AFL Round 6 preview, betting odds & market update

The biggest week of the AFL home-and-away season has always been the ANZAC Day round, and the 2021 edition is shaping up to be an all-time great. Here is a look at all the matches taking place in round six of the 2021 AFL Premiership, with top odds courtesy of Sportsbet.com.au.

AFL Round 6 betting odds & matchups

GWS Giants $3.25 vs Western Bulldogs $1.35

Round six kicks off with a massive clash between the improving GWS Giants and the undefeated Western Bulldogs. Leon Cameron’s Giants dealt the Sydney Swans their first loss of the season last week, and they will be hoping to do the same to the Bulldogs in Canberra this Friday night. Luke Beveridge’s men will need to be at their best if they wish to go 6-0.

Geelong Cats $1.74 vs West Coast Eagles $2.10

This clash between the Cats and Eagles is the first of five matches scheduled for this Saturday. West Coast’s tall forwards are putting on a show this season, with Oscar Allen and Jack Darling combining for 10 goals against the Magpies last week. Chris Scott has declared Jeremy Cameron fit to play this Saturday, boosting the Cats’ attacking firepower for this critical match.

Gold Coast Suns $2.60 vs Sydney Swans $1.50

The Sydney Swans lost their first match of the season last week against the GWS Giants, and they need to be wary of the underrated Gold Coast Suns. Stuart Dew’s Suns were beaten up by a strong Bulldogs outfit last week, but they can be tough to beat at Metricon Stadium. Callum Sinclair should return to replace the injured Tom Hickey, while the Swans may also bring back James Rowbottom.

Carlton Blues $2.23 vs Brisbane Lions $1.66

Both Carlton and the Brisbane Lions sit 2-3 after the first five rounds, and the winner of this clash could jump inside the top eight. Reigning Brownlow Medallist Lachie Neale looks back to his best after collecting 38 disposals and kicking two goals in the wet last weekend, so the Blues will need to bring their A-game.

Melbourne Demons $2.42 vs Richmond Tigers $1.57

The now-traditional ANZAC Eve clash between the Demons and Tigers is the pick of the matchups in round six. Dustin Martin will play his 250th game, while Nathan Jones joins the 300 club. Look out for the underdogs here, as the undefeated Demons have been brilliant in the early stages of the 2021 season.

Fremantle Dockers $1.08 vs North Melbourne Kangaroos $7.50

Both Fremantle and North Melbourne played well in round five, although only the Dockers walked away with a victory. The Roos went toe-to-toe with a strong Geelong outfit for an entire afternoon, only losing by five goals despite missing several senior players. Justin Longmuir’s men were good enough to defeat the Crows away from home, which suggests they are going to be hard to beat this year.

Hawthorn Hawks $1.65 vs Adelaide Crows $2.25

The Hawks will start favourites against the Crows despite only winning one match this season and sitting 17th on the ladder. Hawthorn fell apart in the fourth quarter last week, conceding eight goals to the Demons after being close for the entire day. The Crows will be desperate for a win after dropping one to the Dockers at Adelaide Oval last week.

Collingwood Magpies $1.73 vs Essendon Bombers $2.12

Even though Collingwood and Essendon are enduring tough seasons this year, their passionate fans will be out in full voice for the 2021 AFL ANZAC Day clash. The Magpies started well against West Coast last Friday night, but injuries to Jordan De Goey (concussion) and Jeremy Howe (hamstring) killed off their chances of winning that game. Jordan Ridley will also miss this clash with concussion, leaving the Dons with a big hole to fill in the big six.

Port Adelaide Power $1.22 vs St Kilda Saints $4.35

Port Adelaide will take on St Kilda on Sunday evening in the final match of the round. This season has not gone to plan for the Saints, who continue to lose matches by horrid margins. The Power are favourites to win their fifth game of the year, but it will not be an easy task if the Saints bring back Rowan Marshall and Paddy Ryder.

AFL 2021 Premiership betting update

The Magpies ($41) and the Saints ($31) continue to trend south, both priced at their longest odds of the season. The Demons ($9) and Eagles ($9) are making their moves up the market, while the Western Bulldogs now sit on par with Port Adelaide at $5.50 on the second line of AFL Premiership betting. Look out for the GWS Giants at $31 with several of their best players still to return to the 22.