Predictions and Picks for AFL Round 3 (March 31 – April 3, 2022)

Round 3 of the 2022 AFL season is destined to be a ripper. We have not one, but two huge rivalries to look forward to. On Friday, the Adelaide clubs face off in the Showdown before the Western Derby takes center stage on Sunday.

I will be sharing my Round 3 AFL predictions in this post, covering every single match on the schedule. Better still, I have scoured the best AFL betting sites to find the top picks for Round 3. Be sure to stick around for those!

It is no secret that the Western Bulldogs have made a disappointing start to the season. After losing to Melbourne in Round 1, they went down to Carlton last weekend. However, I’m backing them to bounce back against Sydney.

Granted, the Swans head into Round 3 on a two-match winning streak. But I just can’t see a team of the Bulldogs’ quality losing three in a row. I expect the Dogs to notch their first win of the season in front of their home fans.

Having clinched both the minor premiership and premiership last year, Melbourne has kicked off the new campaign in style. As I just mentioned, the Demons beat the Dogs in the curtain-raiser before getting the better of Gold Coast last time out.

Believe it or not, Port Adelaide sits rock bottom of the AFL ladder following two heavy defeats. But let’s not forget that Port finished second in the standings last season – 40 points ahead of fifteenth-place Adelaide.

It is also worth noting that Ken Hinkley’s boys invariably raise their game in the Showdown. Having won each of the previous four clashes against the arch-rivals, the Power should be too strong for the Crows on Friday night.

I have been pleasantly surprised with Gold Coast’s improvements this season. After racking up 107 points in their thrashing of West Coast in Round 1, the Suns pushed Melbourne all the way last weekend but eventually suffered a 13-point loss.

Like Gold Coast, Collingwood has already made vast improvements this year. The Magpies finished second from bottom in 2021, but they find themselves second in the current standings after beating St Kilda and thrashing Adelaide.

We all know Geelong is a strong side. However, last weekend’s heavy defeat against Sydney proved that Chris Scott’s men have their weaknesses. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Pies extended their winning streak to three matches on Saturday.

Brisbane is one of only six teams with a 100% record after seeing off Port Adelaide and Essendon. Lachie Neale starred in the win over the Bombers. The 2020 Brownlow Medalist racked up a round-high 41 disposals and also kicked a couple of goals for good measure.

As for the Kangaroos, they lost to Hawthorn in Round 1 before edging out West Coast last weekend. Despite their win against the Eagles, the Roos look set to suffer a defeat to the Lions, who finished a colossal 42 points ahead of them last season.

Carlton has been one of the surprise packages this season, having finished 12 points outside the top eight in 2021. Spearhead by young guns such as Sam Walsh and Harry McKay, the Blues have already claimed big wins over Richmond and the Bulldogs.

Following their defeat to Carlton, the Tigers bounced back in style last time out. They racked up 109 points in a dominant win over GWS, with Noah Balta (4.2), Tom Lynch (3.2), and Shai Bolton (2.2) starring at the business end of the field.

Meanwhile, St Kilda lost to Collingwood in Round 1 before notching just 65 points in a ten-point win against Fremantle. Given their lack of goal-kicking threat, I expect the Saints to lose against a talented Richmond outfit.

Between 2015 and 2021, the Eagles sealed 11 consecutive Western Derby wins. However, the Dockers finally ended their Western Derby drought with a 15-point victory in the previous meeting between the WA rivals.

That concludes my Round 3 AFL predictions. If you enjoyed my predictions, then why not check out my AFL picks for Round 3? The prices below are courtesy of Betway, so be sure to head over to Betway’s sportsbook if you fancy trying your luck.

The first of my Round 3 AFL picks is a nice, safe wager. While Melbourne heads into Round 3 with a 100% record, Essendon is coming off back-to-back losses. The reigning premiers shouldn’t struggle to claim the win here.

Elsewhere, the juicy price for Gold Coast to beat GWS is too tempting to ignore. The Giants have yet to taste victory this year, while the Suns crushed West Coast before giving an excellent account of themselves against Melbourne.

Brisbane is priced at just 1.10 to beat North, so I recommend opting for the –42.5 handicap to boost the odds to 1.90. Finally, I’m backing the Blues to extend their winning streak to three matches against Hawthorn.