BROWNLOW MEDAL
FOR the past four years we have been presented with the shortest-priced Brownlow Medal favourite since betting on the award started. Nat Fyfe, Patrick Dangerfield, Dustin Martin and Tom Mitchell all strode the red carpet in their victory year at shorter odds than the previous winner. And all saluted. Finally, we have a count with some mystery. Dangerfield is the favourite in the Ladbrokes market but at $2.75 looks under the odds given the talent in the Geelong side that could take votes off him. Lachie Neale has had a standout first season in Brisbane and, like Mitchell last season, is a prolific ball winner who is consistently under the nose of the umpires. He or Tim Kelly from the Cats look like the players to bet on to be leading at the halfway mark of the season. A market is available with Ladbrokes. The two which present the best value are Carlton’s Patrick Cripps ($11) and Bulldog Marcus Bontempelli ($7). Cripps won the MVP award as voted by his peers, while Bontempelli won the AFL Coach’s Award. Cripps doesn’t have as many stars around him stealing votes but, until late in the season, also didn’t play in a team winning enough games to help him poll. Bontempelli isn’t as prolific a ball winner as some of the others in the market, but he is an effective user and a proven vote-getter.
NRL
THE final round of the NRL season is one to approach with extreme caution for punters as some teams have their eyes on the ball, some have an eye on next week and some have an eye on next season. The best games to bet on are the ones where both teams have plenty of motivation. The Tigers and Sharks are playing for a finals spot and the chance to give a club champion, either Robbie Farah or Paul Gallen, at least one more match. With a finals spot up for grabs, the Tigers ($2) can end Gallen’s career earlier than he’d like or the bookmakers expect. The Sea Eagles and Eels are playing for fifth and sixth. While Manly are a game and 22 points clear on for-and-against on the ladder, an Eels victory by 12 or more will see Parramatta host a final against the eighthplaced team. And, with no Tom Trbojevic in the Manly side, betting on the Eels to do just that looks a good way to play.
SPRING STARS
SPRING Stars is back for 2019. Ladbrokes introduced Spring Stars last year and, due to popular demand, has returned for the 2019 Spring Racing Carnival. Spring Stars allows punters to back any galloper in the country to win at least one Group 1, including The Everest, during the 2019 Spring Racing Carnival. Mystic Journey looks to be the heir apparent to Winx’s crown as the best horse in the country and is the shortest price in the Ladbrokes Spring Stars market at $1.40. Boom filly Libertini has also been popular early and is into $1.90, while Kiwi galloper Te Akau Shark, which is partowned by Paul Gallen, is $2.50. Others include Newmarket Handicap winner Sunlight ($3.50), Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes winner Lyre ($4.40), Peter Moody-owned Mr Quickie ($4.80) and Melbourne Cup contender Finche ($10).
NFL
THE NFL season gets under way with a clash between old rivals the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears today and there are some usual suspects at the top of Super Bowl betting. The New England Patriots are $8 to claim back-to-back Super Bowl wins and there is no doubt that Tom Brady and co. will be in the mix once again. The Kansas City Chiefs are arguably the most exciting team in the NFL and they are on the second line of betting at $8.50, while there has also been good money for the New Orleans Saints at $9 and the Los Angeles Rams at $10.