We’ve got a different look on Friday in Round 5 of the 2019 AFL season with two games scheduled. First up on Good Friday we’ve got North Melbourne hosting the Bombers at Marvel Stadium, followed by West Coast hosting Port Adelaide at Optus Stadium. As usual, we’ve previewed both fixtures and scoured the betting markets to find the best value plays to have a punt on. Check them out below and good luck to everyone following!
AFL Round 5 Good Friday Betting Tips
North Melbourne vs Essendon Bombers (Friday 4:20pm AEST)
First up on Good Friday we’ve got a twilight fixture between North Melbourne and Essendon at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne. The Bombers have had the better of the Kangaroos in their last two meetings, winning by 27 and 17 points respectively.
North Melbourne registered their first win of 2019 in Round 4 when they got the better of the Crows on their home deck at Marvel Stadium. The Roos trailed by as many as 20 points late in the second quarter but came out of the blocks firing in the second half with increased intensity and desire around the ball. That win improves North’s record to 1-3 on the season but still has them second last on the ladder.
Essendon come into this off their second win in as many weeks. After starting the season with two dismal losses, Worsfold’s men have turned the corner with some really impressive footy. In Round 4 they surprised many with their demolition of the then 3-0 Lions, putting them to the sword by 47 points at home. Livewire small forward Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti led the way for the Bombers with a huge haul (seven goals), while Zach Merrett returned to form with 35 touches and a goal.
The Bombers open as slight favourites to kick off the double-head on Good Friday on the back of two big wins. While we agree they deserve to be favourite, we see them winning this one by a lot more than the 8.5 points that the spread suggests. They look a much different team than the one that got thumped by 70+ points in Round 1 and we believe they’ll have too much firepower for a listless North Melbourne outfit on the quick deck at Marvel Stadium.
Essendon Bombers -8.5
$1.91
West Coast Eagles vs Port Adelaide Power (Friday 8:10pm AEST)
The second fixture on Good Friday will see West Coast host Port Adelaide at Optus Stadium in Perth. The Eagles have had the better of the Power in each of their past three meetings, winning two of them with kicks after the siren.
The Eagles weren’t quite at their scintillating best against the Dockers in the Derby last weekend, but they still managed to come out on top by 13 points. It was their third straight win since their opening round loss to the Lions in a stretch that has everyone talking about a possible back-to-back premiership. Andrew Gaff has hit the ground running in his two games since returning from suspension, collecting 35 disposals in each outing.
The Power were arguably the most disappointing team in Round 4 as they fell at home to the heavily undermanned Tigers. They went in to that match with the expectation of an easy win, but that was far from the case as Tom Lynch (six goals) and the Tigers delivered an early blow to the Power’s finals aspirations. One of the key reasons the Power were unable to get over the line in that fixture was the sub-par play from most of their young brigade, which was the first time in their short careers that they’ve looked vulnerable at the highest level.
The Eagles have won three on the spin and are 2-0 at Optus Stadium this season, which we expect to be a fortress once again. They’ve also had the wood over the Power in recent meetings and will have a huge experience advantage over them in this one. All things considered, we expect the Eagles to win this fairly comfortably, covering the spread in the process.
West Coast Eagles -26.5
$1.91
