Western Bulldogs vs St Kilda AFL betting tips – Friday, July 15

With AFL finals spots on the line, the stakes are sky high as the Bulldogs clash with the Saints at Marvel Stadium this Friday night to kick off round 18.

The Bulldogs desperately need to regain their bite after a flaccid display against the Swans in round 17. In a performance that seemed too bad to be true, the lethargic Dogs were smashed in the opening quarter, conceding 50 points and throwing away any realistic chance of victory.

We now get to see how the Dogs respond when they have nothing to lose. With their season ebbing away, they must now unleash their most ferocious football. They must win every loose ball, take every opportunity, and get on an unstoppable winning roll. Anything less will see them drop from beaten grand finalists one year, to a mediocre ninth- or 10th-place finish the next.

The Saints were also comprehensively dismantled in round 17, losing by 41 points to the Dockers in Melbourne. St Kilda hit halftime with a skinny eight-point lead, but the second half was one of complete capitulation. Freo kicked seven goals in the third quarter and four in the fourth, while the Saints could only muster two in the third and three goals in the last.

The Saints also need to instantly find their best form, which is quite good, and start accumulating premiership points. Many pundits were surprised to them spend a large chunk of the season in the top tier of the ladder, but this early overachievement counts for nought if they finish 10th.

Key matchup: Bailey Smith vs Jack Steele

Bulldog midfielder Bailey Smith returns from a few weeks in the sin bin and should be keen to repay his teammates for his youthful indiscretions. While adding some rockstar flair to the team, Smith is also averaging 31.6 disposals this season, as well as 3.7 tackles and 3.7 clearances. Still only 21 years old, Smith is navigating his way through an adolescence in the spotlight, but now it’s time to look beyond the distractions and get down to work.

Saints midfielder Jack Steele continues to shine in a losing squad, racking up big numbers week after week. Steele is averaging 27.6 disposals, 4.7 clearances, and a huge 6.9 tackles this season. He is a workhorse who carries the St Kilda engine room and will need to rise to this occasion if his team is to end the year on a high note.

Western Bulldogs vs St Kilda betting strategy

The Dogs go into the game as slight favourites, with the early line set at a negligible 4.5 points. The Saints have lost four out of their last five, including some paltry scores against the Lions and Swans. The Dogs will welcome a game back on the Marvel turf after two tough road trips, and we are expecting them to bounce back here. They should come out of the gate like a scolded cat after their dismal opening quarter last week, and we will be riding them hard. Bulldogs -4.5 is the tip, available on BetOnline.

Bulldogs vs Saints AFL same-game multi tips

For lovers of juicy odds, we will be linking the Bulldogs -4.5, into Tom Liberatore 25+ disposals, into Cody Weightman 2+ goals. This ambitious combo will return $5.20 courtesy of Ladbrokes. We are expecting Aaron Naughton to draw the defensive attention, and hopefully Weightman can get off the leash and kick a few.

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