Fresh off their best win of the year, Hawthorn will take on the Western Bulldogs in a massive match at Marvel Stadium as Round 22 of the AFL Premiership Season nears its end. The Hawks put the table topping Magpies to shame last week in a shock upset, but the Bulldogs will be an equally tough challenge considering they are fighting for a spot in the top eight. We bring you our preview, best bet and value Same Game Multi below!
Also, we're providing previews and best bets for every game of the 2023 season, so make sure to check out our AFL Tips page regularly to stay up to date.
AFL Round 22 Preview & Betting Tips
Hawthorn vs Western Bulldogs
Sunday 1:10pm AEST, August 13th, UTAS Stadium
Hawthorn produced the upset of the season last weekend, destroying league leaders Collingwood by 32 points in an exciting display of attacking football. The Hawks were supreme in every facet of the game, led by skipper James Sicily who took a career high 19 marks to go along with 37 disposals. In the midfield, Conor Nash, Will Day and Jai Newcombe reigned supreme against Collingwood’s heavyweights, combining for 88 disposals between them as Pies star Nick Daicos was shut down by tagger Finn Maginness before the former was forced off due to injury. It truly was a flawless performance from the 16th placed Hawks, who have shown plenty of promising signs this campaign despite their ladder position. Looking ahead to Sunday, fans of the brown and gold will be confident considering that the Hawks love playing at their second home in Launceston.
The Bulldogs have kept their heads above water with two solid wins in the last three rounds, knocking off Richmond and Essendon. Those two 40+ point victories have Footscray sitting sixth on the ladder with three rounds to play, just two points clear of the chasing pack outside the eight. With a top four spot out of the question, it is now about scoring a home final for the Dogs, who will be keen to avoid an interstate trip to start their September campaign. Working in the favour of the Victorian side is the fact that their big guns are in form – Marcus Bontempelli, Tom Liberatore and Tim English have all been in great touch over the last few weeks and the former is a genuine Brownlow chance now that Nick Daicos is out for the rest of the regular season. Furthermore, key defender Alex Keath is back in the 22 this week, bolstering the Bulldogs backline at just the right time.
The men from out west have had Hawthorn’s number over the last few seasons, winning the last three games between the teams. Each of those victories have been by 23 points or more, so the gulf between the sides has been significant, but it’s worth noting that Hawthorn’s last win over the Dogs came at UTAS Stadium in 2021. I really like the way that the Hawks are playing, however I don’t think they will be able to contain the likes of Naughton and Ugle-Hagan, nor the rampant midfield led by Bontempelli. As such, I’m backing the Bulldogs in a tight contest.
Western Bulldogs 1-39
$2.15 (2 Units)
Same Game Multi
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Aaron Naughton 2+ Goals – Naughton has been a consistent performer this season, notching up 40 goals at an average of two per game. Earlier this season the big Dog kicked four against the Hawks, and I fancy him again this week against their undersized backline.
Jamarra Ugle-Hagan 2+ Goals – Ugle-Hagan has proven to be an excellent foil for Naughton in 2023, kicking 31 goals. The youngster booted five against the Tigers last weekend and kicked two against the Hawks earlier in the year, so he is a great bet to hit the scoreboard again this Sunday.
Jarman Impey 25+ Disposals – Impey has thrived down back this year, averaging 21 disposals. With James Sicily set to receive some attention this week, there will be plenty of ball to go around in the Hawks backline and I like Impey to have 25+ disposals, which he has done five times this year.
SGM Odds: $4.50 at BoomBet
