AFL Round 3 Tips & Preview - Best bets for Round 3 of the 2026 AFL season

Geelong can make it back-to-back wins when they host Adelaide on Thursday night. The Cats split their opening two matches, going down to Gold Coast before bouncing back with a strong win over Fremantle, while Adelaide also sit 1-1 after a Round 1 win before falling to the Western Bulldogs last week. Geelong have already shown they can respond after a poor result and they return to GMHBA Stadium with some momentum, while Adelaide have been competitive across the first fortnight but now face a tougher task on the road. With both sides sitting in the middle of the pack early, this looks an important game for setting up the next block of the season, and Geelong look the safer play at home.

Collingwood will look to move their win-loss record into positive territory with a win over GWS on Friday night. The Magpies are 1-1 after defeating St Kilda in the opener before going down to Adelaide. GWS are 1-2 from their first three matches and failed to reign in St Kilda at home last weekend. Collingwood have already shown polish around the ball and good scoreboard balance, while GWS have had some strong individual performances but have been a little harder to trust across four quarters. With Daicos setting the tone and the Magpies coming in fresh, Collingwood look well placed.

Brisbane can get their season moving with a win over St Kilda at Marvel Stadium. The premiers are 0-2 after their losses to the Western Bulldogs and Sydney to start the season and the bye came at the right time with a number of premiership players set to return. St Kilda are 1-2 and opened their account with a win over GWS last weekend. But with the depth in the midfield through the likes of Lachie Neale, the Lions have the stronger platform coming into this one. 

Fremantle look well placed to go 2-1 when they meet Richmond in Perth. The Dockers opened with a narrow loss to Geelong before rebounding with a win over Melbourne, while Richmond are 0-2 despite showing some encouraging signs in patches. The Tigers generated 60 inside 50s against Carlton in Round 1 and Tim Taranto and Jayden Short both found plenty of the footy, but poor finishing and a lack of overall class has hurt them. The were outclassed by the Gold Coast Suns last weekend. Fremantle, meanwhile, continue to get strong output from Andrew Brayshaw and Caleb Serong and will take confidence from getting on the board last week. At Optus Stadium, the Dockers look the stronger side.

North Melbourne can bounce back with a win over Essendon on Saturday night. The Kangaroos are 1-1 after an impressive win over Port Adelaide before a loss to West Coast, while Essendon are 0-2 and under pressure after heavy defeats to Hawthorn and Port Adelaide. Nick Larkey has kicked 10 goals in two matches for North and Harry Sheezel is in outstanding touch, coming off 40 disposals against West Coast and extending his run of 30-plus disposal games to six. Essendon have continued to struggle for scores and resistance, having lost their past 15 matches by an average of 42 points, and despite solid ball-winning numbers from Zach Merrett and others, they have not looked capable of sustaining it for long enough. North’s better early-season form gives them the edge.

Port Adelaide should be too strong for West Coast and can improve to 2-1 at Adelaide Oval. The Power split their first two games, losing to North Melbourne before responding with a 63-point win over Essendon, while the Eagles are also 1-1 after a heavy loss to Gold Coast and then a confidence-boosting win over North. Harley Reid was excellent last week with 30 disposals and Jamie Cripps kicked three goals, but Port’s own key players are also building nicely, with Mitch Georgiades a major threat after his strong recent Adelaide Oval scoring record. Port have won their past four against West Coast by an average of 50 points and the Eagles have lost their past 10 at Adelaide Oval by an average of 60, so the Power look set to control this one.

Melbourne can bounce back and reassert themselves when they face Carlton at the MCG, with this shaping as a tight, contested battle between two sides that sit 1-1 but arrive with very different profiles. While Carlton’s clearance and pressure game is a strength, Melbourne’s response after a poor showing last week is the key angle — they are typically strong at the contest with Max Gawn giving them first use, and their ability to control territory when up and going should allow them to limit Carlton’s scoring opportunities. With Kozzie Pickett providing spark forward and a midfield capable of lifting in big games, the Demons look well placed to turn the tables, particularly if they tidy up their ball use and avoid repeat entries against, making them the value play in what should be a close, hard-fought contest. Prediction: Melbourne to win (1–39)