2024/2025 A-League Round 18 Preview

2023/2024

We are moving ever closer to the conclusion of the A-League season and we are set for a blockbuster weekend of action in the local game.

Once again the feature match comes from out west with Perth Glory looking to continue on the impressive start to life under the new ownership of Ross Pelligra as they host league leaders Wellington.

Elsewhere Central Coast and Macarthur will be backing up from AFC Cup duty in their matches on Sunday evening as they continue to pursue a top four finish.

Read on for our previews and best bets for each of the Round 18 A-League matches.

Some much needed stability in the playing squad has produced an uptick in the Roar’s performances over the last few weeks under Ruben Zadkovich, but they still have a way to go before looking like a finals bound team.

One big boost to their case will be taking care of business against the bottom of the ladder Western United at home.

Not only are the Roar the more in form side, but they will be catching the visitors in a bad spot coming off a frustrating defeat on Tuesday against the Victory at AAMI Park.

Brisbane simply has to win this match and with the side starting to get healthier, they should find a way to do so.  

Brisbane to Win @ $2.00

It was only a few years ago that these teams were facing off in the A-League Grand Final, and while the stakes are a bit lower with both teams fighting for finals positioning, the desperation should be off the charts.

Ufuk Talay’s influence in the Harbour City is starting to really take shape with his side storming up the A-League ladder with six wins and two draws from their last nine matches.

The same cannot be said for City who have just one win and one draw from their last six, which sees them enter the weekend in seventh spot, an area they have not been familiar with over the last few seasons.

While City did win the early season meeting between these clubs, a lot has changed since then and I’ll be taking the in-form side to pick up all three points.

Sydney FC to Win @ $1.85

At one point this season this was shaping up as a blockbuster battle but now we are probably not going to be in for an instant classic here.

Both clubs have been a bit disappointing this season, especially of late and it has shown in their performances.

Carl Veart has not quite been able to get his players on the same page to replicate their run last season, and with two wins from their last ten they are still searching for answers.

The less said about Marko Rudan’s tirades and subsequent suspension the better, but it has somewhat deflected from the Wanderers uneven form of late.

With four points from their last five matches, they have just been unable to perform with any consistency.

This has all the signs of a match that is going to get bogged down in the midfield and we may not see that many goals.

Under 2.5 Goals @ $2.70

Two of the more profitable betting trends of the A-League season will go head to head in Saturday’s late show and it’s going to be interesting to see which one comes out on top.

Perth have been a much improved team over the last few weeks and HBF Park has been the home of some of the best finishes in the A-League this season, their last five matches have featured a combined tally of 24 goals and all have gone down to the wire.

Meanwhile, Wellington is five points clear on top of the table and are on level betting odds with a team nine places below them on the ladder.

Travelling to Perth is a big challenge for any club, even one as well equipped as the Nix.

I’m going to stick with the Glory theory at home, the momentum of 11 points from five matches combined with the goodwill of the new ownership has me thinking we are heading for another high scoring, end to end affair.

Over 3.5 Goals @ $2.40

Second takes on third in a match that could prove pivotal in a couple of months’ time when dissecting the final makeup of the ladder.

Melbourne Victory’s dramatic late show on Tuesday night gave them a massive confidence boost as they broke a six match winless streak and leapt up to third place.

Now the question becomes after a trying run of fixtures, can they sort themselves out for the run home?

Central Coast on the other hand is coming into this match on just 72 hours of rest after their AFC Cup tie with Macarthur, which is at least a bit shorter commute compared to their other road trips in that competition.

In isolation, the Mariners should be much shorter in price but the market is clearly worried about their short turnaround.

Combine that with two draws against the Victory this season and there is enough reason to just be a bit cautious about jumping on them to win outright.

They should be able to get something from the match, but it might just be a point.

Central Coast Win/Draw Double Chance @ $1.67

Despite eleventh hosting fourth, the team sitting ten points adrift is a $2.02 favourite.

Perhaps it has something to do with the fact the Bulls will be coming into the game off 72 hours rest after their AFC Cup tie and a bit of rotation feels inevitable.

