Round 5 AFL odds 2021 — Saints v Tigers in high-stakes clash

Round 5 of the 2021 AFL season kicks off on Thursday, April 15, and runs until Sunday, April 18. Our AFL betting experts have examined the odds in our regular Monday column taking an early look at the matches for the week ahead. 

The round kicks off with arguably the match of the round as St Kilda host defending premiers Richmond at Marvel Stadium.

The Saints overcame a 33-point deficit to smash West Coast in the second half and win their clash easily at the weekend in a sign to the competition that they are ready to challenge for a final berth again.

Meanwhile, the Tigers are in the rare position of having lost two matches in a row after being ripped apart by the Swans and then outlasted by the Power.

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Former Richmond player Jack Higgins could play his first match against the Tigers, while another former Tiger in speedy Dan Butler is another threat to the Tigers’ defence.

Tigers fans will be desperate for an improved showing from key forward Tom Lynch, who has been badly out of sorts for the first month of the season.

Bookmakers have made the Eagles about $1.35 favourites against the Magpies ($3.35) on Friday night. Given the Woods’ insipid display against GWS and the fact they will likely lose star midfielder Taylor Adams (knee) for an extended period, that $1.35 looks generous as the Eagles should win easily.

The Eagles are also stinging after their loss to the Saints and will want to settle a score after the Magpies upset them in Perth in 2020 to end their finals campaign.

Ladder leaders Western Bulldogs, one of three unbeaten teams left in the comp along with Melbourne and Sydney Swans, should record their fifth straight win when they host Gold Coast Suns at Marvel Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Swans ($1.37) host the Giants ($3.05) in the same time slot in the Sydney derby, and the Swans look a little skinny at that price. They were lucky to escape with the points against Essendon in round four, while the Giants showed signs of life with their first win of the season despite a hefty injury toll.

Carlton are rated $2.33 outsiders for their match against the Port Power at the MCG on Saturday night. The Power have injury concerns over young guns Xavier Duursma (knee) and Zak Butters (ankle).

The final match pits Brisbane against Essendon at the Gabba, with former Bombers favourite Joe Daniher due to play his first match against the club that took him in the draft under the father-son rules.

On Sunday, surprise packets Adelaide have a great chace to continue their winning ways when they host Fremantle in the early slot, while Hawthorn look like more fodder for the rampant Melbourne at the MCG.

The Geelong-North Melbourne clash rounds out round 5, with GWS recruit Jeremy Cameron expected to make a belated debut for the Cats, who desperately need a win to get their season back on track after another sluggish showing against the Demons.

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AFL Premiership odds before Round 5

The unbeaten Bulldogs continue their march towards the top of premiership betting, with their win over the Lions forcing bookies to wind them in from $9 to $7.50 and outright third favourites to win the flag.

Many AFL betting sites have turned against the Cats’ chances. Geelong loaded up with classy, experienced players for a big crack at the flag after finishing runners-up last season, but they are out to $8 in premiership betting after they were outrun by the Demons.

The flaky Demons moved from $17 to $13 with their victory, while the Lions were $10 out to $13 and a loss to the Bombers on Saturday night would be a dagger through the heart of their 2021 flag chances.

Elsewhere Collingwood are out to $26 and it might as well be $126 unless they can find some run and consistency in their game. In a season where pace and endurance are proving vital, the Magpies may well rue shedding pacy duo Adam Treloar and Jaidyn Stephenson and endurance machine Tom Phillips.

AFL title odds 2021

$5 Richmond Tigers
$5.50 Port Adelaide Power
$7.50 Western Bulldogs
$8 Geelong Cats, West Coast Eagles
$11 Sydney Swans
$13 Melbourne Demons, Brisbane Lions
$23 St Kilda Saints
$26 Collingwood Magpies
$34 Carlton Blues
$41 Fremantle Dockers
$67 GWS Giants, Adelaide Crows, Essendon Bombers
$81 Gold Coast Suns
$101 Hawthorn Hawks,
$501 North Melbourne

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AFL Round 5 fixture, odds and times (all times AEDT)

AFL round 5 will run from Thursday, April 15, to Sunday, April 18, with bookmakers having odds available now. Be sure to check out our AFL betting tips before wagering on this week’s games:

Thursday, April 15

• 7:20PM: St Kilda $3.05 v Richmond $1.37

Friday, April 16

• 8.10PM: West Coast $1.35 v Collingwood $3.15

Saturday, April 17

• 4.35PM: Western Bulldogs $1.19 v Gold Coast $4.70
• 4:35PM: Sydney Swans $1.37 v GWS Giants $3.05
• 7:25PM: Carlton $2.33 v Port Adelaide $1.61
• 7:25PM: Brisbane Lions $1.20 v Essendon $4.50

Sunday, April 18

• 1:10PM: Adelaide $1.68 v Fremantle $2.15
• 3:20PM: Hawthorn $3.40 v Melbourne $1.30
• 4:40PM: Geelong $1.02 v North Melbourne $14

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