Carlton vs Geelong AFL betting preview & match odds | Rd 18, 2022

AFL Heavyweights collide when Carlton Blues square off with the Geelong Cats at the MCG for a round 18 blockbuster on Saturday, July 16th.

Geelong Cats answered many lingering questions in round 17 when they comprehensively outplayed the Demons to win by 28 points. While the Cats have mastered the unique dimensions of their home ground, giving them a distinct advantage, the win was a likely harbinger of how a final might play out between these top sides.

The only negative to emerge from the win was some wayward goal kicking, but the Demons struggled to post a score and the Cats scrambled home. Kicking accuracy aside, Geelong appears to be hitting top gear at just the right of the year, thanks to some careful coaching, and this contest promises to be another September marker.

Carlton Blues displayed out some of their finest football in round 17 versus the Eagles and it was pretty to watch. How often do we see an away team hold their opponents to a first quarter of a score of zero, while booting five goals of their own? That was Carlton completely dominating West Coast in a bold statement about their intention to play finals football.

The beauty of the Carlton effort was the shared workload. There was no over-reliance on one ball winner or one goal kicker. This type of depth is essential in September, when the best teams square off in high stakes encounters. A team’s best player can get tagged out of the contest, or have an off day, and back-up is required. If Carlton can get home here, they can be considered genuine premiership contenders.

Key Match-up: Patrick Dangerfield vs Sam Walsh

Call us contrarian, but has Geelong midfielder Patrick Dangerfield been a slight disappointment over recent years? The premiership trophy cabinet remains empty. Dangerfield has played ten games this season and is averaging 22.2 disposals, 2.8 tackles, and 6.1 clearances, hardly Brownlow numbers. He did play a big game against the Dees though, grabbing 31 disposals and 9 clearances, and now at 32 years of age, he might be ready to turn back the clock to 2016.

Carlton midfield youngster Sam Walsh should relish the opportunity to run with the old dog Dangerfield here. Walsh is having a stellar year, cranking out 32.2 disposals, 2.9 tackles, and 3.7 clearances per game. Could we witness a changing of the guard when the kid runs against the veteran? We certainly could. Tune in for the show.

Carlton Blues v Geelong Cats Betting Tips

Geelong goes into this game as slight favourites, but the upset would certainly not surprise anyone. The line has been set at a narrow 7.5 points and the first ten minutes of this game might be telling. Can the Blues replicate their first quarter pressure from last week, albeit against superior opposition, or will the Cats quickly quieten the upstarts? Much as we love the flair and dash of the Blues, we are forced to back the Cats at the line here. Geelong -7.5 points is the tip, but we will be happy to watch a close tune-up game for the finals. This line is available at PalmerBet.

Carlton v Geelong Same Game Multi PIcks

For those chasing bigger returns, we are linking the Cats -7.5 points, into total points over 162.5, into Jeremy Cameron 2+ goals. This triple-header will return a handsome $4.20 courtesy of Ladbrokes.

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