AFL 2023 Round 13 – Betting Tips, Odds & Predictions

A long weekend of footy awaits, with eight games set to take place over five days in Round 13. It begins on Thursday night with an intriguing clash between the Swans and Saints, before the Dogs and Power lock horns on Friday night. Saturday’s action is headlined by a Fremantle vs Richmond matchup in Perth, before all eyes will be on the MCG for a huge 24 hours of action at the home of footy. It begins with a Sunday night clash between the Blues and Bombers in front of what will no doubt be a huge crowd, before the turnstiles will again be rotating on a loop for the traditional King’s Birthday clash on Monday between two of the Premiership favourites in Melbourne and Collingwood. There are big games across the board this long weekend, and we’ve previewed each and every one of them below.

Round 13 begins with an intriguing clash between two sides whose seasons could each go in one of two directions. The Swans have had a disastrous start to the season after making the Grand Final this year, but after two consecutive wins they’ve managed to maintain some hope of playing finals if they find form over the back half of the year. One of those wins came by just three points against the Kangaroos – not exactly something to write home about – but they were solid enough in beating the Blues the week after before enjoying a bye last weekend. The Saints, in contrast, starting their season brilliantly under Ross Lyon, but the defensive presence which so defined them early in the year has been notably AWOL of late. They’ve won just two of their past five, with those wins coming against the Kangaroos and the Giants, while they’ve also suffered a heavy loss to the Crows and a defeat to the Hawks in their last game in that time. That form line will be of significant concern to long-suffering Saints fans, and though they currently sit comfortably in the top eight courtesy of their hot start to the year, it’s far from assured that they’ll remain there. This game could go either way, but the Swans on their home turf should be able to get the job done in a close one.

Predicted Squads

Sydney Swans: B: L.Melican, N.Blakey, R.Fox HB: O.Florent, J.Lloyd, D. Rampe C: Ch.Warner, L.Parker - C, J.McInerney HF: R.Clarke, I. Heeney, W.Hayward F: T.Papley, L.Franklin, S. Wicks FOLL: L.McAndrew, E.Gulden, J.Rowbottom I/C: A.Francis, B.Campbell, T.Hickey, H. Cunningham

St. Kilda Saints: B: J.Battle, D.Howard, C.Wilkie HB: J.Webster, J.Sinclair, N.Wanganeen-Milera C: B.Paton, B.Crouch, R.Byrnes HF: D.Butler, B.Hill, M.Wood F: C. Sharman, M.King, J.Gresham FOLL: R.Marshall, J.Steele - C, S.Ross I/C: M. Owens, L.Stocker, J.Higgins, M.Phillipou

Friday night’s game sets up as one of the best of the round, with the seventh placed Bulldogs set to host the second placed Power at Marvel Stadium. But while both teams have exceeded expectations so far this year, the Bulldogs have begun to falter over the past fortnight while the Power just keep getting better. The Doggies suffered a disappointing loss a couple of weeks ago against the Suns, while they were again a long way off their best in going down to the Cats last weekend. That has long been the issue with the Bulldogs; at their best they’re a dangerous side, but they don’t seem capable of bringing that best particularly consistency. They’ll certainly need to this weekend. Port Adelaide have won nine games in a row, their latest of which was a frightening defeat of the Hawks. They only ended up winning that game by 55 points, but they booted over 100 points in the first half and could probably have won by 25 goals if they wanted to. They are rapidly beginning to establish themselves as a genuine Premiership contender, if not up there with Collingwood as the best team in the league. Their midfield is absolutely humming and looks like it will be for many years to come, while their forward line is as dynamic as it comes and benefitting greatly from the dominance of those up the field. Being played at Marvel Stadium certainly plays into the Bulldogs’ hands, but they are just not as good a side as Port Adelaide, who look like great value this weekend.

