Round 16 of the 2023 AFL season saw Collingwood and Port Adelaide edge closer to home qualifying finals, the bye biting again and West Coast hitting a key mark.
Pies, Power extend buffer
One triumphed in devastating fashion, the other by the skin of their teeth. But in the end, Collingwood and Port Adelaide not only furthered hopes of a top-two finish — and, crucially, a home qualifying final — but further cemented their spots as premierships favourites.
The Pies’ 78-point hammering of Gold Coast came despite pre-match predictions the Suns ($2.26 H2H, +6.5) could cause an upset in what was their first ever sold-out match. But Craig McRae’s men ($1.64) snuffed out those hopes even before half-time in a devastating display highlighted by Jamie Elliot’s five goals ($41 pre-game with Palmerbet) and Nick Daicos (36 disposals, one goal), which saw the young star shorten further, into $2.40 now, for the 2023 AFL Brownlow Medal.
Nick Daicos, pretty good player ⭐️#AFLSunsPies pic.twitter.com/8yIdxSGfbl
— 7AFL (@7AFL) July 1, 2023
But it was Port Adelaide ($1.52), and specifically Dan Houston, who again stole the show in Round 16. The Power’s win over Essendon ($2.55), via another after-the-siren goal-line scramble, extends their winning streak to 12. That figure is now a club record. Another hard-fought four points sees them into $4.00 for the 2023 AFL Premiership with Palmerbet, only just trailing favourites Collingwood ($3.50). Keeping in mind Ken Hinkley’s men started the year 1-2 and were then huge $21 outsiders, it’s been an incredible turnaround.
"That was the goal of the year. No one is beating that."
Was Dan Houston's miracle match-winner in the wet the GOTY?#9AFLSFS | @Channel9 pic.twitter.com/0yDZL9dbKY
— Footy on Nine (@FootyonNine) July 2, 2023
Bye bites…again
Going into Thursday night’s clash between Brisbane and Richmond, chat had honed in on the fact that the eight previous teams to come off the bye in 2023 had lost. The stats brought into question the AFL’s staggered bye system, and whether it disadvantaged the ‘rested’ sides. Having had last week off, the Tigers ($3.07) went in as underdogs against the Lions ($1.36) but were still expected to put up a fight at +18.5 and having won their last three games. By the final siren, however, the bye hoodoo had continued. And in a damning way. Brisbane’s 81-point win ($3.40 for 40+ punters) was over ten goals to the good of the pre-game line. Joe Daniher shone on the night, booting five goals ($10.50 pre-game).
The win reaffirms the Gabba fortress for Chris Fagan’s men, who have now won all seven games there in AFL season 2023.
The Lions at the Gabba – one of footy's toughest tasks.#AFLLionsTigers pic.twitter.com/PYAiKsJts6
— 7AFL (@7AFL) June 29, 2023
Brisbane at the Gabba could do some bad, bad things to West Coast next week. Awful, terrible, unspeakable things.
— Brett Sprigg (@BrettSprigg) June 29, 2023
Eagles hit mark
To say it had been a tough few weeks for West Coast might be the understatement of the AFL season. Not only were they hammered by a record 171 points by the Swans last week, they had also suffered two 100+ point defeats in the four weeks prior to the SCG massacre. A basic call from members and fans alike was for their side to be ‘competitive’. A basic marker of being ‘competitive’ is covering the pre-match line, which Adam Simpson’s men had failed to do since Round 6, a round in which they were soundly beaten to the tune of 40 points by Port Adelaide, but covered the handicap of +51.5. Since then, however, it’s been blow out after blow out, the worst of which was last week in which they were 114.5 points from the line.
This week, however, things turned around (in a sense). At $9.50 head-to-head against St Kilda, the Eagles at one point looked like they might even win their second game of the AFL season. In the end, they went down by eight points. And, while it might provide little comfort for the suffering faithful, they did easily cover the pre-game line of +51.5 points. Small mercies, and all that.
Good on West Coast. Shows what the bodies they have available are actually capable of, and what you can do with a pressure rating consistently above 180… regardless of how many you got on the injury list. #AFLEaglesSaints
— Corbin Middlemas (@CorbinMiddlemas) July 2, 2023