Sicily & Kennedy player specials – Hawks vs. Swans AFL Round 8 betting

By Nathan Marotta

Friday, 11th May, 7:50 pm AEDT, 2018, MCG, Watch on the Seven Network and on the Fox Footy Network.

The Friday night blockbuster is back in vogue this week as Sydney and Hawthorn do battle at the MCG.

It’s been some time since two quality, healthy, clubs have put on a show in the AFL‘s prime time slot, so the anticipation is building for this one as both clubs attempt to entrench themselves in the top half of the ladder.

After a shock loss to the Kangaroos last week, Sydney’s premiership aspirations could be dented with a second loss in a row.

During the week John Longmire expressed how frustrating it was for the Swans trying to score without a taller target inside 50. The small forwards cannot generate goals the same way a key position can and if the Swans are forced to play without Lance Franklin (injured) for the third week in a row, Hawthorn could have a huge advantage

Alastair Clarkson had many positives coming out of Hawthorn‘s victory over Essendon last week. James Sicily finds himself in the media for a plethora of reasons at the end on each weekend, this happened to be one of the better week for James. He was best on ground and after a great goal and offered a cheeky high five to opponent Joe Daniher, which was not appreciated from Joe.

The bookmakers are finding it hard to split the two sides. Sportsbet has the game at even money, WilliamHill.com has the Hawks as favourite and CrownBet has the Swans as favourite. Selection later in the week could help paint a clearer picture.

With plenty of action up ahead, let’s see the tips we have provided.

Hawthorn Hawks vs. Sydney Swans Round 8 – Player Specials Tips

James Sicily to get 25 touches @ $1.65 with William Hill

After analysing the market and finding the best value, we have decided that James Sicily has the best chance to return on investment. Getting 25 disposals for Sicily is like shelling peas, especially with the confidence he’s playing with right now. Sydney do often hack the ball forward from a contest and Sicily has made his name cutting off these kicks. We think James will find the footy a fair amount considering how important he is to Hawthorn’s 2018 brand.

Josh Kennedy to get 6 tackles @ $1.45 with William Hill

Jaeger O’Meara has developed great form in the last few rounds, but he hasn’t faced one of the best midfielders in the league yet. Josh Kennedy has a brilliant style that severely clamps the opponent from getting any touches when they compete together. Josh will need to sacrifice some of his game early making sure O’Meara doesn’t get off the chain.

Hawthorn Hawks vs. Sydney Swans Round 8 – First to Tips

First to 25 points

Hawthorn @ $1.86 with Sportsbet

Sydney’s major flaw in 2018 has been getting out of the block in the first quarter. The Swans have fallen behind multiple times in the first term, eventually finding themselves needing to play catch-up footy for the rest of the match. Hawthorn will know this and attempt to get off to a better start. We believe that Hawthorn will be first to 25 points in this match.

First to 3 behinds

Sydney @ $1.89 with Sportsbet

If Franklin is unavailable for the match, consider the Swans for this market. Last week really proved that they do in fact somewhat rely on the million dollar man. If the Hawks leak any inside 50’s early, the Swans may not be able to convert well enough without any genuine key position players. The odds are very similar either way you decide to go with this one, but we think the Swans are the better option.

Hawthorn Hawks vs. Sydney Swans Round 8 – Total Points Tips

Total match points over 140 @ $1.59

These odds are fairly high considering the low-scoring total. Hawthorn matches have gone over 140 in almost every contest this year, while Sydney is more inconsistent with its scoring. We do think that this match will be free flowing on the large expanses of the MCG. Isaac Smith will play a big role in this market, if he gets out on multiple occasions the game will change before our eyes and become a high-scoring contest.

Hawks vs. Swans match predictions

Match Result: Hawthorn to win @ $1.88 with Ladbrokes
Line Betting: Hawthorn -0.5 @ $1.92 with Ladbrokes

It is Monday night at the time of writing this article and we are unsure if Franklin and Hannebery will return to the match. This is playing a huge factor on our decision to choose the Hawks. The brand they play works no matter the squad that lines up and that really impresses us. Expect Hawthorn to win by a decent margin if the Swans serve up the same footy as they did against the Kangaroos last week.