AFL West Coast vs Carlton betting tips & odds – Round 17, 2022

Can Carlton hit back when they travel to Optus Stadium to face the improving Eagles in round 17 of the 2022 AFL season?

West Coast have come along significantly in recent weeks, going down narrowly to the Cats, impressively beating the Bombers, and pushing the Tigers for three close quarters at the MCG. They have welcomed back a host of talent, are playing much better footy, and should take some big scalps before the season concludes.

There still appears additional improvement left in the Eagles as they look to salvage some pride from their otherwise disastrous season. We are expecting them to be tough to beat for all sides travelling west in the remaining weeks of the campaign.

We have this pencilled in as a danger game for the Blues. The trip to Optus Stadium is always a challenge, and Carlton stumbled badly against the Saints in round 16 when they kicked a wayward 10.18 to lose by 15 points. They will need to immediately bounce back from that disappointment to get the 2022 confident swagger back.

With competition heating up for top eight spots, the Blues cannot afford to lose two games in a row at this crucial juncture. They should be motivated to go in for the kill, and we would tip them without hesitation if this match was hosted in Melbourne.

Key matchup: Tim Kelly vs Patrick Cripps

West Coast midfielder Tim Kelly was clearly best on ground against the Tigers in round 16. Kelly had 40 disposals, nine clearances, three tackles, and two goals – heroic numbers. If umpires were reliable judges, they would be sure to award him three Brownlow Medal votes for such a dominant display in a losing team.

There was a telling moment early in Carlton’s loss to the Saints when champion midfielder Patrick Cripps grabbed two young colleagues around the neck and basically told them to chill out. They kids were trying too hard and making costly errors, and Cripps calmed their nerves and got them back on track. That is what leadership looks like. Cripps is like an on-field coach who also grabs 27.9 disposals and 7.3 clearances per game, and midfield leadership might be critical to the outcome.

West Coast vs Carlton betting strategy

The Blues look to be under the odds based on our assessment. We are happy to take West Coast at the line of 18.5 points and would not be surprised if this game goes down to the wire. Online bookmakers have overvalued West Coast’s return to form, and punters should look to capitalise accordingly. If you are feeling particularly adventurous, look at half-time/full-time markets; there is plenty of value if the Blues don’t go wire-to-wire.

West Coast vs Carlton same-game multi

With a possible upset brewing, punters looking to fully capitalise can take the Eagles straight-up to add extra value into the same-game multi. For reasons of surety, we have included the line bet here. So, the combo is West Coast +18.5, into Jack Darling 2+ goals, into Tim Kelly 25+ disposals, paying $5.48 with Ladbrokes.

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