CODE Bet AFL Show – Round 11 of the 2023 AFL Season: best bets, player props and picks for every AFL game this weekend! The CODE Bet AFL show this week digs into the biggest clashes this weekend with for the best player props, match bets, game picks and AFL Fantasy value, with a Friday night picks, upsets and Harry McFive against the Swans?!. With all nine AFL games broken down and picked, there’s everything you need for your AFL betting for the weekend ahead. CODE Bet’s Jaymz Clements, Alex Donnelly and Social guy Leo dive into betting tips for all the teams and players who will dominate in this week’s AFL action.
The West Coast Eagles will try to bounce back from last week’s record defeat at the hands of Hawthorn as they host Essendon at Optus Stadium on Saturday night. Who has the best odds?
WEST COAST EAGLES (1-9) v ESSENDON BOMBERS (5-5) BETTING PREVIEW
WEST COAST EAGLES: $12 (via Ladbrokes)
ESSENDON BOMBERS: $1.05 (via bet365)
Optus Stadium, Saturday, 7:30pm
Full CODE Bet Match Centre here
WHAT WE’RE LOOKING AT
- West Coast have lost their last eight by 40 or more points.
- West Coast have lost 17 of its last 18.
- Seven of the last eight matches at Optus Stadium have gone OVER the total match points line.
THE MATCH-UP
The worst team in the AFL by a considerable margin, West Coast host a rejuvenated Essendon on Saturday night at Optus Stadium.
West Coast have 17 unavailable players and are playing uninspiring football that’s not at AFL level. Andrew Gaff is a shadow of himself and poor Tim Kelly can’t do it all on his own in the midfield.
At least Oscar Allen is giving them a target when the ball goes forward, it just doesn’t get to him enough to have any impact on the game. It might be part of the reason the Eagles are the worst attacking team in the AFL, having scored only 641 points in 10 games so far.
The Eagles however, have won four of the last five against Essendon and it would be very Essendon to lose to West Coast. But considering the gulf in class between the two teams currently, there should be plenty of points scored as the Bombers run away with the game.
Zach Merrett of the Bombers handballs. Picture: Chris Hyde/AFL Photos/via Getty Images
BOMBERS TO DOMINATE
After beating Richmond in the Dreamtime game last week in a nail-biting clash, Essendon need to make a statement to the league because this isn’t just about getting a win for the Bombers, it’s getting a big percentage boost, which could be important later in the year.
The Bombers current percentage of 102.6 needs to get near enough to around 110 by the end of the season. The way to do that is to kick a big score here and ideally limit the Eagles to less than 50.
This Eagles defence has leaked 1158 points in 10 games; anything less than 100+ points for Essendon almost feels like a disappointment. Especially after doing it against Geelong.
Last weekend Zach Merrett was fantastic with 39 disposals and was well supported by Jordan Ridley who had 32 and Jye Caldwell with 31.
The Bombers run and carry will be important to give Kyle Langford and Jake Stringer plenty of looks at goal; Langford has 17 so far this season and kicked five against Gold Coast earlier in the year, along with three against Collingwood on Anzac Day.
Jordan Ridley of the Bombers celebrates kicking a goal. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images
THE PICK
It’s Essendon, one of the better offensive teams in the AFL, by a lot. The Bombers midfield will have a day out and after they displayed last week, the Eagles aren’t anywhere near their level.
[all odds as of May 24]
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