Hawthorn vs. GWS Predictions - AFL Round 16 2026

We have Hawthorn vs. GWS predictions for AFL Round 16 on Friday, June 26 at 7:40pm at the MCG.

Hawthorn looks to hand GWS its third consecutive loss, and the weight of the early money is on the Hawks to come up trumps for punters.

Best Bet

Hawthorn –19.5 @ $1.90

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Hawthorn hasn’t done much wrong over the last few weeks, including wins over Gold Coast, St Kilda, and Adelaide. They lost to the Western Bulldogs in Round 13, but there was only a goal between them, so we’re not worried about the close loss.

They’re playing much better than GWS, who lost to St Kilda in Round 14 before losing to Carlton last week as the betting favourite. Scoring only 65 points against Carlton highlights the struggles GWS is going through, and we don’t want to bet on them.

Confidence is with Hawthorn following their 113-97 win over Gold Coast, and playing at the MCG is only going to help Hawthorn in this situation. The –19.5 line is fair from bookmakers, and considering we priced the Hawks at –26.5, we’re jumping on.

Same Game Multi

Hawthorn –19.5, Nick Watson 3+ Goals, Josh Ward 25+ Disposals, Total Points Over 173.5 @ $8.50

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Nick Watson is gunning for three consecutive three-goal games, and we’re backing him in. He has 13 goals from his last five games, and we don’t see him slowing down anytime soon, so take the $1.63 odds.

Josh Ward has enjoyed success recently, having posted 29 and 27 disposals in his last two games. Punters get $2.47 for 25+ disposals, which is excellent value to include in AFL SGM picks.

It should be a high-scoring contest, and they combined for 217 points in their meeting earlier this season. Over 173.5 points is a must-include.

Best Value Bet

Jai Newcombe 2+ Goals @ $11.00

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Jai Newcombe kicked two goals in his most recent game, and he could repeat that effort against GWS.

It should be an open and free-flowing contest, which should allow players like Newcombe to get involved in the action.

His confidence levels are high, and although that confidence isn’t shared by betting markets, punters should have a nibble on him at $11. It’s a good price, and he could have another big game for Hawthorn in the scoring department.

Editor In Chief

Daryl Curnow

After graduating from the University of Auckland (BA - English), Daryl 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.