Super Saturday odds
It’s a huge Super Saturday in both the NRL and AFL. Who do the odds like in two of the biggest games of the day?
AFL ESSENDON: $3.55 MELBOURNE: $1.30 ADELAIDE OVAL, SATURDAY 4.10PM
Both Essendon and Melbourne have started the season 3-1, but not all 3-1 records are created equal.
The Demons have shrugged off any concerns of a slow start, beating the Western Bulldogs, Sydney and demolishing West Coast, while the Bombers have triumphed over Hawthorn, Gold Coast Suns and GWS Giants: not exactly a murderers’ row.
DEELICIOUS DEMONS
Melbourne has won three straight match-ups against the Bombers and five of the past six games between the pair, with Essendon winning once since 2016.
With Bayley Fritsch having kicked three-plus goals in three straight and five of his past six, look for one of the most underrated players to go large again.
BAYLEY FRITSCH - 3+ GOALS: $2.63
HIGH-POWERED OFFENCES
Each team has also seen three of their four games hit the total points over.
In fact, six of the past seven games Melbourne has played have gone over the total points line as well.
TOTAL POINTS OVER/ UNDER: OVER 160.5 - $1.98
This is the second (Essendon – 395.5) and third (Melbourne – 378.5) highest-disposal teams in the AFL.
But based on the football the two teams have played this season, the Demons are a class above the Bombers.
At Adelaide Oval, the Demons’ Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver-led midfield should dominate against a Bombers midfield unit that allows too much in the way of easy disposals.
Fritsch, Kozzy Pickett, Ben Brown and Jacob van Rooyen could run rampant up front.
THE PICK: MELBOURNE -21.5, $1.90
NRL
GOLD COAST TITANS: $3.30 BRISBANE BRONCOS: $1.32
CBUS SUPER STADIUM, SATURDAY 7.30PM
There are more allQueensland affairs this year than ever before, with a new Brisbane team in the mix - and we’re all for it.
MORE GOLD FROM TITANS?
Gold Coast emerged with a hard-fought win off its bye, but barely displayed the form to suggest it can hang with a quality side eager to get back on track.
Kieran Foran returns in the halves to give their attacking shape a much-needed boost and let Alofiana Khan-pereira do his thing.
ALOFIANA KHANPEREIRA - ANYTIME TRY SCORE: $2.15
BRISSY BOUNCES BACK
Expect the Broncos to right the wrongs of complacency last week and get back to the form that catapulted them to the top of the table.
It also doesn’t hurt to have players like Kotoni Staggs, Selwyn Cobbo, Ezra Mam and Reece Walsh to rely on.
KOTONI STAGGS - ANYTIME TRY SCORE: $2.25
A side like Brisbane, with as much quality as it possesses, will learn a few lessons and put it into action.
THE PICK: BRISBANE BRONCOS -11.5, $2.04