AFL Round 24 Tips & Preview - Best bets for the Round 24 of the AFL home and away season

AFL ROUND 24 FIXTURE (all times AEST)

Carlton looks set to finish their disappointing 2025 season on a high note with a confident win over Essendon at the MCG on Thursday night. Riding an 11-game losing streak, Essendon showed fight last weekend but remain undermanned and unlikely to halt their slide against a Blues side boosted by Sam Walsh’s return and Harry McKay’s red-hot form. With Carlton dominating disposals and inside-50 counts recently and Essendon struggling to convert opportunities, expect Carlton to comfortably win by between 1 and 39 points in a tight but controlled finish.

Collingwood return to the MCG with their season hanging in the balance, aiming to seal a top-four finish in a must-win clash against a Melbourne side limping to the line. The Magpies have lost five of their past six but remain dominant over the Demons, winning the last four matchups including a thrilling one-point victory on King’s Birthday. While Craig McRae’s side has shown signs of stabilising defensively, Melbourne’s midfield, led by Clayton Oliver, continues to post strong numbers despite a string of defeats. Expect a tight affair, with Josh Daicos and Oliver likely to dominate the stat sheet once again and Collingwood tipped to win within 1-39 points.

Port Adelaide return to the Adelaide Oval for what could be an emotional farewell for long-time coach Ken Hinkley, as they look to snap a five-game losing streak against a Gold Coast side chasing a top-four finish. Despite their struggles, the Power will take confidence from the Suns’ dire record at the venue — 12 games, 12 losses — and will lean on stars like Zak Butters and Mitch Georgiades to lift. Gold Coast bring strong midfield form with Noah Anderson, Touk Miller and Matt Rowell in great touch, but their inability to fire in Adelaide remains a major hurdle. Expect a tight clash, with Port likely to cover the line and Georgiades and Anderson looming as key stat-fillers.

Adelaide head into Saturday's clash against North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium needing a win to seal the minor premiership, and they’re expected to do so convincingly. The Crows are in red-hot form with eight straight wins and boast a dominant recent record over the Kangaroos, winning their last seven meetings by an average of 49 points. While North Melbourne snapped a seven-game losing streak last week with a strong performance against Richmond, they have struggled badly against top-eight sides, conceding an average of 142 points in their past four losses to such teams. Expect Adelaide’s potent forward line, led by Taylor Walker and Darcy Fogarty, to feast on North’s leaky defence, with Rory Laird’s return further strengthening a well-balanced side.

Geelong are primed to finish the home and away season with a dominant win over Richmond at the MCG, having won 11 of their last 13 and thrashed bottom-half sides in recent weeks by an average of 69 points. The Cats boast a potent forward line and midfield led by Bailey Smith and Tom Stewart, and despite Jeremy Cameron being held goalless last week, he looms as a key threat against a Richmond side low on confidence and form. The Tigers have dropped four in a row and continue to struggle across key metrics, with their undermanned midfield and leaky defence likely to be exposed again. Expect the Cats to cover the line comfortably, with Cameron and Smith to lead the charge.

Sydney travel to Optus Stadium to take on a West Coast side that has managed just one win all season and is coming off yet another heavy defeat. While the Swans will miss finals, they’ve still won five of their past seven and should prove far too strong for an Eagles outfit lacking depth and firepower. Despite injuries to key forwards, Sydney continue to find scoring options through Isaac Heeney and Tom Papley, and with Brodie Grundy returning, they’ll look to end 2025 on a high. The Swans have won the past four meetings between the sides, including a 63-point win in their last Perth visit. Expect a similar margin here, though West Coast’s Tim Kelly could offer resistance in the midfield.

The GWS Giants look set to cement their finals credentials with a strong performance against St Kilda at ENGIE Stadium on Sunday. The Giants come into this clash riding a sizzling eight-win streak from their last nine games, including a convincing 35-point win over Gold Coast last weekend. Their clean ball movement and red-hot midfield — led by Lachie Ash and Tom Green — should pose a significant challenge for the Saints, who have fought hard to string together four consecutive wins but are yet to truly dominate top-tier opposition. St Kilda’s Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera will need to deliver another superstar effort to keep the Saints competitive, but the Giants’ superior form and home-ground advantage make them the clear favourites to cover the line and push the total points over in what promises to be a compelling contest.

A finals spot is up for grabs when the Western Bulldogs host Fremantle in a high-stakes clash at Marvel Stadium on Sunday. The Bulldogs enter in red-hot form, winning four straight and averaging 126 points per game across that stretch, but they’ve struggled against top-half sides in 2025 with a 2-9 record. Fremantle, while coming off a disappointing loss to Brisbane, have won six of their past eight against top-tier opposition and have already beaten the Dogs once this year. Expect a tight contest, with Fremantle capable of covering the line and Caleb Serong likely to lead the midfield charge, while Sam Darcy looms as a game-breaker up forward for the Bulldogs.

Finals implications are sky-high as Brisbane and Hawthorn collide at the Gabba on Sunday night, with a top-four spot potentially on the line. The Lions come off a dominant win over Fremantle but remain without star midfielder Lachie Neale and face a Hawks outfit peaking at the right time. Sam Mitchell’s men have won eight of their past 10 and boast a strong recent record over Brisbane, winning five of the last six meetings. While Hawthorn’s interstate form is patchy, their potent transition game, solid defence, and red-hot forwards like Jack Gunston and Dylan Moore give them a genuine shot. Expect a fierce contest, with Hawthorn looking value with the line in what could be a finals-shaping thriller.