Aussie Rules Football Round 8 Odds & Predictions: Top 8 Clubs Look to Separate from the Pack

• The schedule has been kind to the top teams in the AFL, with several top clubs enjoying favorable matchups
• The Port Adelaide Power look to increase their lead atop the ladder as they battle St. Kilda, while Geelong and Richmond hit the road for key contests against Fremantle and GSW
• Read on for all the odds and trends ahead of these AFL Round 8 matchups

The top eight have a golden opportunity to separate themselves from the rest of the pack on the AFL ladder as Aussie Rules Round 8 action kicks off on Thursday morning. The Port Adelaide Power will be aiming to strengthen their perch atop the AFL ladder when they host the surprising St. Kilda Saints as lofty 16.5-point favorites in the AFL Round 8 odds.

The Richmond Tigers face a tough test in their bid for a fourth straight win when they visit the Greater Western Sydney Giants as 7.5-point underdogs, while Monday’s Round 8 finale has the Geelong Cats visiting the struggling Fremantle Dockers as big 10.5-point chalk.

We’ve got you covered with all the odds for this week’s fixtures, and insight into these three key AFL Round 8 matchups.

Aussie Rules Round 8 Odds

Odds taken July 22

Power Poised to Pad Perch Atop Ladder

The Port Adelaide Power will try to extend their league-leading win-loss-draw record to 7-1-0 on Saturday, when they host the St. Kilda Saints. The Power escaped with a narrow 64-61 win over the Carlton Blues last weekend at the Gabba in Brisbane, but have been far more dominant on home turf at the Adelaide Oval, posting five straight wins since last July, and claiming victory by an average of 46 points per match.

Locked in after round seven 🔒 pic.twitter.com/xkqbOiGW3u

— AFL (@AFL) July 20, 2020

After surrendering an average of just 36.5 points over their first four outings, the Port Adelaide defense has struggled at times. The club was clearly outclassed in their lone defeat so far this season, dropping an 85-48 decision to the Brisbane Lions in Round 5, and needed to score at the buzzer last week to get past the revitalized Blues.

The Saints racked up an impressive 78-55 victory over the winless Adelaide Crows last weekend, marking their first-ever win at the Adelaide Oval. With the win, the club improved their record to 4-3-0 on the season, leaving them knotted in a six-way tie at 16 points, but in possession of sixth place on the strength of scoring percentage.

The Saints have topped the 70-point mark in each of their past four contests, a run that also includes wins over the Blues and Richmond Tigers. However, St. Kilda have lost eight straight to the Power, with six of those losses coming by over 30 points. All indicators point to a Port Adelaide win. However, with their offense clicking, look for St. Kilda to cover a big 16.5-point spread in what could prove to be a high-scoring affair.

Picks: St. Kilda Saints+16.5 (-112); OVER 129.5 (-112)

Tigers in Mourning Ahead of Date with GSW

The Richmond Tigers hope to extend the longest current win streak in the AFL to four matches when they visit the Greater Western Sydney Giants on Friday morning as 7.5-point underdogs. The Tigers marched to a 77-23 demolition of North Melbourne last week, and have surrendered just 49 total points over their past two contests.

The news is true.
Devastating.
Shane Tuck has died at age 38 pic.twitter.com/1KCnsy8t1I

— Rhett Bartlett (@rhettrospective) July 20, 2020

Richmond’s recent dominance comes in stark contrast to the struggles they faced during a recent three-match winless stretch. In addition to giving up an average of 83 points in consecutive losses to Hawthorn and St. Kilda, the Tigers twice failed to top 40 points during a worrisome 0-2-1 run. The Tigers also have a little bit extra to play for this week following the sudden death of former player and lifelong Tiger Shane Tuck earlier this week.

The Giants find themselves on the rebound following a pair of defeats, capped by last week’s 88-68 loss to the Lions. With just two wins in six outings, GWS now sit in 13th place on the AFL Ladder, and as a short +150 bet to finish among the top eight this season.

GSW have owned the Tigers at Sydney’s Giants Stadium, posting wins in four straight meetings since 2014. However, with the Giants offense struggling to find consistency, and failing to top 50 points in two of five outings, the Tigers sit as the best bet to pull off the upset this weekend.

Picks: Richmond Tigers to win (+125); OVER 122.5 (-112)

Cats on the Rebound Following Humbling Loss

The Geelong Cats look to get back into the win column when they visit the Fremantle Dockers on Monday as 10.5-point chalk. The Cats saw a three-game win streak halted with last week’s 57-35 loss to the Collingwood Magpies, dumping them to fifth place on the AFL Ladder.

FT | Not our night#AFLCatsPies #GeelongStrong pic.twitter.com/keRC31p3Fw

— Geelong Cats (@GeelongCats) July 16, 2020

The defeat was marked by the club’s lowest single-game point total since their 91-40 loss to Richmond back in September 2017. However, with 502 points scored, the Cats continue to sport one of the AFL’s top offenses, which should have ample opportunity to ramp in Monday’s contest.

The Dockers are coming off a dismal performance of their own in a 62-32 loss to the West Coast Eagles, which brought a halt to a two-match win streak. Fremantle has struggled badly on home turf since late last season, going 1-3-0 in their past four, with each of those defeats coming by at least 29 points.

AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL
WEST COAST EAGLES BEAT FREMANTLE DOCKERS #AussieFooty #AustralianSport pic.twitter.com/GEj3vuHRum

— DMT Sports Media 🇦🇺 (@au_dthompson) July 19, 2020

Now buried in 15th place on the table, the Dockers are likely to face a difficult task in containing a surly Cats squad aiming to atone for last week’s debacle. Look for Geelong to win big and cover the wide spread, while slamming the door on the struggling Dockers attack.

Picks: Geelong Cats -10.5 (-112); UNDER 116.5 (-112)