Second up on Good Friday in AFL Round 6 we head out west where the Eagles will play host to the Bombers. The Eagles have already copped three hidings this year and are yet to record a win – is this their chance to get off the mark? It’s an intriguing contest we have on our hands and as always, we bring you our best bets for the match below!
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West Coast vs Essendon
Location: Optus Stadium
Date: Friday, 18th April
Time: 6:10pm AEST
Odds: West Coast ($4.00) vs Essendon ($1.24)
Line: Essendon -31.5
Points: 170.5
Odds and lines provided with thanks to Dabble. Note that odds and lines can fluctuate throughout the week, and are correct at the time of writing.
Match Preview
The second game of the Good Friday double-header sees West Coast host Essendon out west, and while the Eagles will have the home ground advantage, that might be about all that’s going their way right now. They’re 0-5 and firmly planted at the bottom of the ladder, having lost by over 70 points in three of their five games so far. Conceding an average of 118 points per match, their defensive structure is all over the place and they’ve lacked resilience across the ground. Their only competitive showing came in a narrow loss to the Lions — every other game has been a blowout by at least six goals. Co-captain Oscar Allen is sidelined with injury, and while Tim Kelly has been recalled after being dropped last week, it's clear this is a club still searching for answers.
Essendon, on the other hand, look far more settled. They’re sitting at 2-2 from four games, coming off back-to-back wins, including an impressive effort against Melbourne where their defence looked the best it has all year. But don’t be fooled by that one outing — across the season they’re still giving up an average of 97 points per game, largely inflated by the 272 points they conceded in their opening two losses. Still, they’ve clearly steadied the ship, and with a far deeper and more experienced squad than the Eagles, they’ll come into this match full of confidence. Their midfield looks stronger, their forward line more potent, and their defensive effort has improved each week.
The last time these two met, Essendon ran away with a 30-point win and the total score hit 214 — and there’s no reason to think this won’t be another high-scoring clash. With both sides prone to leaking goals and the total points line sitting at 170.5, there’s every chance that gets blown away again. West Coast simply haven’t been able to keep the scoreboard pressure off, and while they’ll be desperate to put in a stronger showing for their home fans, desperation alone might not be enough. The Bombers’ class around the contest and cleaner ball movement should be enough to break down the Eagles' defence.
Expect West Coast to bring the effort early, but it’s hard to see them sustaining it over four quarters against a more polished Essendon outfit. Unless the Eagles can produce a dramatic turnaround — both in form and structure — they’re staring down another hefty defeat. The Bombers should have too much firepower, and unless they completely drop off the intensity, they should cover comfortably. More importantly, this shapes up as another high-scoring affair between two defensively shaky sides, and the over on 170.5 looks one of the better bets of the round.
Over 170.5 Points
$1.90 (1.5 Units)
Same Game Multi
Throughout the 2025 AFL season we’ll be putting together a fun same game multi for every match at BoomBet using their BetShare feature.
To follow our multi, just click on the BoomBet BetShare button below and our same game multi selections will be added straight into your bet slip on BoomBet. You can then enter how much you wish to wager, and with a single click, your bet has been placed!
Tom Gross 15+ Disposals – Love the look of this kid. He goes in hard and can win his own ball which is a must for this Eagles side.
Archer Reid Anytime Goal Scorer – Another youngster who’s starting to show some genuine promise. Can take a mark and I expect him to be hitting the scoreboard.
Jye Menzie 2+ Goals – Has to be full of confidence after a career-best performance last weekend. Happy to ride the hot hand here after 4 goals last outing.
SGM Odds: $3.30 at BoomBet
