Another huge weekend of Aussie Rules footy done dusted.
Plenty to discuss.
Plenty of hot takes to be had.
Plenty of hindsight.
This is 5 Lessons Learned – AFL Round 8
(1) Value for Punters aplenty at Collingwood
Why would anyone bother with a same-game multi when Collingwood is involved when you can just go the old half-time/full-time double?
For the second week running, Collingwood has trailed at halftime only to come back full steam ahead and secure yet another outstanding victory, as was on display yesterday at the MCG against the Swans.
The full-time/half-time double is an outstanding value bet and if you had Sydney (or Adelaide the week previous) it would have paid around the $6.50 mark for the win.
Another great value bet for games involving Collingwood is the Quarter by Quarter – any other result option, or just taking them to win the fourth quarter/win the second half.
Even more reasons to like Collingwood.
(2) Robbery on the Gold Coast
It was shades of Rod Jamieson being given the worst free kick in history for Adelaide against Fitzroy in 1991 for where then channel 7 commentator Peter Mckenna described it as “Absolute Murder”
The same could be applied for the umpiring in the last two minutes of the Gold Coast v Melbourne game on Saturday.
There might not be many, but Gold Coast Suns fans have every right to be filthy about the result on Saturday.
Veteran David Swallow should have been rewarded a free kick despite being held by Trent Rivers inside the Suns 50 in the last minutes of the game, not to mention the push in the back to Mabior Chol from Max Gawn.
Granted, the Suns had their chances and Melbourne being the good team that they are held off, but the Gold Coast was robbed.
Unlike Rod Jamieson, it wasn’t absolute murder, instead the umps will get a downgrade to manslaughter for this effort.
(3) Tim Taranto goes alright
A former Port Adelaide player who spends a lot of his career saying things for the sake of it on his 78 radio/tv/online platforms declared that Richmond recruit Tim Taranto “isn’t in the top 150 players in the game”
Over the past month, Taranto has averaged 32 disposals, 15 contested with an average Supercoach score of 130 – which is third in the leading brand of fantasy football.
The Tigers have struggled recently but managed to get back on the winners’ list on the weekend, and the former Giant has easily been one of Richmond’s – and the Punter’s (in this columns world) for that matter, best.
Taranto will keep playing some good footy and it’s time to hit the mute button on old mate where it’s possible.
(4) Port loves a thriller
The blood pressure of Port fans would be all over the shop right now!
Ken Hinkley and his men have had four wins by 14 points or less in their past five games, the old Port Adelaide aggression is paying off!
If the Power could get rid of their kicking-at-goal issues, they’d be dominating right now, but they know how to jag the four points at the end of the day.
When having a punt on the Power – look at the tribet options of under 15.5 for a bit of value, but probably not this weekend as they face North Melbourne in Hobart, and while all of the attention is on Jason Horne-Francis against his old side, they’ll belt them by 60+, look for that market instead.
(5) Friday night says more about Brisbane than Carlton.
While much attention was on Carlton’s efforts on Friday night, it’s worth noting that if the Brisbane Lions are going to be a premiership contender, they need to win these big games on the road – which they did and did it in style.
Josh Dunkley proved his worth with 33 disposals, the Lions gave a classic premiership quarter effort in the third with a five-goals-to-none blitz and had the four points locked at three-quarter time.
Carlton on the other hand, hasn’t played finals in over a decade, and while full of talent, was beaten by a team that many expected to go very deep in September and has been a contender for the past four seasons.
Brisbane has won five in a row, will go in favourites to beat Essendon at the Gabba on Saturday night and are third in the premiership betting at $5.50 with Collingwood up top at $4.25 and Geelong/Melbourne equal second at $5.