The five best bets for Round 1 of the 2017 AFL season

ROUND one of the AFL season is upon us, which means punters will be looking to invest on the world’s greatest game.

We’ve covered just about every angle of the games this weekend, so we thought we scour the sites and put together our favourite exotic bets of the weekend.

These are not your traditional first goal-kicker markets. We are looking at serious value and all five of our bets this weekend look like good things.

Tim Membrey to kick three or more goals and St Kilda to win

St Kilda vs. Melbourne, Saturday, March 25 from 4.25 pm AEDST Etihad Stadium, Melbourne

Since 2006 there has been one constant in an uncertain AFL world – St Kilda will beat Melbourne.

Compound this by a terrible Etihad Stadium record by the Demons, who have won just once in 25 attempts under the roof, and you start to wonder why Melbourne are at the $2.20 quote heading into Saturday’s match up.

Melbourne bring arguably their best team on paper since their 2006 win against St Kilda, but one deficiency in their team is their defence. St Kilda has one of the most versatile mix of mid-sized and tall forwards, which will exploit the Dees’ lack of height.

Tim Membrey in particular is one man that can expose the Demons. He kicked nine goals in two games against Melbourne last year and was a handful for the red and the blue in both contests.

Membrey to slot three or more and the Saints to win seems like one of the safer exotic bets this weekend.

Tim Membrey to kick three or more goals and St Kilda to win – $4 at Ladbrokes.com.au

Brent Stanton to have 30 or more disposals

Essendon vs. Hawthorn, Saturday, March 25 from 7.25 pm AEDST Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne

Saturday night is all about one thing: the return of the suspended Essendon players.

One player in particular who will keen to have a huge impact is Bomber veteran Brent Stanton.

Stanton is a prolific ball-winner who has never had an issue finding the ball. Throughout the pre-season Essendon coach John Worsfold has trialled the 30-year-old across half back, which should help him gather a lot of cheap possessions.

For a man who is a ball-magnet, the cheap kicks he can get across half back should help him accumulate even more of the ball. Sportsbet is offering a huge price on Stanton to get 30 or more disposals and we suggest everyone takes it.

Brent Stanton to get 30 or more disposals – $8 at Sportsbet.com.au

Todd Goldstein to have 110 or more Fantasy AFL points

North Melbourne vs. West Coast, Sunday, March 26 from 7.25 pm AEDST Etihad Stadium, Melbourne

The Kangaroo big man Todd Goldstein has been a fantasy goldmine over the years, and Sunday afternoon presents the perfect opportunity to score mass-points.

Ex-North Melbourne ruckman Drew Petrie will shoulder the ruck load for the Eagles after Scott Lycett suffered a knee injury. Goldstein will look to exploit this fact.

A hitout is worth one point, there is every chance Goldstein could amass 50 hitouts on Sunday, which means without even touching the ball he is almost halfway there.

We are backing Goldstein to have a huge impact on Sunday, and if he can take several, marks and drift forward and boot a few goals covering 110 AFL fantasy points will be a simple equation.

Todd Goldstein to score 110 or more AFL Fantasy points – $2.15 at WilliamHill.com.au

Any player to score five or more goals

Adelaide vs. GWS, Sunday, March 26 from 7.25 pm AEDST Adelaide Oval, Adelaide

One thing is for certain, the Adelaide vs GWS game is going to be a high-scoring affair.

No fewer than seven players that will run out onto the field in Sunday’s match have booted five or more goals in a single game of footy, and we are backing at least one player at Adelaide Oval to accomplish that feat.

If the match develops into a shootout – which we believe it will – it is an absolute lock that at least one player on Sunday will boot five or more goals. We are happy to take those odds.

Any player to score five or more goals – $2.25 at Sportsbet.com.au

Nat Fyfe to have 30 or more disposals and Fremantle to win

Whichever way you look at it, it seems like an absolute lock that Nat Fyfe will have 30 touches or more on his AFL return.

The prolific ball-winner looks as fit as he has ever been and will be looking to make a statement in round one. Coach Ross Lyon has said he is willing to put the Brownlow Medallist head-to-head alongside Patrick Dangerfield, which spells big numbers for the guns.

Only difficult part is Fremantle getting up, but they have a good record against Geelong at home and we will back them in.

Nat Fyfe to have 30 or more disposals and Fremantle win – $5 at Ladbrokes.com.au