Geelong Cats vs Western Bulldogs Predictions and Betting Tips

🏈 AFL Round 24 Match Preview

⏰ 26 August 2023 - 19:25 AEST

🏟 Stadium - GMHBA Stadium

AFL fans are gearing up for an entertaining contest when the Geelong Cats take on the Western Bulldogs this Saturday. The clubs go head-to-head on 26/08/2023 at 7:25pm AEST.

In anticipation of the match, AusBetSites has gathered the latest betting odds from 3 Australian betting sites across 37 markets. The bookies have installed the Bulldogs as favorites entering the game with moneyline odds of 1.59.

Geelong’s finals hopes ended last weekend with a 33-point loss to St Kilda. The Cats were soundly beaten in the midfield and lacked dash on the outside. Patrick Dangerfield and Jeremy Cameron will look to respond after quiet games.

The Bulldogs suffered an upset loss to West Coast, dropping them out of the top eight. They now likely need to win this game and rely on a Carlton victory over GWS to make finals. The loss has put pressure on coach Luke Beveridge.

The Bulldogs should have the midfield advantage with Tim English providing first use. Beveridge will want his team to shut down Tom Stewart and Zach Tuohy, Geelong's best last week.

It's hard to split the teams but the Bulldogs get the nod with several key Cats injured, including Cameron, Tom Hawkins, Mark Blicavs and Gary Rohan.

Geelong Cats vs Western Bulldogs Head-to-Head

The head-to-head record over the past 3 years shows Geelong having a complete stranglehold over the Western Bulldogs. In their last 4 meetings, the Cats have won them all while the Bulldogs are yet to taste victory. With every recent matchup going their way, Geelong have utterly dominated this rivalry of late. Having won all four contests against the Bulldogs during this period, the Cats will enter with plenty of confidence as they eye another win over their interstate opponents.

Geelong Cats Performance

🟥🟥🟩🟥🟥 The Geelong Cats come into this match in poor form, having lost four of their last five games. With just one win against four defeats in their recent outings, it's clear the Cats have struggled ahead of finals, losing momentum and confidence. The sole victory and four losses over this stretch demonstrate Geelong's concerning form leading into September action. Coming off a loss, the Cats will be determined to redeem themselves against the Dogs. If inconsistent Geelong are to upset the Western Bulldogs, they must find their best form after stumbling to just one win from their previous five matches.

Western Bulldogs Performance

🟥🟥🟩🟥🟩 The St Kilda Saints come into this match in excellent form, having won four of their last five games. With four victories against just one defeat in their recent outings, the Saints have built strong momentum after finding consistency in their play. The four wins over the past five contests display St Kilda's ability to string together a dominant run of results. They'll look to maintain this promising form against the Lions. If the Saints can extend their impressive record to five wins from six games, it would mark an exceptionally dominant streak as they head towards September action.

📋 Players to watch:

• Tanner Bruhn has recorded 15+ disposals in eight of his last nine games
• Tom Stewart is averaging 24 disposals over his past five matches
• Jamarra Ugle-Hagan has kicked 18 goals in his last eight games

⚡ Match Facts:

• Geelong have won five straight against the Bulldogs by 16 points on average
• The Cats have won 13 of their last 15 games at GMHBA Stadium
• The Bulldogs have lost 11 consecutive matches at the venue dating back to 2003

💡 Match Prediction:

According to the data, Geelong enter as narrow favourites against the Western Bulldogs. The probability sits at 58.7% for the Cats compared to 41.3% for the Bulldogs.

The forecast predicts a tight Geelong win by an estimated 9 points. With home-ground advantage, the Cats are expected to break their GMHBA Stadium hoodoo over the Dogs. However, the Bulldogs will fancy their chances based on Geelong's inconsistent form.

Geelong vs Western Bulldogs: 83-74 or Geelong to win by 9 points