AFL Round 3 Betting Preview: Game Odds, Trends, Analysis for Week Ahead

We are just two rounds into the 2017 Australian Football League season, but Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley is under increasing pressure to keep his job as his winless Magpies confront the Sydney Swans at the MCG on Friday night.

For Buckley, another year without finals would likely see his tenure as Collingwood coach ended, and with oddsmakers pricing another footy-less September for the Magpies at $1.20, an away win is much needed.

The Swans are also winless but did give a good account of themselves in the Grand Final rematch against the Western Bulldogs last week, eventually going down by 23 points after hitting the lead halfway through the final quarter.

Off that form, they are $1.30 (AUD) to win this match, according to AustralianGambling.com.au, with Collingwood at $3.55 and given a 21.5-point start in the market.

It looms as a lopsided round, with every match featuring a favorite at $1.50 or shorter. The closest game in terms of the line is expected to be Richmond's MCG clash with the West Coast Eagles on Saturday afternoon, with the line at 12.5 in the Tigers' favor.

The Tigers go into this match at $2.60, despite having gone 2-0 to start the season, while the Eagles, who are coming off a hard-fought home win over St Kilda, are $1.50.

Geelong Cats had a narrow escape with a one-point win over North Melbourne last week, but back at the same venue, Etihad Stadium, they are expected to do it a little easier against unbeaten Melbourne. The Cats are $1.40 with the Demons at $3.

North Melbourne host their first game in Hobart for the year and welcome Greater Western Sydney Giants, who thrashed Gold Coast Suns last week. The Kangaroos are the longest price of any team for the round at $5.25, with GWS at $1.16.

Saturday night's showdown is expected to be the biggest footy match in Adelaide for some time, with the two crosstown rivals sharing the top two spots on the ladder.

The Adelaide Crows have looked especially strong, beating GWS and Hawthorn in their first two matches, and are $1.49 to win their fourth straight clash with Port Adelaide. The Power are also 2-0, beating Sydney and Fremantle, and look to have some value at the $2.65.

The Western Bulldogs' last defeat in a game of footy was against Fremantle in Round 23 last year, but history is not expected to repeat at Subiaco on Saturday night. The Bulldogs, who shrugged off that defeat to win four finals and an AFL premiership, are $1.19 against the Dockers, who were horrible last week and are $4.75.

The three Sunday games are expected to be one-sided, with St Kilda at $1.17 to get their first win of the year against Brisbane Lions ($5.10), Essendon are $1.20 to remain unbeaten when they play winless Carlton ($4.60) at the MCG, and Hawthorn are travelling to the Gold Coast as $1.35 favorites against the embattled Suns, who are $3.25.