win this week, especially with a fresh knee injury to All Australian midfielder Taylor Adams.

Western Bulldogs $1.16 vs Gold Coast Suns $5.30

The Sons of the West continue to put wins on the board, knocking off the Brisbane Lions last week in windy conditions at Ballarat. Stuart Dew is trying his best to get his Suns into the finals conversation this season, but with no natural ruckmen available, the next few weeks could be tough for the Gold Coast. The Bulldogs are going for five straight wins at Marvel Stadium this Saturday.

Sydney Swans $1.40 vs GWS Giants $2.96

In terms of civic pride, there is no bigger game this week than the Battle of the Bridge between the Sydney Swans and GWS Giants. The young Swans are still undefeated, while the Giants enjoyed an underdog victory over Collingwood last week. Sydney won this fixture last year, and the early money is on John Longmire’s men to go 5-0 with a victory on Saturday.

Carlton Blues $2.36 vs Port Adelaide Power $1.59

A tough and quick Carlton squad left the Gold Coast with a victory last weekend, getting through the wet conditions and outlasting the Suns. Ken Hinkley and the Power experienced a similar win over the Tigers in round four, where they held on to a slim lead until the final siren. Injuries to Xavier Duursma (knee) and Zak Butters (ankle) will weaken the Power this Saturday, but they have more than enough depth to cover their young stars.

Brisbane Lions $1.24 vs Essendon Bombers $4.10

The Brisbane Lions will finally return to their home state after waiting in Victoria for several weeks following a snap lockdown in Queensland. The Bombers are in good form despite securing only one win this season, and they could be eager to take down former teammate Joe Daniher. Even with their long list of injuries, the Dons may push the underwhelming Lions as rank outsiders with the top AFL betting sites.

Adelaide Crows $1.64 vs Fremantle Dockers $2.26

Sunday’s AFL action kicks off with an interesting clash between the red-hot Adelaide Crows and the improving Fremantle Dockers. Taylor Walker has 20 goals from four matches, so Luke Ryan and the Dockers will have to be at their best to keep him quiet. Could Tex kick another bag at the Adelaide Oval this Sunday?

Hawthorn Hawks $3.64 vs Melbourne Demons $1.29

The Melbourne Demons have been one of the biggest surprise packages of the 2021 AFL season to date. The Dees beat Geelong comfortably in round four to maintain their unbeaten record, and they are a decent chance to bring back both Sam Weideman and Ben Brown this week. Alastair Clarkson must get the best out of his Hawks this weekend to stop the rampaging Demons.

Geelong Cats $1.03 vs North Melbourne Kangaroos $12.50

This could be a real blowout. The Cats will bring back both Patrick Dangerfield and Gary Rohan from suspension, while Jeremy Cameron should be right to make his Geelong Debut. Luke McDonald (pectoral) and Cam Zurhaar (concussion) both went down injured for the Roos last week and will spend some time on the sidelines.

AFL 2021 Premiership betting update

It is now or never for Nathan Buckley and the Magpies, whose AFL Premiership odds have blown out for a second consecutive week from $23 to $34 after a shocking loss to the GWS Giants. The Tigers hold firm at $5 with online bookmakers despite losing to Sydney and Port Adelaide in consecutive weeks, while the Power come in slightly to $5.50. The Western Bulldogs have moved into $6 from $9 with their defeat of the Brisbane Lions, who have drifted to $15 from last week’s $10 price tag. Keep an eye on the $10 Demons, who started the season at $26 for the flag.