The following are betting tips for Round 5 of the 2026 AFL season. Every game will take place in the Adelaide area as part of the season’s Gather Round.
View our line-up of AFL betting resources
Compare AFL bookmaker odds
View bookmaker AFL promotions (excl. NSW, SA & WA)
View the AFL form guide
Draftstars have a $60,000 fantasy sports contest for each game day. For each competition, entry costs $15 and the top 25% of participants will receive a pay out.
 |
Adelaide vs. Carlton |
 |
Â
1st quarter: Carlton +8.5 at 1.85 (bet365)
1st half: Carlton +16.5 at 1.87 (bet365)
SGM: Carlton to win 1st quarter / Carlton to win 1st half / Adelaide to win the game at 11.00 (bet365)
Carlton would be on top of the world if AFL games ended after two quarters. Since 2025 they have lost nine games in which they led at halftime. So far in 2026 the Blues have 4-0 first quarter and 4-0 first half records, but they have only won one game. Adelaide, in contrast, have been slow starters this year. The Crows have a 1-3 first quarter and 1-3 first half record this season. Carlton will have to make do without key defender Jacob Weitering, so it wouldn’t surprise me if they again lead at halftime but fail to lose the game.
 |
North Melbourne vs. Brisbane |
 |
Â
Brisbane in the head-to-head at 1.17 (Dabble)
Brisbane suffered a shock draw against North Melbourne last season, so there will be no complacency this time around. Prior to that, the Lions had mauled the Kangaroos 156-48, 152-77 and 112-42.
 |
Essendon vs. Melbourne |
 |
Â
Melbourne 1-39 at 2.30 (Dabble)
Essendon can probably thank the mounting injury list for the Western Bulldogs for keeping the score line somewhat respectable last week. The Bombers were down by 30+ after just one quarter, however, and they are now riding a 17-game losing streak. The new-look Demons bring wins over Carlton and Gold Coast into this game. They don’t have a track record of thrashing Essendon, however. With the data set I have at hand (which goes back to 2009), all ten of Melbourne’s wins over Essendon were by 1-39 margins. Over the last twelve months, eight of the Demons’ ten wins were by 1-39 margins too. My lean is towards a competitive win for Melbourne.
 |
Geelong vs. West Coast |
 |
Â
Geelong in the head-to-head at 1.10 (betr, Dabble)
Geelong will be keen to bounce back from their one-point defeat to Hawthorn last week. Unfortunately for West Coast, Geelong have gone 5-1 on the back of a defeat over the last twelve months. West Coast haven’t beaten Geelong outside of Perth since 2006. With the data set I have, 9 of West Coast’s last ten defeats to Geelong outside of Perth were by 40+ points.