Essendon v Fremantle AFL tips & R21 team news | Sunday, August 4

Essendon v Fremantle best bets

Essendon v Fremantle R21 preview

Essendon will be playing to keep their fading AFL finals hopes alive when they host Fremantle at the MCG this Sunday afternoon.

The Bombers crashed and burned spectacularly in round 20 when they were demolished by St Kilda. Having spent much of the season in the top four, the loss leaves them outside the eight and facing yet another wasted campaign.

Essendon have lost six of their last eight games and will need to conjure a huge form reversal to be competitive against a strong Freo side. The most alarming stat to emerge from the loss to St Kilda was their efficiency inside 50, which returned a paltry 37%.

The Dons will be without defender Jordan Ridley due to a hip injury, while young midfielder Archie Perkins has been dropped. Jake Kelly comes into the backline, while Nick Bryan, Alwyn Davey Jr, Ben Hobbs, Elijah Tsatas and the uncapped Archie Roberts are listed on the extended bench.

Fremantle are sitting pretty in the top four after their grinding win over cross-town rivals West Coast in round 20. The Dockers have won four of their last five games and are now priced at single figures with online bookies to claim the premiership silverware.

Freo play a high-disposal style that relies on first use of the ball. They rank second in the AFL for clearances and handballs, fourth for total disposals, and sixth for goal assists.

Two-time Brownlow Medal winner Nat Fyfe will miss this game on suspension. Will Brodie and Neil Erasmus loom as potential replacements, with Liam Reidy and Cooper Simpson also named in the extended squad.

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Essendon v Fremantle betting strategy

It is hard to get excited about the Bombers given their dire form, while Fremantle are trending in the opposite direction. The line has been set surprisingly low, so take the Dockers to cover the 8.5-point handicap for a $1.90 return on Unibet.

This shapes as a low-scoring affair on a chilly Melbourne afternoon. The Bombers have struggled to post decent totals during much of their losing streak, so take under 167.5 total points at $1.90 with top AFL betting sites.

Fremantle midfielder Jeremy Sharp is averaging around 18 disposals per game this season and might find some time and space in this clash. He has cracked 20 touches on five occasions in 2024, and Neds is offering $2.50 for the former Gold Coast player to pass that mark once more.

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