Round 6 of the 2022 AFL season saw two clubs underline their credentials, while alarm bells are ringing at another.
Here’s how it looked for punters:Â
Dockers, Saints underline credentials
Who forecast Fremantle and St Kilda to go 5-1 to start the season? Few could put their hand up.
Both started their Round 6 clashes as marginal favourites — the Saints $1.75 against GWS and the Dockers $1.78 against Carlton — and both passed with flying colours, registering 17 and 35-point wins respectively. The wins make them genuine chances to finish inside the Top 4 in AFL season 2022. That, too, was something few thought possible. Justin Longmuir’s side started the year as $6.50 hopes in that market with Palmerbet, and have shortened into $3.10. The Saints meanwhile — who have now won five on the bounce for the first time since 2011 — started even further out at $7.00. After the win in Canberra on Friday night, they’re now into $3.30.
If it’s the third year that tells you whether an @AFL senior coach has the goods – when the honeymoon is over & the players have seen his methods – then Justin Longmuir is showing he’s a long term coach. @freodockers are a well-drilled unit who are ahead of budget. #AFLFreoBlues
— Jake Niall (@JakeNiallTHEAGE) April 23, 2022
Are the Saints are dark horse for the flag? pic.twitter.com/RyOqzISqbW
— 7AFL (@7AFL) April 22, 2022
Dog days
Just what is going wrong at the kennel? Things have gone pear-shaped despite making last season’s Grand Final. And their lacklustre start to the year continued in Round 6, losing to Adelaide despite starting strong $1.30 favourites. Very few would’ve picked the Crows to have more wins than the Western Bulldogs at this stage of the AFL season. Looking ahead, the Dogs (now 2-4) are now facing a fight to even make the Top 8. Starting the season at $1.22 to make the Finals for a fourth-straight time, they are now out to a far more shaky $1.72 with Palmerbet.
"I think it's bigger than what's happened at Port Adelaide and what's happened at Essendon."
Why @kanecornes believes the Western Bulldogs' poor start to 2022 is "the story of the year". #9AFLSFS | @Channel9 pic.twitter.com/8DCuzmVjPG
— Footy on Nine (@FootyonNine) April 24, 2022
Top 8 logjam emerges
Already at this early stage of the 2022 season, it’s apparent the fight for the ‘remaining’ spots in the AFL Top 8 will be fierce. And results in Round 6 only sought to confirm this. With Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney and Geelong all saluting in clinical fashion, each have shortened into $1.11 or better to make the Finals. Let’s, for the sake of the argument, say they are locks. From there, though, it’s chock-a-block full of contenders, led by the aforementioned Dockers and Saints. Two losses in their last three has seen the Blues cool (from $1.33 to $1.63) while Collingwood arguably now represent a value option at $3.25. Victory in a pulsating Anzac Day clash (after starting $1.55 favourites) has pundits asking: are Craig McRae’s men a genuine Top 8 hope?
Sitting at 3-3 after today's win, should finals be on the agenda for the Magpies?
Watch @AFLExchange now: https://t.co/kCFxVbiVpp pic.twitter.com/SGaEBNr7il
— AFL (@AFL) April 25, 2022
