AFL Round 18 continues on Saturday with a massive five-game slate for fans to enjoy. The twilight fixture is a cracker with the Western Bulldogs taking on the Carlton Blues at Marvel Stadium. We bring you a full betting preview for the clash, complete with a best bet and Same Game Multi!
Also, Before You Bet will be providing free previews and betting tips for EVERY game in the 2024 AFL season, so make sure to head over to out our AFL Tips regularly to keep up to date with all of our free content.
2024 AFL Round 18 Preview & Betting Tips
Western Bulldogs vs Carlton
Saturday 4:35pm AEST, July 13th, Marvel Stadium
The Western Bulldogs were shooting for three wins in a row for the first time in 2024 when they took on the Power last weekend, but couldn’t get the job done as they were smashed from start to finish at Adelaide Oval (54-102).
The Dogs lost spearhead Aaron Naughton to concussion in what was an ugly first term for the club. Naughton has now entered concussion protocols and is listed as 1-2 weeks away as per the AFL Injury List. They now have nine players who are at least a couple of weeks away, which makes it tough in their pursuit for a finals spot.
The Dogs have been a frustrating team to follow this entire campaign. They’ve shown the ability to match it with the best teams when they bring a strong four-quarter effort, although they’ve also displayed the ability to lose to anyone when they don’t bring the required intent. Still, they remain in the hunt and are just one win outside the top eight.
Likewise, Carlton are coming off one of their most disappointing performances of the season. They led by six goals away against the Giants during the second term last weekend, but the Giants were the hungrier team after the main break and defeated the Blues by two goals (104-116).
Charlie Curnow looked in danger of losing his league-leading streak of kicking at least one goal in every game, but managed to jag one late to keep the streak alive. He’s atop of the Coleman Medal race once again and could claim his third straight if he finishes the season strongly.
In a big blow to the Blues’ defence, Mitch McGovern was injured against the Giants and will miss this week. Caleb Marchbank will get his chance at senior level, while Marc Pittonet has banged the door down for a return to the 1’s and will form a two-pronged ruck attack with the in-form Tom De Koning.
Match Prediction: It’s an interesting matchup here as both clubs are coming off poor performances. The Blues will start as the favourites but it’s the overs in the total points market which looks to be the play here. The Blues have been involved in a ton of shootouts of late, with the overs saluting in each of their last seven games, and with this being played under perfect conditions at Marvel, you can expect another high-scoring affair.
Over 176.5 Points
$1.90 (1 Unit)
Same Game Multi
The easiest way to place your Same Game Multi is to click on the BoomBet BetShare button below! This will add our SGM selections straight into your BoomBet bet slip! You can then enter how much you wish to wager and with one click, your bet has been placed!
Charlie Curnow 3+ Goals – Was well held last week and will be eager to bounce back. He’s the back-to-back Coleman Medal winner for a reason and is facing an undermanned Bulldogs defence.
Jamarra Ugle-Hagan 2+ Goals – Keeping with the theme of a high-scoring game, Ugle-Hagan should get plenty of looks here as the number one target up forward.
Marcus Bontempelli 1+ Goal – The Bont has been hitting the scoreboard with regularity and I like him to get at least one sliding forward in transition.
SGM Odds: $3 at BoomBet