But at the end of the day, Newcastle has just two points from their last four matches and have not looked all that good during that run.

In fact, over their last ten fixtures the Jets have picked up a grand total of nine points and I just don’t see how they are favoured.

The value here is on the visitors even if they are going to be a bit underdone.

Macarthur to Win @ $3.30

2022/2023

Round 17 is going to be very hard to top.

As far as a round of A-League goes, it had everything – fast kicking, high scoring and ties? You bet.

Brisbane Roar let go of Coach Warren Moon after what has been another nightmare season, currently sitting one point of the bottom of the ladder and have not won a game since the 6th of January.

There’s heaps of action this weekend and as always, I’ve got you covered for tip!

Here is my preview of the A-League Round 18.

The Mariners will look to hold onto their second place spot on the ladder when they take on the ‘Nix at home on Friday night.

CCM did well to claw back for a draw in Perth last week, but they will be looking for all three points in a match up that they should win.

Wellington has won five of its last six A-League night matches against Central Coast but I’m liking a win to the Mariners here.

Back CCM H2H @ $1.90

United have a huge opportunity to claw themselves off the bottom of the ladder against Newcastle here and I honestly think they can do it.

Yes they’ve let in seven goals in their last three games while only scoring three in that time but the Jets have been pretty shaky at the back at times this season too.

The underdog has won three of Newcastle’s last four A-League matches and the ‘Over 2.5 Goals’ market has hit in each of Newcastle’s last seven A-League day matches as a home favourite.

I’m backing a United win here and at $2.90, we could be on.

Back Western United H2H @ $2.90

After a loss in the Melbourne Derby last week, City will be keen to bounce back and get one over the other Sky Blue team.

Sydney FC open as $4.00 and were quite disappointing last week against a struggling Roar side.

A 94th minute equaliser saved the day for them and they will need to be a lot better if they want to beat the team that’s 13 points clear at the top.

Melbourne City has won each of its last 14 A-League home matches following a loss and I expect them to extend that to 15.

Back Melbourne City H2H @ $1.77

They went down early against the Jets last week and couldn’t get one back, Macarthur will need to be a lot better than that if they want to steal the 3 points from Western Sydney.

The Wanderers open as $1.72 favourites to Macarthur’s $4.40 but only have one win in their last 5 games.

It was a pretty dramatic finish to their 4-4 game against Adelaide and you’d imagine they should bring in a bit of momentum from that fixture into this game.

Last time these two sides met, it was a 4-0 belting the Wanderers way, could this be the game that gets their winning ways back on track? I think so.

Back WSW H2H @ $1.72

Are the Victory starting to turn things around? They’ve won two of their last three and despite being second last they’re only seven points out of finals contention.

After their big Melbourne Derby win, they’re $2.10 favourites to win against an Adelaide United side that leaked 4 goals against the Wanderers and could only muster a draw.

Melbourne Victory has lost each of its last five A-League matches following a win and ‘Both Teams to Score’ market has hit in each of Melbourne Victory’s last six A-League matches.

We could be on for a draw here and that’s where I’m leaning.

Back the Draw @ $3.45

It’s all been quite spicy in the Brisbane camp this last week. Warren Moon is out and Nick Green has been appointed as the Interim Head Coach.

Quite often immediately after a manager is sacked, the side will get a win straight away and the Roar have a huge chance to do that against a travelling Glory team who are 1-1-6 away from home this season.

Am I a mad man for once again backing the Roar? Quite possibly, but all signs lead to a Roar win this weekend.

If they can’t get it done here I promise not to tip them for the rest of the season.

Back The Roar @ $1.98

2021/2022

Like clockwork, there have been plenty of chops and changes to the A-League Round 18 schedule, and the action now begins on Saturday, when four matches are contested.

Regardless of when, where and who are playing each other, there are winners to be found, and you can find our complete A-League Men Round 18 Preview below.

Western United have won each of their last four matches and sit second on the ladder, but they have opened $3.20 outsiders against local rivals and league-leaders City, our $2.20 favourites.

