AFL 2022 Round 7 – Betting tips & Predictions

ANZAC weekend saw the gap between the top and bottom parts of the ladder widen, with eight of the nine favourites saluting over four days of action. As we move into Round 7, a number of teams are looking to solidify their spot up the top while plenty of others need to get a move on if they’re to keep in touch with the eight. Saturday afternoon sees a big clash between the Cats and the Dockers in Geelong, while the Saints vs the Power that night looms as an intriguing game. Come Sunday afternoon, the game of the round sees the Swans face off against the Lions in a battle between two Premiership contenders, and we’ve previewed that as well as every other game this weekend on this page.

West Coast Eagles vs Richmond Tigers

April 29 – Optus Stadium, Perth – 8.10pm

The Eagles’ rough start to the year continued last week, as they handed Port Adelaide their first win for the year without putting up much of a fight. That 84-point loss meant they have now lost their past two games by a combined total of 147 points, and with just one win on the board this season they are only separated from last place on the AFL ladder by the barest of percentages. They look like they would struggle to beat anyone at the moment, though the team they are welcoming to Optus Stadium this season isn’t exactly flying either. The Tigers fell to 2-4 with a 20-point loss to the Demons on ANZAC Day Eve, and that margin could have been significantly more had Melbourne kicked straight. Richmond is clearly far from the force they’ve been over the past few years, but surely they can get over the line against West Coast this weekend.

Bet on the Tigers to win @ $1.56 (Unibet)

Geelong Cats vs Fremantle Dockers

April 30 – GMHBA Stadium, Geelong – 1.45pm

The Cats were able to bounce back from a disappointing loss to Hawthorn with a comfortable defeat of the Kangaroos last weekend, winning by ten goals and taking their win-loss record to 4-2 in the process. This weekend they face a much sterner prospect, but they’ll get to do it on their formidable home surface where losses have been about as rare as hen’s teeth in recent years. The team they’ll face there, the Dockers, look like they are arguably the most improved in the league. They’ve won five of their six games, and though question marks have been raised about the teams that they’ve done it against, the last four of those wins have been very comfortable. Geelong will be their toughest test of the season, and this game may give us a major insight into just how legitimate a top four prospect they are. On their home turf the Cats might be a bit too strong, but expect Freo to put up a fight.

Bet on the Cats to win @ $1.39 (PlayUp)

Adelaide Crows vs Greater Western Sydney Giants

April 30 – Adelaide Oval, Adelaide – 2.10pm

Are the Crows actually decent? It’s a question which is becoming increasingly difficult to answer after they’ve put together successive wins over first the Tigers, then the Bulldogs. They now find themselves at 3-3, and though it’s probably too early to label them a genuine top eight contender, another win this weekend and it will have to become a real consideration. Heading into the season few would have expected them to be a superior team to the Giants, but so far, that’s been the case. GWS endured yet another loss last Friday night and fell to 1-5, and though they were gallant against the Saints, they need to start winning soon or their season will quickly become a write-off. This is a massive game for both teams, and though Adelaide heads in as favourite with Aussie bookmakers, GWS can sneak over the line in a close one.

Bet on the Giants to win @ $2.24 (BoomBet)

Melbourne Demons vs Hawthorn Hawks

April 30 – MCG, Melbourne – 4.35pm

The unstoppable force that is the Melbourne Demons continued on its merry way last Saturday night, knocking off the Tigers by 22 points. Had they kicked straight, it could easily have been a lot more, and their 9.22 resulted in a scoreboard which flattered Richmond. They’re now sitting at 6-0 and on top of the AFL ladder, and will be confident they can continue that winning run against the Hawks this weekend. Hawthorn have shown some good signs this year and were impressive early against the Swans last week, but they folded meekly in the second half and ultimately went down by 41 points. This will be a good test for the young Hawks, but the Demons are so well drilled in every part of the ground and should be far too strong.

