Online bookmaker Sportsbet Australia has opened betting on Round 1 of the 2014 AFL season and as expected Hawthorn and Fremantle are tipped to start strongly.
The Dockers are $1.50 favourites to beat Collingwood ($2.55) in the first match of the season. Defending champions, the Hawks ($1.10), are also favoured to win their season opener against Brisbane ($6.50).
“The Hawks should start where they left off at the end of last season against a rebuilding Brisbane. It appears the first round could also have a bearing on the wooden spoon with contenders St Kilda and Melbourne doing battle,’’ sportsbet’s Shaun Anderson said.
St Kilda ($1.65) are favoured to beat Melbourne($2.20) at Etihad, while Sydney are the shortest price of the round at $1.04 against Greater Western Sydney ($10).
The tightest match of the opening round appears to be between North Melbourne and Essendon, with Sportsbet unable to split the two teams at $1.90 each.
In premiership betting, Sydney, Fremantle and Hawthorn all look like the ones to beat, equal favourites at $5.00.
AFL Round 1 2014
$2.55 Collingwood
$1.50 Fremantle
$10 GWS
$1.04 Sydney
$2.55 Gold Coast
$1.50 Richmond
$1.60 Carlton
$2.30 Port Adelaide
$1.19 Geelong
$4.50 Adelaide
$1.90 North Melbourne
$1.90 Essendon
$1.10 Hawthorn
$6.50 Brisbane
$1.65 St Kilda
$2.20 Melbourne
$1.33 West Coast
$3.20 Western Bulldogs
2014 Premiership winner
$5.00 Sydney
$5.00 Fremantle
$5.00 Hawthorn
$7.00 Geelong
$13 Collingwood
$15 North Melbourne
$18 Richmond
$18 Essendon
$21 West Coast
$26 Carlton
$31 Adelaide
$34 Port Adelaide
$67 Gold Coast
$81 Brisbane
$101 Western Bulldogs
$251 Melbourne
$251 St Kilda
$501 GWS