Jamie Maclaren has been a popular target in first goal scorer betting as he often is, and he has extended his lead in Golden Boot standing to three heading into Round 18.

I give both clubs a real chance of winning this, so I am going to take the value around Maclaren opening the scoring.

Back Jamie Maclaren to Score the 1st Goal

North of the border, the Roar will be eager to snap their poor run of form, and they are $2.10 favourites at Neds, with value around the Phoenix at $3.40.

The Roar have struggled since Matchday 1 and quite frankly, the end of the season cannot arrive quickly enough.

The Phoenix meanwhile have continued to improve as the season as progressed, and they certainly would not look out of place in the finals.

I can’t get my head around these prices in match betting, and I am more than keen to take the $3.40 about Wellington.

Back the Phoenix to Win @ $3.40

The Perth Glory and Sydney FC are both desperate for a win, and each will have their chance in the nation’s west on Saturday.

The Glory have struggled to move away from the bottom of the table all season, and it comes as no surprise that they will start this match outsiders in the market as well, Sydney FC remain warm favourites.

Bobo has been a popular target for Ladbrokes punters all season and he has opened our $5 favourite to score the first goal, Andy Keogh is the $7 top elect for Perth.

Given they are continuing to slip away from the top four, I think that Sydney’s desperation will simply prove too great in Round 18.

Back Sydney to Win @ $1.92

Macarthur are amidst a worrying three-match winless streak and betting suggests that they will face plenty of resistance against the Wanderers on Saturday night.

The Bulls are favourites in match betting tonight, but only slightly at $2.50, while there has been a steady flow of support for the Wanderers following last week’s derby win, and they are into $2.70.

Both sides boast plenty of prolific goalscorers and they are all prominent in first goal betting again tonight, Lachie Rose has been a favourite amongst the Macarthur fans, while Tomer Hemed is favourite for the Wanderers.

I haven’t been impressed by the Bulls recently, and I am going to have something on the upset.

Back the Wanderers to Win @ $2.70

Adelaide are chasing a hat-trick of wins when they host the Newcastle Jets on Sunday afternoon.

The Reds’ impressive run of form has seen them climb into third on the ladder, and they’ve been a popular target for Ladbrokes punters at odds of $2.15, while there hasn’t been much love for the struggling Jets.

Craig Goodwin has been in fine touch for Adelaide all season and Beka Mikeltadze is currently second in Golden Boot standings, so it comes as no surprise that the two marksmen are prominent in first goal scorer betting again today.

I’m going to follow the betting trends with a Same Game Multi.

Back Goodwin/Mikeltadze to Score Goals at Any Time

*RESCHEDULED MATCH*

2021

Melbourne City has risen to the top of the A-League and will look to extend its lead over the chasing pack in Round 18 of the A-League.

This weekend they take on Macarthur FC in a jam packed round as catch up matches begin to fill out the midweek kickoffs.

Read on to find our previews for every match right here.

The second part of Western United’s Tasmania sojourn sees them take on a Wellington side they lost to 11 days ago.

Each of the last three meetings between these teams has gone in favour of the Wellington Phoenix of Wollongong with the most recent match being won by a late Ben Waine goal.

It’s tough to back against Wellington in their current scoring form with 12 goals in their last five matches and Ulysses Davila one of the most exciting players in the entire A-League.

Getting them as underdogs in conditions that will likely remind them of home should allow them to run over Western United and come away with all three points.

Back Wellington to Win @ $2.80

Get on Western Sydney quickly because their head to head price is going to drop with punters desperate to back against the Victory.

Carl Robinson’s side needs a confidence booster after going winless in their last five matches and thankfully they have the perfect opportunity to get that here.

The Victory are coming off an all time embarrassment in the Melbourne Derby losing 7-0 to City resulting in the sacking of Grant Brebner.

Steve Kean has experience managing a club in turmoil, overseeing Blackburn’s relegation from the Premier League in 2012 and it seems unlikely he will be able to turn around the Victory in the space of five days.

