Before the Suns pray for divine intervention in their game against the Swans in Sydney, there are two Melbourne derbies for punters to get their teeth stuck into.
Friday night sees the Saints facing the fearsome task of stopping the Tigers in Melbourne. Then on Saturday, the Magpies will be looking to get straight back to winning ways over a demoralised Kangaroos.
AFL Odds: St Kilda $6 (+39.5) / Richmond $1.13 (-39.5)
With only their good percentage to thank for their first place position on the ladder, the Tigers will be looking for a strong win on Friday night to give themselves some breathing room at the summit.
St Kilda meanwhile will face a challenge to keep the scoreline respectable. Having won three of their last four, they will be full of confidence to put in a strong showing.
Richmond only have poor goalkicking- especially from small forward Jason Castagna- to blame for their 2-point loss to the Giants last week.
Castagna kicked five behinds and zero goals in a wasteful display. He will be desperate to put that performance behind him, and help his team get over the line.
The Saints triumphed by 64-points over an awful Carlton line-up last week.
However, a huge step up is required here, as they go from playing the worst team in the comp to facing the best.
If they're not mentally prepared to fight for the ball in every contest, a drubbing looks on the cards.
Seb Ross (St Kilda)
None
The roof at Etihad Stadium will be closed here, which always favours accurate goal kicking.
This table demonstrates a key difference between the style of play of the Saints and Tigers.
While St Kilda get plenty of marks, they are mostly in the back half of the field, where it doesn't hurt the opposition.
Richmond however have a huge discrepancy, with so many of their marks coming inside 50, leading to shots on goal.
This is brought about as a combination of Richmond's direct, attacking play and their superior forwards, especially the likes of Jack Reiwoldt.
Key AFL Stat
The Tigers have won 19 consecutive matches in Melbourne: Richmond to win head-to-head @ $1.13
AFL Betting Tip: Total match points scored to be over 171.5 @ $1.90
Reasoning: With games under the roof at Etihad more often than not high scoring, and with the Tigers looking to improve on their goal accuracy from last week, they could rack up a huge score.
In their last two games in Melbourne, St Kilda have scored 119 and 116 points respectively, suggesting that they also have plenty of goals in them.
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AFL Odds: Collingwood $1.56 (-12.5) / North Melbourne $2.45 (+12.5)
Collingwood's staggering seven-game winning streak was snapped last week by the Eagles. Pies coach Nathan Buckley faces a challenge in re-energising his mob, and getting them focused to get straight back into the winner's circle.
North Melbourne went down in a thriller against the Swans in Round 17. Often, after such a heartbreaking loss, teams can come out the next week and dish up a stinker, still battling the demons of the previous week's disappointment.
Therefore, Brad Scott also needs to make sure his players are switched on, in a crucial game for the Roos' top eight aspirations.
Another loss for the Kangaroos will go a long way to ruling them out of finals footy.
The Magpies will surely be looking to kill two birds with one stone here. Not only can they consign Melbourne rivals to more misery with a win, but it would also sure up their own finals spot.
Mason Cox (Collingwood, likely), Darcy Moore (Collingwood, likely)
None
An overcast day with possible rain around. Clean ball use will be crucial.
AFL Stats in Focus
With not only so much ball in their hands, but clean use of it as well, the Pies success this year is owing to their consistent ability to control the game.
The Kangas will have to find something special to topple the Pies on their home turf.
Key AFL Stat
The Kangaroos have lost their last 5 regular season Saturday matches at the MCG: Collingwood to win head-to-head @ $1.56
AFL Betting Tip: Collingwood to cover the line (-12.5) @ $1.92
Reasoning: Last week's loss to the Eagles looks more like a blemish than a sign of things to come for the Magpies. Their superior ball use will prove decisive.
AFL Odds: Sydney $1.04 (-56.5) / Gold Coast $11 (+56.5)
Only a miracle from the heavens would see the Suns shine in Sydney on Saturday afternoon.
Gold Coast have lost eleven games in-a-row, and are coming up against a team they have never defeated in their history.
The question to ponder is how much the Swans will win by.
Young defender Aliir Aliir had arguably his best game last week, bobbing up in the forward line to kick the winning goal against North Melbourne.
With Jake Lloyd continuing to rack up the disposals from the back line, and one of the league's best defenders Dane Rampe also playing well, the Swans defence is instrumental in not only stopping goals, but setting them up.
Against a Suns outfit who are really struggling to score, these in-form defenders are more than capable of keeping them to under 50 points.
And with a forward line that isn't as reliant on Buddy as it once was, the Swans should have no dramas scoring goals of their own.
Heath Grundy (Swans), Ben Ainsworth (Gold Coast, likely)
Josh Kennedy (Swans)
A sunny day in Sydney. Will be the only Sun shining on Saturday afternoon.
Key AFL Stats
The Suns have lost their last 5 matches in the harbour city by 60+ points: Sydney to win by 60+ points @ $2.20
In all the games Gold Coast and Sydney have contested, the best the Suns have done was a 35-point loss in 2014.
Gold Coast have lost 41 consecutive interstate matches as an underdog following a loss in the previous round Sydney to win head-to-head @ $1.04
AFL Betting Tip: Sydney to cover the line (-53.5) into total match points Under 160.5 @ $4.25
Reasoning: Everything points to a big Sydney win.
With one of the league's best defences coming up against the comp's worst attack, don't expect the Suns to score many points either. There's not much margin for error with this bet, but it's worth a pop at the odds.
Jul 19, 2018 12:57 PM
AAP
Seb Ross (St Kilda)
None
The roof at 
AFL Betting Tip: Total match points scored to be over 171.5 @ $1.90