Bet on the Demons to win @ $1.14 (Bet365)

St. Kilda Saints vs Port Adelaide Power

April 30 – Cazaly’s Stadium, Cairns – 7.25pm

The Saints continued their winning form in Round 6, knocking off the Giants in Canberra en route to a fifth straight win. It’s been an impressive start to the year for the formerly maligned outfit, who appear ready to deliver on the promise which they showed throughout the 2020 season. Port Adelaide, in contrast, have been arguably the most disappointing team of the year, only getting on the board with their first win against a hapless West Coast outfit last week. That win did, however, come by 86 points, and followed on from an impressive second half against Carlton the week prior, so perhaps last year’s Preliminary Finalists are finally beginning to find their groove. On neutral turf this game has the potential to be a close one and could go either way, but the Saints might just be a little too good.

Bet on the Saints to win @ $1.54 (Bet365)

Carlton Blues vs North Melbourne Kangaroos

April 30 – MCG, Melbourne – 7.25pm

Carlton have quickly become one of the most exciting teams to watch at their best, with their impressive midfield group and dynamic key forward duo making them tough to stop when they get on a roll. Three of their early season wins, however, were results which could easily have gone the other way, and in a matchup between two seemingly improved teams last weekend they were no match for the Dockers. They’ve certainly improved but there are plenty of cracks in their armour; fortunately, they should be able to hide them against a struggling Kangaroos team this weekend. North Melbourne haven’t shown the level of improvement many expected from them this season, losing their third game in four weeks by ten goals or more last weekend. The Blues aren’t as good as any of the teams which have inflicted those defeats on the Kangas, but nonetheless should be too strong on Saturday night.

Bet on the Blues to win @ $1.23 (PlayUp)

Collingwood Magpies vs Gold Coast Suns

May 1 – MCG, Melbourne – 1.45pm

Collingwood’s impressive start to the season continued on ANZAC Day as they ran out 11-point winners in an entertaining game against the Bombers. Jack Ginnivan was the surprise star of that game, kicking five goals on the big stage and earning himself the ANZAC Day Medal in the process. They might not exactly be a Premiership contender, but they are emerging as a team and seem capable of being competitive against most sides. The Suns, in contrast, look like they might be heading down a road we have seen all too many times before. After a spritely first couple of games they have now lost four of their last five, the latest a 52-point defeat at the hands of the Lions. There is talent on their list, but cultivating it has been a problem since the Suns entered the AFL. The Magpies should be too strong on their home turf in this one.

Bet on the Magpies to win @ $1.53 (Palmerbet)

Western Bulldogs vs Essendon Bombers

May 1 – Marvel Stadium, Melbourne – 3.20pm

After a Grand Final appearance last year, the Bulldogs just cannot seem to find any sort of consistency to start this season. They appeared to recapture something close to their best when clocking their first win of the season in Round 3, only to be comprehensively beaten by the Tigers the next week. They then went on to demolish the Kangaroos in impressive fashion, but followed it up with last week’s one-point loss against the Crows. That win-loss-win trend appears likely to continue this week against a struggling Bombers side. Essendon was better than they have been so far this season on ANZAC Day, but fell short regardless and are now at 1-5. Their finals prospects are diminishing by the week and many, if not most, pundits have put a line through them already. A win here would certainly help their cause, but it’s hard to see them getting up against the Bulldogs.

Bet on the Bulldogs to win @ $1.40 (Palmerbet)

Sydney Swans vs Brisbane Lions

May 1 – Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney – 4.40pm

We’ll have to wait until Sunday afternoon for what might be the game of the round, but it should be worth the wait. The Swans and the Lions have both started the season in scintillating fashion, each winning five of their first six games and sitting in third and fourth on the AFL ladder respectively. The Swans most recent victory came against the Hawks after a poor start, with a dominant second half seeing them run out seven-goal winners. The Lions too won comfortably, beating their intrastate rivals in the Suns by 52 points. Both of these sides are among the most likely to challenge the Demons for the flag this year, and will likely be jostling for similar spots in the top four come the end of the home and away season. Though it’s only Round 7, that makes this game a huge one, and in a high-quality and tight battle the Swans’ home ground advantage might be enough to see them sneak over the line.

Bet on the Swans to win @ $1.84 (Palmerbet)