AFL Round One: Dees and Lions Face Long Odds
January 22nd, 2014 by TJ DilferIt’s important to start a season well. It’s not the end of the world if you come out of your first five games with a couple of defeats, and it’s no guarantee that winning all five will see you contesting the flag come the end of the season. But you won’t find too many coaches (or any, if they’re being honest) who wouldn’t bite your hand off if you offered them five wins in the first five games. And the reverse is true, of course.
So spare a thought for the Dees and the Lions, who are both facing a nightmare start to the 2014 season, and who are odds-on to lose their first games. There’s been some upheaval at Melbourne, which never makes things easier for coaches or for players, and the Dees face a trip to St Kilda in Round One: they are a $2.40 bet to register a win in that first game – St Kilda are favourites at $1.57. Things might be getting better at Melbourne, but fans will have to weather a rough start to the season with clashes with West Coast, Carlton and Gold Coast likely to see them on the wrong side of the scoreline. If they can’t get a win out of their first game against St Kilda, or against GWS, then it’ll be a tough month or so to bounce back from.
And things could be looking as bad if not worse for the Lions, who are $6.50 outsiders in their first game at Hawthorn (who are a $1.10 bet). With a run that includes Hawthorn, Geelong and Richmond before they face St Kilda in Round Six, any wins Brisbane can pick up will be gold dust – or probably rarer…
Take a look at our breakdown of Round One odds by following the link, or check out our Round One tips.
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