Predicted Squads

Western Bulldogs: B: T.Duryea, L.Jones, T.O’Brien HB: B.Dale, R.Gardner, A. Keath C: A.Scott, M.Bontempelli - C, B.Williams HF: J.Macrae, A.Naughton, C.Daniel F: C.Weightman, J.Ugle-Hagan, R.Lobb FOLL: T.English, A.Treloar, T.Liberatore I/C: H. Crozier, A.Jones, O.Baker, B.Smith

Port Adelaide Power: B: D.Byrne-Jones, T.McKenzie, D.Houston HB: K.Farrell, A.Aliir, D.Williams C: M.Bergman, J.Horne-Francis, R.Bonner HF: Z.Butters, T.Marshall, R.Burton F: J.Finlayson, C. Dixon, S.Powell-Pepper FOLL: S.Lycett, O.Wines - C, C.Rozee I/C: J.McEntee, W.Drew, T. Boak, J.Rioli

The Hawks had a great couple of weeks in what has been a bit of a disaster of a season when they beat the Eagles by 116 points and then knocked off the Saints, but they came crashing back to earth last weekend against the Power. They were no match for the brute offensive force of Port Adelaide, conceding 16 goals in the first half. It doesn’t get a whole lot easier this week, though at least they’ll be back on their home turf. The Lions are one of the most dangerous teams in the league, and though they lost their last game prior to the bye to the Crows, that could easily have been a different result had they not booted 10.18. They have established themselves once again as a legitimate Premiership contender, and look potentially like the best incarnation of a side which has been there or thereabouts for many years now. They’ll be keen to bounce back from their loss to the Crows, and should have no problems disposing of the Hawks in a rare game for them at the MCG.

Predicted Squads

Hawthorn Hawks: B: J.Impey, S.Frost, J.Scrimshaw HB: B.Hardwick, J. Sicily, S.Mitchell C: K.Amon, J.Newcombe, J.Weddle HF: C.Macdonald, J.Koschitzke, D.Moore F: C. Wingard, M.Lewis, L.Breust - C FOLL: N.Reeves, C.Nash, W.Day I/C: L.Bramble, J.Worpel, S.Butler, T.Brockman

Brisbane Lions: B: B.Starcevich, D.Gardiner, K.Coleman HB: C.McKenna, H.Andrews, N. Answerth C: J.Berry, Z.Bailey, H.McCluggage HF: C.Cameron, J.Gunston, W.Ashcroft F: L.McCarthy, J.Daniher, E.Hipwood FOLL: O.McInerney, J.Dunkley, L.Neale - C I/C: D.Rich, C.Rayner, J. Payne, D.Wilmot

• The Power have won nine games in a row, including their last three games in Melbourne.
• The Blues have won their last three games against the Bombers
• Just two of the Lions’ 11 games this season have had less than 171 total points scored.

Multi of the Week

Nobody doubts the Crows’ improvement so far this year, and with the amount of exciting young talent coming through their ranks they look set to be returning to the upper echelons of the ladder over the coming years. However, last weekend’s loss to the Suns was further proof of their struggles away from home, where they’ve won just a solitary game this year – and that was against the Hawks by only three points. Fortunately for them, they don’t have to worry about that this week, as they head back to Adelaide to take on one of the worst AFL sides we’ve seen in a very long time. Of course, the Eagles are hampered significantly by injury and are slowly beginning to get some names back, and that has seen them be a little more competitive over the past couple of weeks. Testament to just how poorly they have been going, however, is the fact that a 50-point loss to the Bombers and a 63-point loss to the Magpies is viewed as competitive. With names like Yeo and McGovern back on the field they’re more capable of avoiding huge blowouts than they were a few weeks ago, but they’re still not good enough to beat virtually any other team in the league at this point, let alone the Crows in Adelaide. This one won’t likely be close.

Predicted Squads

Adelaide Crows : B: M.Michalanney, N.Murray, J.Butts HB: M.Hinge, J. Worrell, W.Milera C: L.Sholl, J.Dawson - C, J.Soligo HF: L.Murphy, D.Fogarty, L.Pedlar F: J.Rachele, T.Walker, I.Rankine FOLL: R.O’Brien, R.Laird, B.Keays I/C: R.Thilthorpe, C.Jones, R.Sloane, B.Smith 

West Coast Eagles: B: J. McGovern, T.Barrass, A.Witherden HB: B.Hough, J.Rotham, S. Petrevski-Seton C: J.Hunt, E.Yeo, L.Foley HF: A.Gaff, J.Waterman, G. Clark F: J.Petruccelle, O.Allen - C, N.Long FOLL: B.Williams, D.Sheed, T.Kelly I/C: R.Ginbey, X.O’Neill, R.Bazzo, C.Jamieson

