2018 AFL Round 9 Betting Preview: Odds, Game Trends, Week Analysis

The AFL's first top-of-the-table clash of the season is set to be played on Sunday when the Richmond Tigers, the reigning Premiership champions, head west to take on the West Coast Eagles at Perth's brand-new, state-of-the-art Optus Stadium.

While many expected the Tigers to be the team to beat in 2018, the Eagles have been a surprise packet, reeling off seven straight wins since they lost their season opener to the Sydney Swans at home.

Richmond's winning streak will extend to seven if they can get the four points from this one, with their only loss coming against the Adelaide Crows in the second round.

The last time these sides met was way back in the third round of last season, when the Tigers prevailed by just 11 points. Their last six encounters have been split, with both sides saluting on three occasions.

Despite having 60,000 fans on their side and the home-ground advantage, the Eagles are slight outsiders at a betting price of $2 AUD, according to AustralianGambling, with the Tigers in at $1.81 for a victory. 

The odds are similar in Tasmania on Saturday, when the team that Richmond defeated last week, the North Melbourne Kangaroos, host the Greater Western Sydney Giants in a crucial clash.

The Kangaroos may have come up just short against the Tigers last Sunday, but they didn't lose any friends, having pushed the reigning premiers all the way before eventually going down by 10 points.

Punters are happy to take the $1.79 for North Melbourne to get the win over an injury-ravaged Giants side, but the match is expected to be tight, with the New South Wales club right behind them at $2.02.

After playing out an incredible showdown last week, both South Australian clubs, the Adelaide Crows ($1.16) and Port Adelaide Power ($1.13), are expected to be too strong for Western Bulldogs ($5.30) and Gold Coast Suns ($6.05), respectively.

The Melbourne Demons ($1.16) have also been heavily backed to beat the Carlton Blues ($5.30). The Sydney Swans are in at $1.20 to win just their second game at home in five starts when they host Fremantle Dockers ($4.60) at the SCG. Sydney is still at $7 on the Premiership odds at the sportsbooks.

The club with the most focus on it this week, for all the wrong reasons, has been the Essendon Bombers, who have managed just two wins from their opening eight games. It doesn't get any easier for the Bombers ($4.35) this weekend when they host the third-place Geelong Cats ($1.22) at the MCG.

That clash is followed by the St Kilda Saints ($3.40) vs. Collingwood Magpies ($1.32) encounter at Etihad Stadium, while the Brisbane Lions are at $2.80 to get their first win of the season when they host Hawthorn Hawks ($1.44) at the Gabba on Sunday.