AFL 2022 Round 8 – Betting tips & Predictions

Nearly two months into the AFL season the ladder is beginning to take shape, but in Round 8 there will be plenty of teams looking to climb their way up a few rungs. Friday night begins with two such teams when the Power welcome the Bulldogs to Adelaide Oval, while the Tigers will look to continue on from their big win last week when they face the Magpies in front of what will be a huge MCG crowd. Later that day the Giants and Cats face off in a big game in the nation’s capital, while Sunday is headlined by a top-four clash between the Dees and Saints. There is no shortage of quality games set to take place this weekend, and we’ve previewed all of them on this page.

Port Adelaide Power vs Western Bulldogs

May 6 – Adelaide Oval, Adelaide – 7.30pm

Round 8 opens up with a game between two of last year’s Preliminary Finalists, though each of them has struggled to display that form so far this year – particularly the home side. The Power had a dreadful start to the year, losing their first five games, but following their one-point win over the Saints last weekend they’ve now won two on the trot. They’ve put themselves up against it to make the eight and top four is virtually out of the question, but a third win in a row would certainly help. The Dogs have also started slowly and have alternated wins and losses over the last few weeks, and with a 3-4 record they need to find their straps soon if they want to give themselves a chances at going one better than what they managed last year. This is a massive game with huge implications for both sides, and could very easily come down to the wire. In a very close game, the Power might just be able to sneak over the line.

Bet on the Power to win @ $1.98 (Unibet)

Fremantle Dockers vs North Melbourne Kangaroos

May 6 – Optus Stadium, Perth – 8.40pm

The second Friday night double-header of the season continues with what looms as a very lopsided matchup between the Dockers and the Kangaroos in Perth. Fremantle have improved dramatically this year, and in beating the Cats in Geelong last weekend they solidified their credentials as a genuine Premiership contender. The staunch defensive mindset which coach Justin Longmuir has instilled since his tenure began is now being matched by an ability to put scores on the board, and they are looking every bit deserving of the 6-1 record they now boast. The Kangaroos, in contrast, find themselves at the other end of the table with a 1-6 record and having lost four of their last five by 50 points or more. The potential improvement which so many anticipated this year has thus far not come to fruition, and they could be in for yet another hefty defeat when they make what has quickly become one of the toughest trips in footy.

Bet on the Dockers to win @ $1.05 (Palmerbet)

Richmond Tigers vs Collingwood Magpies

May 7 – MCG, Melbourne – 1.45pm

It’s been a topsy turvy year for the Tigers, but last Friday night they put in one of their best performances of the year, coming away from Perth with a 109-point win. Granted their opponent was truly awful, but nonetheless it will provide some much needed confidence for the three-time Premiers as they attempt to claw their way back up the ladder. And, with the return of Dusty Martin set to provide them with a major boost, they will be licking their collective lips at what looks like a reasonably friendly fixture over the next three weeks. The Magpies are likely to be the toughest opponent in that time; they’ve shown much improvement under new coach Craig McRae this year, have won their past two games and find themselves sitting one spot ahead of the Tiges on the AFL ladder. There will be plenty to play for for these long-time rivals in front of what will be a massive MCG crowd, but with Dusty back in the fold the Tigers can jump into the top eight with a win.

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

Sydney Swans vs Gold Coast Suns

May 7 – SCG, Sydney – 1.45pm

The Swans three-game winning streak ground to a halt on Sunday evening, with the Lions proving too strong in an entertaining game at the SCG. Sydney certainly had their moments in that game – Buddy Franklin kicking four goals in the space of six minutes to start the third quarter among the most memorable of them – but were ultimately unable to match it with what is a very high-quality team. They should have an easier time of things this week. The Suns have now lost three in a row and tumbled to 2-5, and though they have shown signs and been competitive in most games, they appear once again to be destined for a bottom six finish. The team and in particular coach Stuart Dew – who is under mounting pressure to retain his job – will be desperate to turn that notion on its head and keep their seemingly very slim finals hopes alive, but Sydney should be too good at the SCG.

