Melbourne v Western Bulldogs betting tips & prediction | 17/3

Melbourne v Western Bulldogs tips

Melbourne v Bulldogs match preview

Melbourne will be keen to put their disappointing effort in the AFL Opening Round behind them when they host the Bulldogs at the MCG for Round One on Sunday afternoon.

While the Demons have show a glimpse of form, their opponent the Bulldogs prospects somewhat shrouded in mystery, while a knee injury to young star Bailey Smith has robbed them of some of their buzz.

Off-field dramas in the pre-season seem to have affected Melbourne’s on-field efforts, and online bookies appear willing to risk them, with Simon Goodwin’s outfit $10 to win the flag.

The Demons suffered a worrying fourth-quarter fade-out against the Swans, to lose by 22 points, with their inability to score again evident.

The Bulldogs are yet to play and are paying around $20 in AFL premiership markets. They had a solid gallop in the pre-season, thumping the hapless Hawks by 57 points in Launceston. An inconsistent season in 2023 saw them finish with 12 wins and 11 losses, but they have recruited aggressively and now appear to have a solid mixture of youth and experience on their list.

Melbourne news

Melbourne will need to fill the hole left by ruckman/forward Brodie Grundy, who tormented his former teammates with 33 hit-outs and nine clearances in the Opening Round. On the plus side, debutant Blake Howes showed he belongs in the big time with 17 disposals and an impressive 12 intercepts playing out of the back half. The forward line let the team down with an overreliance on Bailey Fritsch, who was the only Demon to look threatening inside the arc, but they welcome Ben Brown and Kysaiah Pickett to bolster their goal kicking power.

Western Bulldogs news

An ACL injury to Bulldog Bailey Smith may open the door for boom youngster Ryley Sanders to step up as the season unfolds. The Tasmanian was taken at pick six in the draft and has reportedly impressed coaching staff with his early efforts on the training track. He showed up with 30 possessions in the win over the Hawks and is currently listed as the second favourite in Nab Rising Star betting markets. Sam Darcy is another youngster who might be headed toward a big season. The 20-year-old is still a raw talent but watch for his towering frame to start emerging as a contested marking beast.

Melbourne v Bulldogs betting strategy

We are not impressed by the Demons at this stage and are happy to bet against them until they show up. The Dogs have added depth to their squad over the off-season, and this game appears to be a coin-flip scenario. On that basis, we are happy to take the overs on the Dogs and trust they can iron out some of the lapses that cost them last season.

We are expecting a tight tussle, and the Bulldogs should scrape home by two or three goals. A blowout, either way, appears unlikely, so we are confident the 1-39 points provide the buffer required to make this a winning play.

The Demons managed to boot a miserly 64 points in the Opening Round. They will relish a return to the MCG and an infusion of talent, but we are expecting a low-scoring affair to unfold. This should be a high contested possession style of AFL game, devoid of free-flowing ball movement and scoring opportunities. If neither side can break free, under 166.5 points looks the likely outcome.

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