Round 24 Preview Blog - from Billy

As we head into the final round of the home and away season, we turn our attention to not just the AFL ladder and finals but also the Andrew Green Memorial Trophy Ladder. Rhys Browning is currently two tips clear of a group of three, with Craig Owens a smoky chance ten tips back but a wildcard in hand. With quite a few games that could legitimately go either way I think this one could come down to the wire, especially as Rhys is known as “Choke Browning” or just “CB” in some circles. So if you’re up near the pointy end make sure of your tips this week, you never know what could happen.

The AFL kicks off with the Bombers and Pies at the G. A win for the Pies will lock in the minor premiership and you’d expect them to get it done against a Bombers outfit that conceded 25 goals last week. Although I’m reliably told that if the Bombers can get a 30 goal win they’ll only need the Blues to beat GWS by 100 points to lock in finals….

Saturday sees some games that will make CB nervous. First up is the Hawks vs Dockers, with neither team playing finals it’s hard to know what to expect. North vs Suns and Lions vs Saints should be easier for CB, a clear favourite in both games, but I think the Saints are a chance, they’ll be keen to lock in a home elimination final to avoid potentially travelling to Sydney. Although the Lions are also looking to lock in a home final so that’s probably no help for CB.

With the Cats resting half their team the bookies have the Dogs as favourites but after getting beaten by West Coast last week I wouldn’t trust the Dogs against North Hobarts’s U13 side. Speaking of West Coast, they host the Crows Saturday night and if last week is anything to go by the Eagles will look dangerous and the umpires will cheat to make sure the Crows lose. Another one the bookies may have wrong?

Sunday sees the final home and away games of 2023 with Port hosting the Tigers in one even CB should get right. Swans vs the Dees is a coin flip, Swans are the bookie favourites as they look to get a home final but I just don’t think you can write off the Dees. The final game of the round is the Blues hosting the Giants, this is another game I feel the bookies may have wrong. With them having the Blues firm favourites but the Giants may need the win to lock in that final spot. Who am I kidding, the Dogs won’t beat the Cats at GMHBA. Last time that happened it was 2003 and George W. Bush was in the White House planning his little war in Iraq.

Best of luck to all tippers this week, especially Choke Browning. I don’t want to see you do it again mate.

Keep an eye out for information on the Bashes, further comms will be coming out soon.

Yours in tipping,
Billy