Both the Dockers and the Tigers entered this season with high hopes, the Dockers after winning 15 games last year and the Tigers after being eliminated in heartbreaking fashion to the Lions before bolstering their team significantly with the addition of Tim Taranto and Jacob Hopper. Neither side, however, lived up to expectations early in the year, putting each of their finals hopes in jeopardy. But over the past few weeks, a pulse has begun to emerge for both sides. The Dockers, in particular, have returned to their form of last year, winning four games on the trot over the last month, the latest of which was a hugely impressive win over the Demons in Melbourne. The Tigers, meanwhile, have won three of their last five, with those losses coming by just a point to the Bombers and then ten points to the Power. Last weekend they played out a brilliant game against the Giants, finally saluting in a close game – the first in their last 13 games decided by a goal or less that they’ve won – courtesy of a bit of left foot brilliance from Marlion Pickett with just seconds remaining. The past five weeks have shown that despite the youth in this side they’re still capable of matching it with both sides, and they should be able to do that again this weekend. It’s hard to see either team winning this by a big margin and the Tigers do tend to play well in Western Australia, but while the Dockers do look a little shorter than they should be from an odds perspective, they should be able to just sneak over the line.

Predicted Squads

Fremantle Dockers: B: B.Cox, A.Pearce - C, H.Young HB: B.Walker, L.Ryan, J.Aish C: J.Clark, J.O’Meara, N.O’Driscoll HF: S.Switkowski, N.Fyfe, M.Frederick F: M.Johnson, J.Amiss, L.Schultz FOLL: L. Jackson, A.Brayshaw, J. O’Meara I/C: J.Treacy, B.Banfield, C.Serong, E.Hughes

Richmond Tigers: B: N. Vlastuin, D.Grimes - C, N.Balta HB: D.Rioli, N.Broad, L.Baker C: K.McIntosh, T.Taranto, J.Ross HF: M.Pickett, J.Short, J.Graham F: S.Ryan, J.Riewoldt, D.Martin FOLL: T.Nankervis, S.Bolton, D.Prestia I/C: R.Mansell, H.Ralphsmith, J.Clarke, T.Cotchin

It’s been a heartbreaking couple of weeks for Kangaroos fans. After going down in bizarre fashion to the Swans two weeks ago, conceding a late goal as a result of an interchange infringement to lose by three points, they were beaten by just six points by the Bombers last weekend to make it ten consecutive losses. But while they haven’t been able to secure a win in two and a half months, the last couple of weeks have been hugely encouraging for the young side. No longer are they the easybeats they were last year and for parts of this year, and with names like George Wardlaw, Nick Larkey and the recently returned Tarryn Thomas running around, suddenly they don’t look as bereft of talent as previously. Their opponents this weekend, the Giants, have never lacked talent, and despite their 4-8 record this year still have plenty running around. They’ve lost four of their last five, including a heartbreaking six-point loss to the Tigers last week, but they’ve been consistently competitive and beat the Cats in Geelong just a fortnight ago. They’re beginning to build a solid foundation of youth to go with their more experienced, former high draft picks, and the future is beginning to look reasonably bright for GWS. The Kangaroos won’t be playing finals and the Giants will need an incredible turnaround to do so themselves, but this could still be an entertaining game courtesy of the number of current and potential future stars running around Blundstone Arena. The Roos’ recent form suggests they’ll keep this reasonably close, but the Giants should be able to get the job done this time around.

Predicted Squads

North Melbourne Kangaroos: B: J.Ziebell, G.Logue, B.McKay HB: L.McDonald, D.Tucker, M.Bergman C: L.Shiels, H.Sheezel, B.Scott HF: E.Ford, T. Thomas, J.Stephenson F: C.Zurhaar, N.Larkey, C.Coleman-Jones FOLL: T.Goldstein, B. Cunnington, G.Wardlaw I/C: D. Howe, A.Hall, W.Phillips, P.Spicer

GWS Giants: B: N. Haynes, L.Keeffe, C.Idun HB: L.Whitfield, J.Buckley, L.Ash C: F.Callaghan, H.Perryman, R.Angwin HF: A. Cadman, H.Himmelberg, T.Greene - C F: J.Riccardi, J.Hogan, T.Bedford FOLL: K.Briggs, T.Green, S.Coniglio I/C: C.Ward, C. Brown, X.O’Halloran, D.Lloyd