Bet on the Swans to win @ $1.20 (PlayUp)

GWS Giants vs Geelong Cats

May 7 – Manuka Oval, ACT – 4.35pm

If ever a team – and a coach – needed a win, it was the Giants and Leon Cameron last weekend, and they delivered and then some. The Crows are not yet world-beaters but they have been in excellent form, and the Giants served it up to them in a big way, coming away from Adelaide Oval with the four points and plenty of extra percentage after their 59-point win. At 2-5 they’re still a long way from where they want to be, but perhaps that win will prove to be the catalyst they needed to turn things around. Another win this weekend against the Cats would be a major scalp, but they’ll need to be at their best. Geelong suffered a rare defeat at the Cattery last weekend, but the Dockers side that beat them appears to be legitimately good. They are as experienced an outfit as there is in the league and won’t be hitting the panic button just yet, and they can get back on the winner’s list quickly with a win in a tight game this Saturday afternoon.

Bet on the Cats to win @ $1.85 (BoomBet)

Essendon Bombers vs Hawthorn Hawks

May 7 – Marvel Stadium, Melbourne – 7.25pm

The Bombers poor season continued last weekend as they proved no match for the Bulldogs, a loss which sent their record to 1-6. They are sitting ahead of only the lowly Kangaroos and Eagles on the ladder, and desperately need to show something to their increasingly impatient supporter base soon. They get a good chance to do just that this weekend against a Hawks side which has now lost four of its past five games following a ten-point loss to the Demons last Saturday. That loss, however, was hardly a black mark against the team, and if anything it was the opposite. They were as competitive as any side has been against the Dees all year, and if they can replicate that form they should be too good for the struggling Bombers.

Bet on the Hawks to win @ $1.66 (PlayUp)

Brisbane Lions vs West Coast Eagles

May 7 – Gabba, Queensland – 7.25pm

As far as lopsided matchups go in the AFL, this one would be pretty close to the top. Every week the Lions continue to demonstrate their status as one of Melbourne’s main contenders for the Premiership, and even with Joe Daniher going down they had no issues putting a score on the board against the Swans last weekend. And if they’re capable of knocking off the Swans in Sydney by four goals, the prospect of what they could do to the Eagles in Brisbane is not pretty. The Eagles have had a tough start to the year, but after an 86-point loss to Port two weeks ago their 109-point drubbing at the hands of the Tigers was about as poor a performance by an AFL side in recent memory. Their pressure was non-existent, the effort levels across the board appeared limited and their overall performance was not one suited to an AFL game. If they can’t be competitive against Port Adelaide or Richmond in Perth, then a trip to Brisbane could get seriously ugly for them.

Bet on the Lions to win @ $1.02 (Palmerbet)

Melbourne Demons vs St. Kilda Saints

May 8 – MCG, Melbourne – 1.10pm

The Demons march towards another Premiership tilt continued last weekend as they held off a plucky Hawks outfit to the tune of ten points. That win took their win-loss ledger to 7-0, a record which sees them a game clear of Freo and Brisbane and two clear of a chasing pack of three teams. Included amongst that pack are the Saints, who suffered their first loss in over a month when they went down by a point to the Power. That game wasn’t exactly a spectacle for the ages, and St. Kilda will be hoping they can recapture the free-flowing football which saw them win four in a row prior to last week. If they can this should be an entertaining game, but the Demons are incredibly staunch defensively and won’t make it easy for them. St. Kilda can be competitive here, but it’s impossible to tip against Melbourne at the moment.

Bet on the Demons to win @ $1.32 (BoomBet)

Carlton Blues vs Adelaide Crows

May 8 – Marvel Stadium, Melbourne – 4.40pm

The Blues are proving to be something of an enigma this season. At their best they are brilliant to watch, but when their backs against the wall they have proven themselves to be vulnerable, and despite their 5-2 record they do appear to still have plenty of work to do to count themselves a contender. Last week they managed to find that exhilarating best football of theirs, but it was only against a very meagre North Melbourne opponent. The Crows are not exactly world beaters but they are better than the Kangaroos, and should put up a decent fight at Marvel Stadium despite their disappointing showing last weekend. Expect the Crows to hang around for a little while, but the Blues should be too good.

Bet on the Blues to win @ $1.35 (Unibet)