The Preliminary Finals are here and it’s all on the line with Grand Final spots up for grabs. Brisbane and Adelaide will face off once again in another finals clash, while North Melbourne will be looking to continue their underdog story when they take on Melbourne.
Jack Tobin has you covered with his tips for week three of the AFLW finals, and be sure to check out our AFL Tips page for our AFLW previews each week.
AFLW Week Three Finals Betting Tips
Brisbane vs Adelaide
Friday 7:40pm AEDT, Metricon Stadium
The two biggest powerhouses in the history of the competition add another chapter to their historic rivalry when they face off in the First Preliminary Final on Friday night. The reigning premiers will head to the Gold Coast as the underdogs, but their experienced group will be desperate to keep their hopes of going back to back alive. Skipper Chelsea Randall returns for Adelaide after missing the Semi Final through cautious concussion management despite not being concussed. Brisbane have decided not to roll the dice on Zimmie Farquharson who’s available for selection after suffering a broken finger back in Round Seven.
The Lions are the number one ranked attacking team in the league (54.5 points per game) and the second best defensive team in the competition (19.3 points against). Brisbane have scored above 32 points in ten of their eleven games this season, and opposing defences have found it impossible to contain this Lions’ forward line. Brisbane’s dynamic ball movement through the middle ground makes it near impossible for defenders if they get control out of the centre of the ground.
Brisbane have a 5-3 record against the Crows and won the most recent meeting between these two sides, back in October. Brisbane have been utterly dominant this season, and despite the quality in Adelaide’s side, it’s difficult to see Brisbane faltering in this clash. The week off will help Brisbane run out the game, and they will be too good for the Crows.
Brisbane -17.5
$1.90 (1.5 Units)
Melbourne vs North Melbourne
Saturday 3:10pm AEDT, Ikon Park
A red hot North Melbourne side will be looking to continue their fairytale finals run when they take on Melbourne on Saturday afternoon. The eighth placed Roos are just one more upset away from a Grand Final, and have some serious momentum behind them. Melbourne have won seven games in a row by an average winning margin of 46 points, in what has been a dominant stretch of football.
North Melbourne produced their highest score of the season last week against Richmond, and they’ll need to bring that form this week against the best defence in the AFLW. Melbourne have conceded a league fewest 18.4 points per game this season, and have conceded only seven goals across their last five games. The Demons' pressure at the source allows their defence to get set, and once they do they're hard to penetrate.
North Melbourne are on an incredible run right now, however facing a Melbourne side that has been on an absolute tear is a much tougher task than what they’ve encountered in the last two weeks. Melbourne have never lost to the Kangaroos, holding a 4-0 record against North Melbourne across the history of the competition. The Demons will be too good at the defensive end of the ground for North to kick a winning score, and will earn their spot in a second consecutive Grand Final.
Melbourne -11.5
$1.90 (2 Units)
