Sydney vs. Carlton Predictions – AFL Round 0 2026

We have Sydney vs. Carlton predictions for AFL Round 0 on Thursday, March 5 at 7:30pm at the SCG.

AFL action starts with Sydney vs. Carlton, where all eyes are on how well Charlie Curnow plays against his old team.

Sydney vs. Carlton Predictions

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Best Bet

There is some bad blood between these teams, and with most Carlton fans believing Curnow got off too easily with the switch, it could spur them on.

Getting a +23.5 start is sizable for the Blues, who might have lost Curnow, but they still have noted goal scorers in Harry McKay, Will Hayward, and Brodie Kemp. That’s enough firepower to keep it close, and Round 0 games are often rife with rusty play.

Carlton needs to endure a likely fast start from Sydney. The Swans will come out with plenty of energy, so if Carlton makes early turnovers, they could be looking at a big first quarter deficit. However, this is a good situation for Carlton.

Take the current line, which is overly generous for the opening game.

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Same Game Multi

McKay could be the leading goal scorer for Carlton, and given the way he ended last season, he could kick things off with 2+ goals. He scored 11 goals from his last three games, including a seven-goal effort against Port Adelaide. Take the $1.75 odds for a two-goal showing.

Oliver Hollands has had 20+ disposals in four of his last five games, so the $1.96 odds are generous. He should have a busy game, and we think he’s going under the radar with AFL odds.

We have over 169.5 points in our AFL same game multi. They scored only 140 points in their 2025 meeting, but punters should expect a much higher scoring game.

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Best Value Bet

It would be an upset result if Carlton scored a win on the road against a team that has their measure, but we have faith in the Blues to come up with the goods.

They have a good enough team to compete with the Swans, and although they’re being overlooked in betting markets, we’re happy with the value odds.

Carlton is unlikely to win by 40+, so the $3.90 odds for a 1-39 win is better than the $3.62 head-to-head odds.