AFL Finals Series Preliminary Finals Odds & Picks: Port Adelaide vs Richmond & Brisbane vs Geelong

• The defending champion Richmond Tigers visit Port Adelaide as underdogs as AFL Preliminary Finals action gets underway
• Now perched as favorites to claim their first Premiership title since 2003, the Brisbane Lions host the high-powered Geelong Cats as betting favorites
• We’ve got you covered with all the odds and trends ahead of this weekend’s AFL Preliminary Finals matchups

It will be the top four teams on this season’s AFL ladder facing off when Preliminary Final action kicks off this weekend. Things get going on Friday morning, as the defending Premiership champion Richmond Tigers visit the Port Adelaide Power as slim 1.5-point underdogs, while Saturday’s matchup has the Brisbane Lions battling the Geelong Cats as 3.5-point home chalk.

Here’s a look at this week’s Preliminary Final matchups, as well as where things stand in the AFL Premiership odds entering the third round of this season’s AFL Finals Series.

AFL Finals Series Preliminary Finals Odds

Odds taken Oct 14 at FanDuel 

Tigers Underdogs in Fourth Straight Preliminary Finals Appearance

The Port Adelaide Power will be aiming to clinch a berth in the AFL Grand Finals for the first time since 2007 when they host the Richmond Tigers on Friday morning. The Power enjoyed a well-earned bye last week after downing the Geelong Cats by a 58-42 score in Qualifying Final action. Port Adelaide have now posted wins in six straight matches, with each of those victories coming by double-digit margins.

More important has been the Power’s dominance on home turf. The club has racked up wins in nine of ten home dates, including a decisive 93-72 victory over Richmond at the Gabba, back in early August. The Power defense has been particularly stingy in recent home dates, allowing an average of just 39.3 points over their past three, and has limited opponents to an average of just 14 first-quarter points over their past four home dates.

The Tigers travel to the Adelaide Oval for Friday’s contest riding high following last week’s 80-49 rout of the St. Kilda Saints in semifinal action. While Richmond have emerged as winners in seven of eight outings since their recent loss to the Power, they have battled inconsistency at times this season while pegged as the road club, compiling a 5-4-1 overall win-loss-draw record.

However, the defending champions bring a wealth of experience to their fourth straight Preliminary Finals appearances, which should be enough to get them past the Power, and a return trip to the Grand Finals.

Best Bets: Richmond Tigers to win (-104); UNDER 114.5 (-112)

AFL Premiership Odds

Can Cats End Brisbane’s Dominance on Home Turf?

The Geelong Cats showed why they emerged as the highest-scoring club in the AFL this season with last week’s 100-32 demolition of the Collingwood Magpies in semifinal play. Winners in eight of their past ten contests, the Cats emerged as road warriors as the season progressed, going 6-2-0 over their final eight dates as the away team. However, scoring has emerged as an issue at times on the road, with Geelong 55.5 points in their past two matches played away from the Gabba.

History is also against the Cats, who have fallen to defeat in five straight Preliminary Final appearances, including each of the past four years. However, Geelong has enjoyed some recent success against the Premiership favorite Lions, posting wins in two of three meetings, capped by a decisive 73-46 win in early July.

Geelong has set up a preliminary final date with Brisbane Lions after crushing Collingwood in a lop-sided semi-final. Read @SamLandsberger's match report https://t.co/lVL8O8uNst #AFLCatsPies pic.twitter.com/tfhrzDBtdE

— SuperFooty (AFL) (@superfooty) October 10, 2020

Brisbane earned last week’s bye in impressive fashion, with a decisive 69-54 win over Richmond in Qualifying Final action. The Lions now ride an eight-match win streak and have been particularly impressive at home. The club has racked up a perfect 10-0-0 record this season while limiting opponents to 47 or fewer points on seven occasions.

Brisbane also owns an impressive track record in the Preliminary Finals, claiming victory in each of their past four appearances, including an 84-75 win over Geelong in their most recent appearance, back in 2004.

Best Bets: Brisbane Lions -3.5 (-110); UNDER 120.5 (-112)