AFL Betting Tips 2025: Round 8 Best Bets And Betting Trends

Our short-term luck ran out last week but the long-term form is strong, with followers of our AFL best bets blog still enjoying a 17% profit across season 2025.

The NSW and Queensland derbies are the major attractions this weekend, along with a potentially tasty Collingwood-Geelong clash on Saturday night, whilst the same can’t be said for the Thursday night ‘marquee’ game at Marvel. 

The former two caught our eye as we once again scanned the hundreds of markets offered by the best Australian betting sites to bring to you our six best tips for Round 8. 

AFL Round 8 Predictions:

• Saints Vs Dockers Over 172.5 Points - 1.90 With Picklebet
• GWS To Beat Sydney By Between 1-39 Points - 2.20 With Betr
• Lions Vs Suns Under 174.5 Points - 1.90 With PlayUp

St Kilda Vs Fremantle, Friday 7:40pm AEST

Ninth-placed Fremantle, who are in winning form with victories in four of their last five matches, are looking to avoid a repeat of the exception.

That was a poor 10-point loss to the previously struggling Melbourne, which was their fourth consecutive defeat in Victoria. 

That said, Fremantle retained a 5-1 record as favourites this season, and after they burst out of the blocks last weekend with a six-goal first term against Adelaide, they’re expected by betting apps to fare much better on this visit to Melbourne.

The Saints have produced some mixed results, but one thing that has remained consistent is that all seven of their games cleared the main total points handicap.

Their seven matches produced a healthy average of 187.3 total points per game - 15 above what Australian bookmakers have set for this game. 

Recent stadium history is also in favour of the ‘overs’, with two-thirds of AFL games at Marvel Stadium this season clearing 173+ total points. 

Jack Higgins is always one of the most popular selections for player bet markets and has dined out at Marvel Stadium this year, kicking either three or four goals in his four appearances there.

You can get better than Evens with Unibet for a fifth.

Best Bet: Saints Vs Dockers Over 172.5 Points - 1.90 With Picklebet

Player Prop: Jack Higgins 3+ Goals - 2.07 With Unibet

Sydney Vs GWS Giants, Sunday 1:10pm AEST

It’s hard to believe we’re already up to the 30th Sydney derby and it’s not often that ‘the orange team’ go into one as favourites, having been the underdogs in all three losses last year. 

But there’s no denying that the Giants and Swans have headed in different directions since then, or at least one of them has. 

Whilst the Giants head into this round just one win shy of the fourth place they occupied at the end of last home and away season, the Swans are outside the bottom four only on percentage after three straight losses.

Sydney’s woes can be excused by an injury list of no fewer than 12 players - nearly one-third of their entire list - that won’t shrink this week, with Taylor Adams and Callum Mills still one week off and the remaining players even further away. 

The Swans did at least cover the line in five of their last six home games as outsiders and the current crop won’t be taking a step backwards against their fierce rivals, which is why we are not anticipating any kind of blowout. 

Toby Greene has kicked at least two goals in 10 of his last 15 Sydney derbies, and alongside his five 2+ goal returns in 2025, those are two reasons why he stands out as one of the favourites alongside Jesse Hogan to be GWS’ leading goalscorer for the match.  

Whereas some AFL betting sites were seen offering odds of as little as 1.22 for this play at time of writing, Ladbrokes stood well above the pack with a very generous 1.67.

Best Bet: GWS To Beat Sydney By Between 1-39 Points - 2.20 With Betr

Player Prop: Toby Greene 2+ Goals - 1.67 With Ladbrokes

Brisbane Vs Gold Coast, Sunday 7:20pm AEST

Brisbane hold a 20-7 record over Gold Coast in the Q-Clash and they’re becoming only more and more dominant as time passes, winning 11 of the last 12 head-to-heads since August 2018.

The Lions have been reliable favourites to back this season, winning six of their seven such matches, but last week covered the line for only the second time when they thrashed St Kilda - much to our chagrin. 

The Suns are yet to begin a game as underdogs this season and won just two out of 10 such matches last year, but it’s the total points market once again that we are more interested in here. 

Brisbane’s last seven home games all finished ‘under’ the closing total points handicap. 

Bookmakers have set a mark of 174.5 for this one. Only three of the 15 matches at The Gabba since the start of 2024 saw more than 174.5 total points scored, with the Lions averaging 86 points for and 76 against in that time (162 total). 

Showers are forecast for Sunday night also, which plays into the hands of unders backers.

We’ll therefore pivot to the player disposals market and get some value out of Ladbrokes for Gold Coast’s John Noble to record at least 25 possessions, which he has done in four of his six games this season.

Best Bet: Lions Vs Suns Under 174.5 Points - 1.90 With PlayUp

Player Prop: John Noble 25+ Disposals - 2.15 With Ladbrokes