GWS vs. Essendon Predictions - AFL Round 9 2026

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We have GWS vs. Essendon predictions for AFL Round 9 on Saturday, May 9 at 4:15pm at ENGIE Stadium.

The Giants are skinny $1.09 favourites, but the Bombers seek a bounce-back upset on Saturday afternoon.

Best Bet

Essendon +44.5 @ $1.90

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Call us a sucker for punishment, but we’re going with Essendon again. The Bombers didn’t turn up against Brisbane last week, but they should learn from their mistakes.

They can’t afford to be slow out of the blocks against teams like Brisbane, and we’re hoping they show up in the first quarter against GWS. If they start the game well, we’re confident that they can cover the spread.

GWS hasn’t played well this season. It suffered an 83-63 loss to Gold Coast last week, and they only just survived North Melbourne in Round 7. They’re not red-hot, so Essendon could take advantage and make a game of it.

The +44.5 start is healthy, and it’s enough for us to include Essendon in our AFL picks this week.

Same Game Multi

Essendon +44.5, Nate Caddy 3+ Goals, Kyle Langford 2+ Goals, Total Points Over 193.5 @ $10.00

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Our GWS vs. Essendon SGM picks get a big boost from Nate Caddy 3+ goals. He has six goals in his last two games, and despite Essendon scoring only 79 points last week, 18 came from Caddy. The $2.70 odds are too good to turn down.

Kyle Langford kicked a double against Collingwood two weeks ago, and if he’s anywhere near that form, he could repeat the dose. Essendon could do with Langford having a big game, so we’re backing him in.

It could be an exciting contest with little defence played. Bookmakers agree, with the line at 193.5 points, so include the over in AFL multi bets.

Best Value Bet

GWS 1-39 @ $2.70

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We expect GWS to win the game outright, but with Essendon good enough to keep close, we’re picking them to win 1-39.

Most of the money has come for 40+ at $1.66, but there is much better value with the $2.70 odds for GWS to win by less than 39 points.

It’s a good price in what could be a thrilling contest in the fourth quarter, and with GWS playing at home, they could just do enough to win.

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Editor In Chief

Daryl Curnow

After graduating from the University of Auckland (BA - English), Daryl Curnow was thrown into the world of sports and horse racing journalism.

Having worked as a racing journalist for two years, he decided to move into the online world of horse racing and sports writing. After years of honing his craft, Daryl became a professional punter in 2009 - with a focus on horse racing, NRL, AFL, NBA, Rugby, NFL, and US college sports.

Daryl's tips have been featured on various websites around the world before joining the GoBet team. When he's not working, Daryl tries to avoid making bogeys on the golf course.