Ladbrokes Late Mail: Adelaide primed to soar in third AFLW season, plus BBL, Super Bowl, A-League and NBL
The Test series and BBL are still going, but the conclusion of the Australian Open means punters’ attention tends to switch to the footy season. This week’s Late Mail looks at Adelaide’s hopes in the AFLW, the Super Bowl, BBL, NBL and more.
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The Test series and BBL are still going, but the conclusion of the Australian Open means punters’ attention tends to switch to the footy season. And it is more literal these days given this weekend marks the opening round of the women’s league.
This week’s Late Mail also looks at AFLW, BBL, Super Bowl, A-League and NBL.
AFLW
The competition has expanded to 10 teams in its third year and one of the new teams, North Melbourne, is also the premiership favourite with Ladbrokes.
The Kangaroos went on a recruiting spree ahead of their opening season by picking up last year’s league best and fairest Emma Kearney from the Bulldogs, Kaitlyn Ashmore from the Lions and much-hyped forward Moana Hope from Collingwood.
Former Australian cricketer Jess Duffin, who just completed the WBBL season with the Renegades, has also crossed from the Magpies to the Kangaroos.
On paper North does look the best list in the competition and at $5 represent value to win the premiership in their first season.
The Bulldogs and the Lions — last year’s grand finalists — have lost several key players and will undoubtedly suffer.
Inaugural premiers Adelaide look the most likely to challenge and in a captain’s vote this week were expected to make the grand final.
With top-end talent like Ebony Marinoff and Erin Phillips — the inaugural league best and fairest — and a bigger pool of talent to pick from than the others, it’s hard not to see them in the mix.
BIG BASH LEAGUE
It’s still going and it’s still Hobart. When a season last as long as this year’s BBL it can become predictable, and it has.
Hobart’s domination of BBL08 gives the impression that they are creating a superpower on the Apple Isle.
Perth has long dominated this competition, making the most of a squad which plays its cricket
together regularly, some excellent players and a significant home ground advantage.
But as the Scorchers losing its aura Hobart continues to completely dominate the opposition.
The Hurricanes have barely lost a game and aren’t just beating other sides; they are embarrassing them.
Hobart remains at $3 for the title and that looks over the odds.
It is difficult to make a case for any of the other teams.
SUPER BOWL
We picked the LA Rams to win the Super Bowl early in the piece with good reason.
The are now just one win away from a collect but it’s not all just about the head to head.
The Super Bowl is a day of celebration to have the prop bets you wouldn’t have in the regular season.
Ladbrokes has a stack of novelty markets, from the colour Gatorade tipped on the winning coach to the length of the national anthem performance but we will stick with some bets on the gridiron instead.
The Patriots has one of the best quarterbacks of all time but this season they have been running the ball more than ever before.
With Sony Michel on the field in the post-season, New England has run the ball 83.8 per cent of the time and Michel has delivered big plays on numerous occasions.
The Pats running back is the first touchdown scorer favourite and at $8 he over the odds.
If you can’t bring yourself to bet on the Patriots, Brandon Cooks is the Rams player to get behind.
The wide receiver is a favourite target of quarterback Jared Goff.
New England has significant Super Bowl experience but they always play them tight.
In eight Super Bowl appearances in the Brady-Belichick era only once has the result been greater than a single score (7 points) and that was last year, when the Patriots lost to the Eagles by 8.
History suggests a 1-6 margin is a fair bet and the $3.80 for the Rams by 1-6 appeals.
A-LEAGUE
The Asian Cup is over for the Socceroos and it is time to turn our attention back to the A- League.
A clear top six has emerged in this season and it would come as a shock if this season’s champion did not come from the Perth Glory, Melbourne Victory, Sydney FC, Melbourne City, Adelaide United or Wellington Phoenix.
The battle for the minor premiership looks to be a three-horse race between Perth ($2.50), Victory ($2.75) and Sydney FC ($3.50), but in outright betting with Ladbrokes there isn’t a great deal between the six contenders.
Victory remain the favourites at $3.25 from Perth at $3.50 and Sydney FC at $4.50 but the best- backed side has been Wellington.
It took Wellington a few months to find their feet under new coach Mark Rudan but it has lost only one of its past 11 games.
It has also turned Westpac Stadium into a genuine fortress for the first time.
Wellington takes on Perth in the game of the weekend and another win is set to shorten Wellington’s odds even more.
NBL
There are only three rounds left in the NBL regular season and every game this weekend is
extremely important.
The Brisbane Bullets suffered a pair of losses last weekend and could finish the weekend
outside the top four unless they are able to turnaround their putrid record against the Sydney Kings.
Brisbane has lost its past five games against the Kings and faces their rivals on both Friday night and Sunday afternoon.
The Bullets ($1.80) are narrow favourites to beat the Kings ($2) on Friday but Sydney will start Sunday’s clash as the punters’ choice.
The Sixers have only one game this weekend but a win against Cairns on Saturday could have them move into the top four.
Adelaide has won six of its past seven games against Cairns and the Cairns Convention Centre holds no fears — the Sixers have won their past three games at the venue.
BEST BETS
HORSE RACING
Trapeze Artist to win the Expressway Stakes @ $3.80
Trapeze Artist won the Expressway Stakes 12 months ago and is more than capable of repeating the dose. On his day he is one of the best sprinters in Australia and has an excellent first-up record.
A-LEAGUE
Sydney FC to win against Melbourne City @ $2
Sydney FC went down to Melbourne Victory last weekend and has suffered back-to-back losses only once in the past 12 months. It has won eight of its past 12 games as home favourites as well as its past six games against Melbourne City.
AFLW
Geelong to beat Collingwood @ $2.10
Both the Cats and the Kangaroos are capable of making winning starts to their AFLW campaigns. Geelong has been building its squad for a while after a number of seasons in the VFLW and has recruited plenty of young talent. Collingwood has a number of high-profile recruits but its list looks light on depth.
ASIAN CUP SOCCER FINAL
Japan to beat Qatar @ $2.05
Qatar have been the story of the Asian Cup but looks set to fall one game short of a shock title. Japan has never lost a game against Qatar and has improved each match in this tournament. The way Japan pulled apart Iran was very impressive and the country has never lost an Asian Cup Final.
Originally published as Ladbrokes Late Mail: Adelaide primed to soar in third AFLW season, plus BBL, Super Bowl, A-League and NBL
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