North Melbourne v Hawthorn AFL R18 betting tips – July 16, 2023

North Melbourne v Hawthorn best bets & multi tips

Kangaroos v Hawks AFL R20 match preview

On Sunday afternoon, the North Melbourne Kangaroos host the Hawthorn Hawks at Marvel Stadium in a matchup between two sides at the bottom of the AFL ladder.

The Kangaroos headed down to Geelong last weekend, where they were unimpressive as they went down by 62 points. Trailing by seven goals at quarter time, it was a long day for the Roos as the margin extended at each break. A positive on the day was the return to form for star midfielder Luke Davies-Uniacke, who had 28 disposals and two goals.

The Kangaroos losing streak continues, failing to win a game since round two. Despite a promising start to the year and a brief uptick in form following coach Alastair Clarkson’s mid-year departure, North have shown minimal improvement from previous poor seasons.

Hawthorn travelled to Sydney last weekend and lost to the GWS Giants in a tight contest by 13 points. In a back-and-forth game, the Hawks’ late inaccuracy cost them as they kicked 2.5 in a tense final quarter. Hawthorn’s inability to stop the GWS tall forwards was another key problem as they conceded seven goals to the forward pairing of Jesse Hogan and Jake Riccardi.

After getting through last week’s match largely unscathed, Hawthorn look to majorly strengthen their side this weekend. Skipper James Sicily returns from suspension to lead an otherwise inexperienced defence, while experienced small forward Luke Breust also returns.

North Melbourne lose their captain as Jy Simpkin enters concussion protocols following a knock last weekend. Key defender Griffin Logue will also miss after he ruptured his ACL. Young midfielder George Wardlaw is expected to return after missing last weekend with illness, as well as veteran Liam Shiels.

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North Melbourne v Hawthorn betting predictions

With the return of their captain this weekend, expect the Hawks to play a much more polished brand of football. Hawthorn’s most important player, no one has as much impact on the performance of their team as James Sicily does.

The Hawks forward line also looks to be too strong for the inexperienced Kangaroos defence, with key forward Mitch Lewis leading the way.

Hawthorn have won their last three matches against the Kangaroos and we are tipping them to continue this streak. We think they offer good value at $1.45 with BetOnline.

Kicking two goals in each of his last two games, Fergus Greene has found his role as the second tall in the Hawthorn forward line. In one of the few games this season where the Hawks come in as favourites, expect Greene to have increased opportunities at goal. We think he shows great value to continue his form and kick two or more goals this weekend at $1.91 with top AFL bookmakers.

Returning to form last weekend, Luke Davies-Uniacke will be leading the North Melbourne midfield in the absence of skipper Jy Simpkin. A powerful midfielder, the 24-year-old is known for standing up in the tackle and dishing handballs off to teammates. Averaging over 26 disposals a game this season, expect him to collect 25 or more disposals at $1.56.

Key matchup: McKay v Lewis

Ben McKay vs Mitch Lewis

The spearhead of the Hawthorn Hawks forward line, the Hawks have looked a different side going forward since Mitch Lewis returned. Held goalless last week, Lewis will be looking to bounce back against a disappointing Kangaroos outfit that is short on quality defensive options.

At 202cm, North Melbourne’s Ben McKay stands as one of the tallest defenders in the AFL, allowing him to become an elite intercept marker. Regularly overwhelmed by the volume of marking contests he has to defend, McKay will need some assistance from teammates throughout the day to limit Hawthorn’s scoring.

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