A rare Sunday night clash will precede King’s Birthday, and with a huge crowd likely to pack into the MCG it’s set to be an entertaining one. These two proud clubs have not been at their best for a decent chunk of time now, but while they both theoretically appear to be laying some solid building blocks for the future, it’s not necessarily panning out as planned, particularly for the Blues. For all their top-end talent, they are a pretty bad football team at the moment, with their only win in the past eight weeks coming six weeks ago against the Eagles. They haven’t kicked more than eight goals for over a month, and despite their ability to rack up touches and a pair of key forwards as good as anyone’s in the league with the probable exception of Geelong. There’s no doubt there are personnel issues at the Blues, but equally it’s impossible to ignore the fact that they have Patrick Cripps, Sam Walsh, Charlie Curnow, Harry McKay, Adam Cerra, Jacob Weitering and Sam Docherty running around – a pretty handy group of players. On paper, they look like a better team than Essendon, but while the Blues have been racking up losses nearly every week the Bombers have been doing the opposite. Their six-point win against North Melbourne last weekend wasn’t exactly the most impressive, but it still made it three wins in a row and took their record to 7-5. They are certainly an improved side under Brad Scott this year, though it is worth noting that those three wins have come by one point over Richmond, six over North, and 50 points – but over the Eagles. They’re very much a mid-table side, beating the bottom teams and losing to the top ones – so where do Carlton sit? At the moment they’re not even close to being a finals team, but that talent is just so hard to ignore. Perhaps it’s foolish to continue to trust them, but surely they’ll find a way to capitalise on the opportunities they create soon. In a tight, pulsating game, they can break their losing streak and snare their fifth win of the season.

Predicted Squads

Carlton Blues: B: S. Docherty, J.Weitering, B.Kemp HB: Le.Young, M.McGovern, A.Saad C: S.Walsh, P.Cripps - C, B.Acres HF: J.Motlop, C.Curnow, P. Dow F: Z.Fisher, H.McKay, M.Owies FOLL: T.De Koning, A.Cerra, M.Kennedy I/C: G. Hewett, J. Binns, L.O’Brien, M.Cottrell

Essendon Bombers: B: A.McGrath, B.Zerk-Thatcher, J.Laverde HB: M.Redman, J.Ridley, K.Langford C: N.Martin, Z.Merrett - C, D.Heppell HF: A. Mcdonald-Tipungwuti, J.Stringer, J.Caldwell F: M.D’Ambrosio, S.Weideman, J.Menzie FOLL: S.Draper, B.Hobbs, D. Shiel I/C: J. Kelly, A.Perkins, N.Hind, M.Guelfi

The annual Queen’s Birthday clash will this year be the King’s Birthday clash, and the first incarnation of this game under our new royal overlord shapes up as one of the games of the year. These are potentially the two best teams in the business, and this could very easily be a preview of a game to come much, much later in the year. Question marks persist around the Demons, particularly after winning just one of their last three games – and that win coming in relatively unimpressive fashion against the Blues last weekend. Still, at their best they’re hard to deny; this is a hardened, experienced team with very few holes across the field, and when they bring that best there are few teams capable of beating them. One of those few teams, however, is the Magpies. They took a while to dispose of the Eagles last week but eventually ran out 63-point winners, taking their record to 11-1. We’re only halfway through the season and things will no doubt change as the year goes on, but if the finals began now it would be very difficult to see them losing. Under coach Craig McRae, they know exactly who they are and how they want to play, and have an excellent mix of experience and youth across the park. Their run and gun game style is enthralling to watch and incredibly hard to stop, and slowing them down requires an awful lot of defensive discipline – which incidentally, the Demons have in spades when they play as they’re capable. This will be a fascinating battle and could easily go down to the wire, but it’s incredibly hard to tip against the Pies at the moment. In one of the games of the year in front of a huge crowd, they can sneak over the line for their ninth win in a row.

Predicted Squads

Melbourne Demons: B: A.Tomlinson, S.May, J.McVee HB: M. Hibberd, J.Lever, C.Salem C: T.Sparrow, J.Viney, E.Langdon HF: K.Chandler, B.Fritsch, K.Pickett F: C.Spargo, B.Grundy, A.Neal-Bullen FOLL: M.Gawn - C, C.Petracca, L.Hunter I/C: J.van Rooyen, A.Brayshaw, T.Rivers, J.Smith

Collingwood Magpies: B: I.Quaynor, D.Moore - C, B.Maynard HB: B.Frampton, N.Murphy, J. Crisp C: B.Hill, N.Daicos, J.Daicos HF: A.Johnson, B.Mihocek, J. Elliott F: T.Adams, D.Cameron, D. McStay FOLL: M.Cox, S.Pendlebury, T.Mitchell I/C: J.Noble, P. Lipinski, J.Ginnivan, H.Harrison

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