AFL Round 8 Betting Preview: Game Odds, Trends, Analysis for Week Ahead

The AFL takes its biggest international step yet in Round 8 with an AFL game for premiership points being played for the first time in China, when Gold Coast and Port Adelaide face off in Shanghai on Sunday.

The Power, who have flown under the radar this year to sit seventh on the ladder, are $1.39 AUD favourites to win the match, while Gold Coast—coming off an impressive win over Geelong last week—are at $3.05 with a 19.5 start in the market, according to AustralianGambling.com.au.

The Power have a six-match winning streak going against the Suns, having famously been the first team to lose to them in their inaugural year in 2011.

While that match will draw international interest, the games gaining the most betting intrigue bookend the round.

The premiers, Western Bulldogs, travel to Perth to take on the West Coast Eagles on Friday night. Both teams are 5-2, but the Eagles start favourite in this one at $1.56, thanks to home advantage.

Bulldogs fans will remember their club's brilliant win over the Eagles at this venue in last year's finals series and will be confident that the $2.45 about their side is good value.

The other expected tight match is the Sunday evening clash between North Melbourne ($1.81) and Sydney Swans ($2). Both sides played finals last year, but they have struggled in 2017.

However, both were impressive winners last week, with the Kangaroos thrashing top-placed Adelaide and Sydney breaking through for an easy victory over Brisbane.

Speaking of the Lions, they are long odds to knock off Hawthorn in Launceston. The Hawks are another team that has been a slow starter, but off a hard-fought win over Melbourne last week, they are $1.11 to beat Brisbane, who are the longest price of any team for the round at $6.75.

St Kilda impressed everyone with their win over Greater Western Sydney last week, and they are $1.26 to continue their revival against Carlton, who are $3.90 to win their third match in a row.

Collingwood's season is unlikely to get any better as the Magpies head to Spotless Stadium as $4.20 outsiders against the Greater Western Sydney Giants, who are $1.23. Collingwood won the corresponding match as massive outsiders last year.

Geelong ($1.34) will be hoping to snap their run of back-to-back losses when they play Essendon ($3.30) at the MCG on Saturday night. The Cats have won 12 of the past 13 matches against the Bombers.

Adelaide, beaten for the first time this year by North Melbourne last week, return home where they are expected to bounce back with a win over the inconsistent Melbourne. The Crows are $1.13 to win the match at the Adelaide Oval, with the Demons at $6.05.

The remaining match of the round sees Richmond looking to end their two-match losing streak when they entertain Fremantle on Sunday afternoon at the MCG.

The Tigers are $1.39 to win, with Fremantle possibly the value at $3 considering they have won four of their past five at this ground—two of those against the Tigers.