Back Western Sydney to Win @ $1.91

Are the wheels starting to come off Central Coast?

With one win in their last six matches they have dropped to second place on the A-League ladder.

They are still grinding out draws in three of those matches and I like their chances of getting a point off Sydney.

It’s not as though the Sky Blues are flying high either with four wins in their last ten as they struggle for consistency.

Their last two matches against Melbourne City and Adelaide have ended in draws and that is where I am headed for this one.

Back the Draw @ $3.45

It might have been almost a month since Melbourne City won back to back games, but how can you back against them after their Derby demolition job?

Macarthur has stumbled themselves in recent matches, drawing with Newcastle in their last outing on the back of losses to Adelaide and Brisbane.

City demolished the Bulls in their first meeting to the tune of a 3-0 final scoreline and they will be out to consolidate top spot on the A-League ladder here.

Back City to Win @ $1.80

*MATCH POSTPONED*

Wellington’s busy ANZAC weekend continues with a “home” clash against Adelaide.

Both sides possess plenty of attacking talent and this has all the makings of a Sunday afternoon shootout.

In five of the last six matches, we have seen both teams to score hit and three of those six have finished with four goals.

Adelaide has not been kept scoreless in its last 10 matches and has managed multiple goals in seven of those while we all know the attacking quality of Wellington’s forward line (assuming they do not suffer a number of injuries in Tasmania).

This match could go either way depending on Wellington’s ability to bounce back from a Thursday game but either way, all signs point to goals.

Back Over 3.5 Goals @ $2.30

This is another one of those matches where you really do not need to overcomplicate your pick.

Newcastle has not won in a very long time and despite a pair of draws in their last two matches, there’s not a lot of cause for optimism around this side at the moment.

I’ll stick with the tried and true plan and taking them on, especially when their opponent is at a decent price.

Fatigue might be the only issue for Western United who are coming off a Thursday match but even so, they have the quality to get the job done.

Back Western United to Win @ $2.30

Just going off their recent win-loss record, you could be forgiven for thinking that Melbourne Victory might be on their way back to being considered a good team.

Seven points from their last five matches, including a wild 5-4 win on Friday has them off the foot of the table.

But that would be glossing over what has been an atrocious Victory side for the bulk of the season and there is no way I would back them to beat Sydney FC, even at their current price of $10.

Sydney might have been held to three consecutive draws but they all came against tough opponents including a gritty 2-2 result against Central Coast on the weekend.

They should have no dramas getting over the top of the Victory in this one considering the mismatch.

However their backline has not been all that strong and there are major questions about the stability of Andrew Redmayne in goals, so a concession or two would not be a big surprise here.

SGM: Sydney FC to Win & Both Teams to Score @ $2.49

It might have been a while since the Mariners and Roar faced off with both teams seemingly destined for the finals, but we can enjoy what should be an excellent match to close out Round 18.

Brisbane will come into this fixture unexpectedly fresh following the postponement of their ANZAC Day clash with Perth.

With a hectic catch up schedule to come over the next month and a half, the Roar will need to capitalise on their games in hand as they chase a second consecutive A-League Finals appearance.

The Mariners might not be winning as often as they were earlier in the season, but they have shown a remarkable resiliency to take points when they may not be playing at their best.

I can’t split these teams and am forecasting a score draw between the two.

SGM: Draw and Both Teams to Score @ $4.68

2019/2020

It’s derby weekend in the A-League with four of the five matches having some sort of geographical rivalry… and Brisbane taking on Adelaide.

First up we get the third City-Victory clash of the season followed by the Distance Derby (complete with its own trophy) before the Sydney derby kicks off Saturday’s action and the weekend closes out with the F3 Derby in Newcastle.

We’ve got previews and best bets for all five A-League matches right here!

If the Victory can bring anything close to the intensity and commitment they showed in Perth to this derby, they are every chance of getting a win here.

Of course they could also have one of those no-shows that have plagued their season and are a big reason they are sitting in ninth place.

City pulled off another Melbourne Heart level collapse in Adelaide last weekend, perhaps with one eye on the derby as they now face a fight to hold on to second spot.

