To celebrate the launch of Palmerbet’s AFL Same Game Multi product we’re taking a trip down memory lane, revisiting the 2018 Elimination Final between Melbourne and Geelong.
Just three years after their last AFL Finals encounter, Melbourne and Geelong are gearing up for another September showdown on Friday night.
Back in 2018, the Dees went into the game with a similar level of nerves as they will later this week. After 11 seasons outside the Top 8, Simon Woodwin’s side had finally secured a spot at the pointy end of the year. The finals drought, dating back to 2006, had featured two wooden spoons, a host of bottom-four finishes and general heartache for the rusted-on faithful. But they were back — in their eyes — where they belonged. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and that was all too apparent on the night on the final siren,as Melbourne ran out 29-point winners in front of a rocking MCG.
And to take you through the game, we’ve compiled an AFL Same Game Multi that never was…
Margin (Melbourne 1-39 @ $2.20)
The Dees started as marginal $1.81 head-to-head favourites in the clash. They had, after all, finished fifth while Geelong had scraped into the finals finishing eighth. However the Cats’ pedigree at this time of the year was far superior to Melbourne. They’d made 10 of the previous 11 finals series — Melbourne had made none. So the 1-39 margin was likely favoured by punters. And so it proved, with the Dees running out 29-point victors.
This week the early markets favour Melbourne to a greater degree. The Dees are $1.48 favourites to make their first AFL Grand Final since 2000, and $2.00 to win by 1-39 points.
The Demons make their presence felt in their first #AFLFinals series in 12 years, with a 29-point triumph over the Cats: https://t.co/xcHUM66usT (Pic: AAP) #AFLDeesCats pic.twitter.com/phVQK9COWG
— ABC SPORT (@abcsport) September 7, 2018
Total Points (Under 173.5 @ $1.88)
Back in 2018 the Total Points reflected pre-game thinking that this might be a free-flowing, relatively high-scoring game of footy. However it was anything but. In fact, Melbourne led 49-26 at three-quarter time. In the end, the final total was just 121 points — more than eight majors below the pre-game line.
For Friday night, the line is almost four goals lower, currently at 151.5.
First Goal Scorer (Tom McDonald @ $9.00)
Yes, it’s a high-risk endeavour slotting a first goal scorer option in a Same Game Multi. But Tom McDonald had been a reliable spearhead for Melbourne in 2018, finishing as the club’s leading goalkicker. And he started brightly in the 2018 AFL Elimination Final. Hit lace-out by Christian Petracca early, McDonald slotted a set-shot from 45m out to give his side the perfect start.
This year he starts slightly further back at $12, with teammate Bayley Fritsch the $8.50 favourite. Unsurprisingly, Geelong spearheads Jeremy Cameron and Tom Hawkins (both $9.50) are lurking just behind.
#AFLDeesCats @mcg Tom McDonald marks 1st term @theagesport @agerealfooty pic.twitter.com/zrhiFwI2qk
— Wayne Ludbey (@WLudbey) September 7, 2018
To Score 3 or More Goals (Sam Weideman @ $5.00)
Sam Weideman had shown glimpses in his first few seasons in the AFL system that he would develop into something promising. But few expected him to announce his arrival quite like on September 7, 2018. In his first 17 games he was yet to kick more than two goals in a match. But against the Cats he had two by quarter time.
By the final siren he not only finished with three, but collected 24 disposals — huge numbers for a big man.
Gaz: Sam Weideman thinks he is Murray Weideman right now! He is ripping it to shreds! #AFLDeesCats #AFLFinals
— AFL Nation (@AFLNation) September 7, 2018
Weideman, however, won’t be there on Friday night. He has fallen behind Ben Brown, Tom McDonald and Luke Jackson in the Dees forward line pecking order in AFL Season 2021. Brown is $3.00 to boot three or more on Friday night.
To Get 25 or More Disposals (Christian Salem @ $2.50)
Christian Salem’s breakout season of 2018 saw him average 20.6 disposals for the year playing across half-back. The reliable left-footer was $2.50 to crack the 25 mark in the high-pressure MCG cauldron against the Cats, but he did exactly that.
He is a shorter $2.00 to replicate his efforts on Friday night. Teammate, ball magnet and AFL Brownlow Medal fancy Clayton Oliver is shortest in that market, currently at $1.12.
Salem is playing some sort of game #difference #AFLDeesCats
— Milsy78 (@Milsyg78) September 7, 2018
Same Game Multi rewind: Melbourne v Geelong 2018 Elimination Final
- Margin: Melbourne 1-39 @ $2.20
- Total Points: Under 173.5 @ $1.88
- First Goal Scorer: Tom McDonald @ $9.00
- To Score 3 or More Goals: Sam Weideman @ $5.00
- To Get 25 or More Disposals: Christian Salem @ $2.50
= $465.30
BET NOW ON MELBOURNE v GEELONG:
