2018 AFL Round 12 Betting Preview: Odds, Game Trends, Week Analysis

There are two games that jump off the fixture list this weekend, and they are both being played at traditional football venues, in the afternoon time slot.

The first comes up Saturday afternoon when the Geelong Cats host the North Melbourne Kangaroos at Kardinia Park. When Brad Scott's Kangaroos met Chris Scott's Cats back in 2011, the pair of coaches became the first identical twins to come up against each other in the history of the sport.

Since then, Chris holds the upper hand slightly, with six wins to five, and his side are at $1.45 AUD on the AFL odds to take another scalp off his brother, whose team is at $2.78 according to AustralianGambling to continue their surprisingly good start to the season.

Geelong are ahead of North by percentage only in fifth place on the ladder, with a record of 7-4.

Collingwood Magpies also sit at 7-4, and on Monday afternoon in the traditional Queen's Birthday clash Nathan Buckley's charges meet the hottest team in the league right now, the Melbourne Demons.

The Demons, at $7 on the latest AFL futures, have now won six in a row, and scored at least 100 points in each of those victories, the only club to have achieved that feat.

Sitting in third place on the ladder, with eight wins and three losses, and a whopping percentage of 140.2, they head into Monday's blockbuster as favourites at $1.57.

The Magpies have won three on the trot themselves, though, and aren't without a chance at $2.41.

Port Adelaide Power and Richmond Tigers meet in the first match of the round on Friday night in what is another battle of two top-eight clubs.

The reigning Premiers are $1.72 to win their 10th match from 12 starts, while the eighth-placed Port are $2.12 for a crucial win that would see them move to seven wins and four losses on the season.

Greater Western Sydney Giants ($1.06) are the shortest priced favourite of the round to beat Gold Coast Suns on Saturday, while the Sydney Swans ($1.21) are also tipped to be far too strong for St Kilda Saints ($4.45).

Essendon Bombers ($1.65) are favoured to bounce back from their horror loss to Richmond with a win over Brisbane Lions on Sunday, before last season's runners-up Adelaide Crows ($1.40) head west to take on Fremantle Dockers ($2.96).

This weekend marks the first bye week of the season, with four clubs taking their mid-season break.