At the end of the day you have to like the Victory to get something out of this game considering they have to find some form ahead of the Asian Champions League match against Thai side Chiangrai United next week.

It’s not the prettiest play, nor will it result in the biggest payout but it’s a good safe option to start the weekend off with.

Back Melbourne Victory/Draw Double Chance @ $1.57

Perth may or may not have an Asian Champions League match to prepare for after the Distance Derby on Friday night.

A win here could give them a chance to leapfrog Melbourne City and a chance to bounce back from two consecutive draws against the two Melbourne clubs.

That 2-2 draw at home to the Victory ended their run of four straight games without conceding a goal and Wellington has the firepower to give Perth some trouble.

This is a play backing Tony Popovic the manager to get his side back on track and pick up another three points, repeating their 2-1 win over the Nix in October.

Back Perth to Win @ $1.80

*MATCH POSTPONED*

In a week of derbies this… is not one of them, but over the last few seasons, these two sides have built up quite a nice little rivalry.

This is a fixture that in the past has featured goals, red cards, scuffles (both on and off the pitch) and dramatic finishes.

Chances are this game will be closer to the 1-0 win Adelaide picked up at Hindmarsh Stadium in November as opposed to the 5-3 end to end clash in Round 27 last April.

While Brisbane is still looking for the right combination in attack, their work improving on their defence compared to last season deserves plenty of credit with just five goals conceded in six matches since Christmas thanks in large part to the stellar play of Jamie Young.

This game could very well come down to who scores first and I’ll back another tight, grind of a game as both sides limit the others chances.

Back Under 2.5 Goals @ $2.35

There’s only so much you can say about last taking on second last but you have to wonder how the Jets are so short considering they haven’t won since November 30.

Even that draw against Western United last week has to come with an asterisk considering the conditions the match was played in had a major impact on the way it was played.

It has been a bit of a struggle for the Mariners since their wild win over the Victory, losing three straight but $5 is way over the odds for anyone taking on the provisional wooden spooners.

Back Central Coast to Win @ $5.00

2018/2019

The haves and the have nots of the A-League continue to drift further and further apart as we close out the middle third of the season, the good news is that the race for finals positions .

Perth appear to be premiers-elect while the Big Blue rivals appear to be the only two teams capable of chasing them down.

The race for fourth is heating up as well with Adelaide, Melbourne City and Wellington all eyeing off a home final at the very least.

Read on for our previews and predictions for all five A-League matches this weekend.

Thursday Night Football in the Hunter kicks off this round and the Jets are looking to kick on from their massive win over the Wanderers last week.

A 5-1 hammering of their fellow strugglers kept their faint finals hopes alive and this week brings a chance to pull back another three points on the sixth placed Phoenix.

Last time these teams met in Newcastle it was Wellington pulling off a high scoring win 3-2 but the market has the Jets as favourites here.

It does make sense since they are unbeaten in their last three home games and are starting to round back into form.

It will be a big test for Wellington but at that price it is hard to not back them here just purely on value.

Back Wellington to Win @ $3.90

Brisbane went from one of the biggest highs to the biggest lows in the space of a week.

After pulling off a miracle comeback against Western Sydney, the Roar blew a three goal lead in Adelaide and had two players sent off in the process.

The bigger loss of the two will be star goalkeeper Jamie Young who is going to be replaced by either Brendan White or Y-League keeper Macklin Freke, either way they will be starting their first A-League match.

Sydney has only lost one of its last six at Suncorp Stadium and shouldn’t lose this here.

Back Sydney to Win and Over 2.5 Goals @ $2.25

The drama from the Wanderers continues with more commentary coming out from Marcus Babbel after being demolished by the Jets last week.

Central Coast blew a 2-0 lead to Melbourne Victory on Saturday, going down 3-2 but at least showed some promise for the rest of the season.

Western Sydney has won its last three against Central Coast but it is very hard to back them with any confidence.

The head to head market is probably worth staying out of but this has the makings of a high scoring clash.

