Melbourne vs. Geelong Predictions - AFL Round 20 2026

We have Melbourne vs. Geelong predictions for AFL Round 20 on Friday, July 24 at 7:40pm at the MCG.

The Friday double-header kicks off with the Demons vs. Cats, where a close game is expected with Melbourne holding favouritism at $1.80.

Best Bet

Melbourne –1.5 @ $1.90

There isn’t much between Melbourne and Geelong, but we’re siding with the Demons to prevail.

They have turned their form around nicely this season, and the only loss in the last five weeks came against a quality Adelaide outfit. Since that Round 15 loss, they are 3-0 after beating Hawthorn, Richmond, and North Melbourne.

The 125-90 win over Hawthorn was simply stunning, and that form has been franked since. Therefore, despite pre-season expectations being low, Melbourne has silenced its critics with some strong performances in 2026.

Geelong ended its three-game losing run with a win over St Kilda. The Saints were bad last week, which helped the Cats, so the win could have looked better than it was. They should play well, but we give the edge to Melbourne.

Same Game Multi

Melbourne –1.5, Jacob van Rooyen 2+ Goals, Oliver Dempsey 2+ Goals, Total Points Under 176.5 @ $16.40

Jacob van Rooyen hasn’t been letting punters down recently, having kicked 16 goals in his last four games. The odds are short for a 2+ goal night, but the $1.44 is worth including in AFL SGM picks to boost payouts.

Oliver Dempsey is a good multi bet addition at much bigger odds of $2.65. He has been a solid player for Geelong, having kicked seven goals from his last three games, including two last week against St Kilda. The odds are generous, so include him in picks.

The last four meetings between Melbourne and Geelong have gone under the total, and this game should be no different. We expect a tough low-scoring affair at the MCG.

Best Value Bet

Harrison Petty 8+ Tackles @ $6.50

Harrison Petty had only two tackles against North Melbourne, but he looked much better when recording nine tackles against Richmond.

It was the second time in his last four games that he has recorded 8+ tackles, and it should be a tackle-heavy contest against Geelong.

The $6.50 odds are generous, so include him in AFL picks as a value bet.

Not happy with your current bookie? See how the best AFL betting sites stack up, or browse the full list of Australian bookmakers.

Daryl Curnow
Editor In Chief

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.

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