AFL Preliminary Finals Betting Preview: Odds Favor Geelong and GWS This Week

With the actual AFL Grand Final increasingly becoming a spectacle for corporates and theatregoers in recent years, the AFL Preliminary Finals are known as the people's Grand Finals because the crowds are arguably more passionate than in the decider.

They also tend to be tighter and tenser games. Of the past ten Grand Finals, only one, the draw in 2010, has been decided by less than a kick. In comparison, five of the 18 Preliminary Finals in that time have been decided by fewer than six points.

It's no different this weekend. In one match, there are two teams whose fans are chasing the experience of a lifetime, a spot in a Grand Final. In the other match, two teams whose fans have become used to success over the past 10 or so years.

The Western Bulldogs have lost seven Preliminary Finals since 1961, the last time they made the big one, but will go into their match against Greater Western Sydney with the confidence of a team who has beaten the two Grand Finalists from last year to get to this point.

However, according to website AustralianGambling, the Dogs go in as 12.5-point underdogs, or $2.65 on the head-to-head market.

The Giants impressed in their qualifying final win over the minor premiers, Sydney, and are now equal favorites to win the premiership as well as $1.50 picks to win this match.

But this is rare air for a club which wasn't even in existence when the Doggies last made a Preliminary Final in 2010. Despite the premiership and finals experience of Heath Shaw and Shane Mumford, they certainly have a bit of a soft underbelly with just seven of their 22 in the qualifying final having played more than 100 games.

The other final on Friday night looks set to be an epic, with Geelong aiming for a fourth premiership in nine years and the Swans looking for their third in 11.

It's a home final for the Cats, albeit at the MCG, and given they had the week off after narrowly, and some may say luckily, beating Hawthorn in the qualifying final, they go in as $1.65 favorites.

The Swans are given an 8.5-point head start on the line and did beat Geelong the last time they played down at Simonds Stadium in the Round of 16. They also won last time these two played in a final in 2005. Those who like the Swans for the flag can get $4.25 at the sportsbooks.

This looms as a battle of the midfields, with the Swans' awesome depth around the ball coming up against the twin powers of Patrick Dangerfield and Joel Selwood at the stoppages.

It will be a ripping match, worthy of a Grand Final, but only one of these two great teams will find themselves through to the decider.