Best multi bet selections & odds for AFL NAB Challenge week two

AH, it’s still hot, but the Aussie Rules is back, giving us a distinct taste of winter in the wings.

The NAB Challenge heads into its second week, with the Western Bulldogs having disposed of the Greater Western Sydney Giants at Star Track Oval last night 1.13.17 (104) to 0.11.7 (73).

The package Jakey Stringer bagged three goals to go with his 17 disposals for the Doggies, while Koby Stevens had 29 touches and looks set for a big 2016 season. The Giants were outclassed, with four players booting two goals each and Rhys Palmer finding it the most with 20.

There are five more matches for the weekend, with the Geelong Cats taking on the Collingwood Magpies on Friday night.

On Saturday, the Port Adelaide Power welcome the Melbourne Demons and the Richmond Tigers and Hawthorn Hawks head out to Beaconsfield on the outskirts of Melbourne’s suburbs for a twilight country clash between two of the AFL’s big guns.

On Sunday, it’s the battle of the wooden spoon favourites with the Carlton Blues taking on the Essendon Bombers and then the Fremantle Dockers welcome the Adelaide Crows to Mt Barker in Western Australia.

It’s a juicy slate of games and these can be near impossible to pick, with so many clubs picking under strength sides and playing the kids in the lead up to the season.

But we’ve done our best to give you a multi with a good chance of winning you some coin.

Good luck.

Suggested multi:

Port Adelaide Power to beat Melbourne Demons ($1.17 with sportsbet.com.au)

Richmond Tigers to beat Hawthorn Hawks ($1.70 with sportsbet.com.au)

Carlton Blues to beat Essendon Bombers ($2.25 with sportsbet.com.au)

Fremantle Dockers to beat Adelaide Crows by 1-39 points ($2.20 with sportsbet.com.au)

Four leg multi odds: $9.84 with Sportsbet.com.au

Port Adelaide Power vs. Melbourne Demons

Our tip: Port Adelaide Power to win ($1.17 with sportsbet.com.au)

Here’s the moral to kick the multi off on Saturday, with the powerful Port Adelaide squad all but certainties to wipe out Melbourne.

An inexperienced Power side lowered its colours by 21 points away at the Sydney Swans last week, 1.10.12 (81) to 1.7.9 (60), but has welcomed back a mountain of experience for this clash. In that match, Sam Gray led the way with 21 disposals and Sam Colquhoun was the only multiple goal kicker with two. He will miss, but the likes of Travis Boak, Matt Broadbent, Brad Ebert, Hamish Hartlett, Robbie Gray, Ollie Wines, Chad Wingard, Matthew Lobbe, Jarman Impey, Jay Schulz, Jasper Pittard, Jack Hombsch and Justin Westhoff have all been named in the squad.

The Demons are slowly building, with much resting on the shoulders of mammoth forward Jesse Hogan, who is probably already their best player in just his second season in the competition. The reigning NAB Rising Star winner will have plenty of work to do, with the green Demons’s midfield needing time to develop. The Dees have four new recruits in their squad for the match with the Power, with boom draftees Clayton Oliver and Josh Wagner set to pull on the colours for the first time, along with new men Tom Bugg, from the Giants, and Ben Kennedy from Collingwood. But the Dees will be depleted, missing both captain Nathan Jones and best and fairest winner Bernie Vince, meaning the Power should wipe the floor with them.

Richmond Tigers vs. Hawthorn Hawks

Our tip: Richmond Tigers to win ($1.70 with sportsbet.com.au)

Here’s the thing, for all Hawthorn’s dominance over the past three seasons, Richmond has just about had their measure when it comes to the head to head stuff. The Tigers always seem to lift for the Hawks and, whether it is just a coincidence or they match up well, it will be put to the test in Beaconsfield on Saturday.

The Hawks are traditionally slow starters in the pre season, having just edged over the line against Carlton last week in a sloppy 0.8.5 (53) to 0.4.8 (32) result. Goal machine Luke Bruest picked up where he left off last season with three goals, while ball magnets Sam Mitchell (29 touches) and Jordan Lewis (27) were in every thing.

The Tigers sent out an understrength side against the Dockers in a match that was marred by the frightening collapse of big man Ty Vickery. The Tigers are still unable to say what caused the ruck man to come forward and attempt an imaginary mark while the ball was 50m away and then collapse. And they were whacked by 10 goals by the Dockers, 0.14.6 (90) to 0.4.6 (30).

Shaun Grigg had 24 disposals in what was otherwise a dirty day for the Tigers. But they welcome back the big guns this weekend, including captain Trent Cotchin, gun Dustin Martin, goal machine Jack Riewoldt, All Australian full back Alex Rance and number one ruck man Ivan Maric and that should be enough to help them shock the Premiers.

Carlton Blues vs. Essendon Bombers

Our tip: Carlton Blues to win ($2.25 with sportsbet.com.au)

The battle of what many are tipping to be the two worst clubs in the competition. And the Blues have a legitimate chance of winning this one, with the Bombers still coming to terms with adding 10 new players to the club in the wake of the suspensions of 12 current players thanks to the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s ruling on the supplements saga.

But the Blues, who managed to get down and dirty with the Hawks, before ultimately falling short, have been dealt a huge blow, with second year youngster Patrick Cripps – who was just pipped for the Rising Star Award by Hogan – struck down by a knee injury. But they will get a glimpse of the future, with number one draft pick Jacob Weitering, father son selection Jack Silvagni and fellow draft picks Charlie Curnow, Harry McKay and David Cunningham all in the squad to take on the Bombers.

Essendon top ups Ryan Crowley, Sam Grimley, Jonathan Simpkin and Sam Michael are all in the squad, which has been absolutely decimated, with the likes of team leaders Jobe Watson and Dyson Heppell on the sidelines for the season.

Get on the Blues to strike an early blow in what will be a long season for the two clubs.

Fremantle Dockers vs. Adelaide Crows

Our tip: Fremantle Dockers to win by 1-39 points ($2.20 with sportsbet.com.au)

The two in form NAB challenge sides go head to head in a match we are predicting to be a close one. But we are on Ross Lyon’s men to just edge out there rejuvenated Crows by under 39 points.

The Dockers pumped Richmond last week on the back of 29 touches to Lachine Neale, 27 to Michael Barlow and an 18 possession half to superstar Nathan Fyfe, who showed no ill effects of the broken leg he suffered against the Hawks in the finals. Big Matty Pavlich, close to retiring last season, booted four goals to signal there is still some life in him in 2016.

A strong Crows line up absolutely destroyed grand finalists the West Coast, although the 100 point win – 2.20.10 (148) to 0.7.6 (48) gets an asterisk due to the understrength cattle the Eagles put out on the park. Eddie Betts booted five goals and had 18 disposals to be the best players on the park, while big forward Tom Lynch had a huge game with 23 touches and eight marks. Matt Crouch led the way with 24 touches.

This is probably match of the round, but we think the home ground advantage should help the Dockers get over the line by a couple of goals.