AFL Round 20 Betting Preview: Game Odds, Trends, Analysis for Week Ahead

We are getting down to the business end of the AFL season, and with just one game separating sixth and 11th on the ladder, Round 20 is set to be a season-defining one for many clubs.

There are three fixtures which involve clubs that are both sitting inside the top eight, while four more will have a direct impact on the makeup of the finals.

The Geelong Cats host the Sydney Swans on Friday night, in a crucial encounter between second and sixth, respectively, on the ladder. The hosts are a $1.95 AUD chance to cement their spot in the top two with a win, according to AustralianGambling.com.au, but those odds were much shorter before their star and Brownlow Medal favourite Patrick Dangerfield was suspended for a dangerous tackle on Carlton ruckman Matthew Kreuzer.

That ruling ended his chances of winning the league's highest individual honour, and sees Richmond's Dustin Martin claim top odds for the award at $1.22.

Sydney ($1.85) lost their first game in eight weeks last Friday night, by one straight kick, against Hawthorn, and despite having a good recent record against Geelong, will need to snap the hosts' seven-game winning streak at their home ground, Simonds Stadium.

There are five fixtures on Saturday, and the first of them-Greater Western Sydney Giants versus Melbourne Demons-is set to have the biggest impact on the top eight, with the Giants sitting third on the ladder, and the Demons two wins back in seventh.

The Giants are at the short price of $1.45 to win their second game in a row, but last week's win over the Fremantle Dockers was anything but convincing and was their first victory in seven weeks.

Melbourne are out at $2.78, after their horrible showing last week when they lost by four points to the cellar-dwelling North Melbourne Kangaroos, who sit in 16th position on the ladder.

The midfield battle in this game will be one to watch, with the Giants ranked first for clearances in the league and the Demons just behind them in third.

While that game is taking place in the nation's capital, down in Melbourne traditional rivals Carlton Blues ($3.90) and Essendon Bombers ($1.26) will go head to head at the MCG.

The Bombers pushed the Western Bulldogs all the way last week in an entertaining clash, that they eventually lost by 30 points. They are not expected to have too many troubles against the lowly Blues, who were belted by the Cats last week.

Speaking of the Bulldogs, they travel north to take on the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba in the twilight time slot on Saturday and have been installed as a $1.20 favourite to win their fourth game in a row, with the Lions out at $4.60.

There were some signs last week that the Dogs may be returning to some of their best football, with Jason Johannisen and Marcus Bontempelli leading the way.

The Saturday night fixture between the North Melbourne Kangaroos ($2.55) and Collingwood Magpies ($1.52) and Fremantle Dockers' ($1.40) clash with Gold Coast Suns ($3) won't have an impact on the season.

That is absolutely not the case on Sunday though, with three mouth-watering contests. First up, we have a "toss of the coin" affair between the eighth-place West Coast Eagles and the 11th-place St Kilda Saints.

The Saints are the home team, so have been assessed as a $1.81 chance for victory, but the Eagles ($2) have won two of their four games at Etihad Stadium this year, and St Kilda's form has been inconsistent.

We then head to the MCG for one of the most anticipated fixtures of the weekend, when the Richmond Tigers ($1.74) host the Hawthorn Hawks ($2.10). The Tigers are flying high in fourth spot on the table, but the experienced Hawthorn outfit is back in form, having lost just one of their last six outings.

The last of Sunday's three games has the potential to be the match of the round, and if you are west of the Victorian border, it already is that big. The Premiership favourite Adelaide Crows ($1.54) take on their arch-rivals, Port Adelaide Power ($2.50), at the Adelaide Oval.

The 43rd "Showdown" has more on the line than bragging rights. An Adelaide win will see them secure a home final, while Port can jump inside the top four should they snap a four-game losing streak against their bitter rivals that's lasted 822 days.