Back Over 3.5 Goals @ $2.25

City have a perfect opportunity to jump right back into fourth place with a win over the team that leapfrogged them in Round 17.

Adelaide’s miracle comeback over Brisbane was enough to vault them up the ladder but if United don’t back it up this weekend it will be all for nought.

History is not on Adelaide’s side here with City unbeaten in the last five meetings between these teams, winning four of them.

Over even money you have to like the value on Melbourne City here.

Back Melbourne City to Win @ $2.20

A top of the table clash closes out Round 18 of the A-League with the Victory hosting Perth and what a game this is shaping up to be.

If the Glory pick up all three points here it would put a huge dent in the Victory’s title hopes extending the gap out to seven points with nine games remaining.

That is why it is imperative for the Victory to ensure that they come out of this game with all three points and close the gap with a trip to Perth on the cards for later this season.

AAMI Park is a fortress for the Victory with nine wins and three draws from their last 13 at the venue, however their only loss came to the Glory in October.

A high scoring Victory win is the play here with plenty of value on offer for this game.

Back Melbourne Victory to Win & Both Teams to Score @ $4.00

2017/2018

Over the Australia Day long weekend, the A-League’s top four sides face off in round 18.

The way the season has gone so far the makeup of the semi finals (beyond Sydney FC) appears to be very much up in the air.

As is the norm on January 26, we will be treated to a Big Blue as first placed Sydney FC faces fourth placed Melbourne Victory.

Last year it was Sydney getting by 2-1 but the Victory will feel as though their opponents are vulnerable and want to take advantage of that.

To kick off the round however, we have second placed Newcastle ready to face third placed Melbourne City.

AAMI Park has been a relatively happy hunting ground of late for City, winning three of their last four at the ground including last week’s 5-0 demolition of Adelaide United.

Marquee man Martin Budzinski bagged a first half brace before Dario Vidosic and Ross McCormack blew out the score line in the last ten minutes.

They put on a late show to get by the Jets in December and would dearly love to repeat that performance.

This will be Newcastle’s first trip outside of New South Wales in almost four weeks so they should be refreshed after three straight home games.

Even so, City should still be able to get the job done at home in this one.

Back Melbourne City to Win @ $2.10

An Australia Day tradition as the second Big Blue of the season takes place at AAMI Park.

The first meeting took place in round one and it was an own goal by Thomas Deng that proved to be the difference in an otherwise dour affair.

While Sydney began the year looking almost invincible, the blueprint is certainly out on them with Newcastle, Adelaide and Central Coast all taking points off them.

Such is the nature of the A-League this season that the Victory are now a part of the chasing pack thanks to five wins in their lsat seven matches, most recently a resounding win over the Wanderers.

As one of the marquee matches of the A-League calendar this fixture has seen some tremendous contests and this game will be too hard to pick a winner as both sides should do enough to avoid a loss.

Back the Draw @ $3.40

Despite sitting on the bottom of the ladder, the Phoenix are starting to put a run together, going three matches without a loss for the first time all season.

Their new signing Matija Ljujuc has wasted no time in announcing his arrival with two stunning long range strikes to help boost the Phoenix goal tally.

Adelaide meanwhile will be left wondering what has happened after showing such encouraging signs the week before against Sydney.

Wellington are a much better side at home than away which should have them good for a couple of goals while Adelaide desperately need a boost and this road trip might be seen as an opportunity for that.

Back Over 2.5 Goals @ $1.73

Brisbane are in desperate need of a bounce back after their embarrassing loss in the Champions League midweek and with John Aloisi promising changes, the Roar look set to play a youthful team in this game.

The Mariners are going to make the most of one of their rare home games in the Saturday night feature slot and will be ready to put on a show in this game.

It will also be an opportunity for Mariners attacker Petros Skapetis to have a crack at the club he left just over a week ago.

Back the Mariners to Win @ $2.00

Perth will have had plenty of time to straighten things out after their Thursday night loss in Brisbane.

It was their fifth straight loss, their last win coming at that same venue on December 21.

