AFL Round 13 Betting Preview: Game Odds, Trends, Analysis for Week Ahead

The last of the AFL's bye rounds sees the first three matches all featuring lines under three points, highlighted by a crucial game for both North Melbourne and St Kilda on Friday night at Etihad Stadium.

St Kilda were sitting pretty inside the top eight three weeks ago, but a run of losses has seen them slump to 12th, just four points clear of North Melbourne, who have slowly recovered from their 0-5 start to the season.

While the Saints opened as clear favorites in this one, according to AustralianGambling.com.au, the money has been for North Melbourne to cause the upset all week, and they are now into $2 AUD. The Saints are $1.83 favorites, but there's little confidence in them.

With just two wins separating fifth and 17th, a loss could be a significant blow to either sides' September ambitions.

Twenty-four hours earlier in Perth, the competition's enigma, West Coast Eagles, host Geelong Cats at Domain Stadium.

Three straight losses heading into last week's bye has seen West Coast fall out of the eight, and they go into this match as underdogs at home for the first time in 19 matches.

The Eagles are $2.05 outsiders, with the third-placed Cats at $1.80 having won their last three matches, albeit all of them at their home ground.

Eleven years ago, the Eagles staged one of the biggest comebacks in AFL history when they came from 54 points down to win down at Geelong. Since that day, they have won just three of 13 games against the Cats.

The other expected tight match is between Richmond and Sydney Swans at the MCG on Saturday afternoon. Fresh off their best win of the season last week against the Western Bulldogs, Sydney are $1.87 favorites to beat Richmond, who are 10 spots higher than them on the ladder.

The Tigers are $1.95 but have won three of the past four matches against Sydney. Many believe the Swans can still make the eight despite a run of six losses to start the season. Since then, the Swans have won four of five.

Later on Saturday, Port Adelaide, who were hammered by Essendon last week, are $1.05 to beat the Brisbane Lions, who had a big win over Fremantle and start $10.50.

The Lions have lost their past five away games by an average of 40 points but haven't been blown away in any of them, while the Power have saved their best form for the Adelaide Oval, where they have had four wins of 50 points of more.

Gold Coast Suns have an excellent opportunity to win three games on the bounce for the first time since the start of 2016 when they host Carlton at Metricon Stadium on Saturday night.

The Suns have been powered by back-to-back awesome performances by Gary Ablett, who looks back near his best. As a result, the Suns start $1.37 in this one.

Carlton may have knocked off premiership favorites Greater Western Sydney, but the punters aren't keen on a repeat, with the Blues at $3.10.

Sunday's game at Etihad Stadium between sixth-placed Melbourne and eighth-placed Western Bulldogs also looms as crucial.

The Dogs have lost three of their past four, and many are starting to doubt their capacity to defend their premiership. They are $1.56 favorites, with Melbourne at $2.45, having lost 11 of the past 13 matches between these two teams.