One small consolation is that they have been able to score in their last two games, finding the back of the net twice in both games.

With new acquisitions Neil Kilkenny and Dino Djulbic on board they will ideally be able to help shore up a leaky defensive group.

The Wanderers were riding high before being brought back to earth by the Victory.

Expect a few goals in a wild game to close out the round.

Back Over 3.5 Total Goals @ $2.40

The Brisbane Roar and Sydney FC have already played twice this season and they will face-off in ‘State Of Origin 3’ this weekend.

Saturday’s action is highlighted by this year’s third edition of the Melbourne Derby at Etihad Stadium, while the action concludes on Sunday afternoon when the Central Coast Mariners host Adelaide United.

There are a host of winning bets to be found in the A-League this weekend and we have previewed all five games below.

Sydney FC extended their lead on top of the A-League ladder with their win over the Melbourne Victory and they will go into this clash with the Brisbane Roar as clear favourites.

Sydney FC recorded a comfortable win over Brisbane at the end of last year and they have now won seven of their past nine games as away favourites for a clear profit.

Brett Holman scored a late winner to get Brisbane home against the Western Sydney Wanderers last weekend, but that did overshadow what was a fairly lacklustre Roar performance.

Brisbane have only started one game as home underdogs over the past 12 months and they came away with a draw and they generally have an excellent record at Suncorp Stadium.

It really is tough to bet against Sydney FC in their current vein of form and they should be able to continue their winning ways.

Back Sydney FC To Win @ $2.30

This is a very open clash and an intriguing contest from a betting standpoint.

Wellington will start this clash as favourites and have the home ground advantage even though they have elected to take this clash to New Plymouth.

The Phoenix have won three of their past six games as home favourites for a narrow loss and they have generally been a tough team to trust in front of their home fans.

Western Sydney went down to the Brisbane Roar last weekend and they have now won just one of their past 11 games as away underdogs.

The Wanderers have been able to take a point from five of these clashes and backing the draw in each of their games this season has proven to be a profitable play.

Another stalemate looks likely in this clash and the $3.50 on offer for the draw is well over the odds.

Back The Draw @ $3.50

The Melbourne Derby is always a hotly contested affair and the market has trouble splitting this duo.

Melbourne Victory have lost three games on the trot, but they will still go into this clash as narrow favourites.

The Victory have won ten of their past 20 games as favourites this season for a loss and they have been a tough team to trust as the punter’s elect.

Melbourne City have been very inconsistent in recent weeks and they suffered a disappointing defeat at the hands of the Newcastle Jets last weekend.

Melbourne City have won two of their past seven games as underdogs for a loss and they are a tough team to trust from a betting perspective on their recent form.

It really is tough to split these two teams and because of that it is the $3.60 on offer for the draw that stands out from a betting standpoint.

Back The Draw @ $3.60

Perth had their unbeaten run ended by the Central Coast Mariners last weekend, but they will still start this clash with the Newcastle Jets as clear favourites.

The Glory have been consistent at NIB Stadium this season and they have won five of their eight games as home favourites for a narrow profit.

Newcastle produced another impressive effort with their win over Melbourne City and they have not taken sixth spot in the A-League finals.

In saying that, the Jets have been still tough to trust from a betting perspective and they have won just two of their past 12 games as away underdogs for a clear loss.

Perth really should be able to get the job done and they are one of the safest betting plays of the weekend.

Back Perth To Win @ $2

Central Coast were able to return to winning form last weekend, but it is Adelaide United that will start this clash as clear favourites.

Adelaide were unable to take the three points from their clash with the Wellington Phoenix and they have won just one of their past eight games.

Their record as away underdogs is a very poor 2-3-4 and it is impossible to get them anywhere near as short as his current quote.

Central Coast were finally able to end their losing streak with a tough effort against Perth Glory, but they are still a tough team to trust betting wise.

The Mariners have won just two of their past 12 games as home underdogs and have not recorded back-to-back wins over the past 12 months.

Both these teams are impossible to trust and I am more than happy to stay out of this contest.

No Bet