Josh Ward is one of the more reliable disposal accumulators in the competition, and backing him over 17.5 at the MCG is grounded in a compelling body of evidence. His L5 home games average sits at 23.2 disposals — a full 5.7 above the line — and he's cleared 17.5 in 11 of his last 12 home outings, an extraordinary 92% hit rate. The model projects 23.8 disposals here, generating a 9.7% edge against the implied probability of 76.9% baked into the $1.30 price. That's meaningful value even at short odds.
The underlying numbers reinforce the confidence. Ward is averaging 10.8 kicks and 12.4 handballs at home, operating at 77.5% disposal efficiency with 309.4 metres gained per game — he's not just accumulating, he's using it. Brisbane have conceded 21.3 disposals to him across their last five meetings. The line looks soft.
Lloyd Meek (Hawthorn) Over 9.5 Disposals (-213)
Odds available at sportsbet at time of publishing
Lloyd Meek is one of the more reliable ruckman disposal merchants in the competition right now, and the 9.5 line looks well below where he's actually operating. His L5 home games average sits at 12.6 disposals — a full three touches above the line — and the model projects 12.8, generating a 9.5% edge against the implied 68% probability baked into the $1.47 price. That's a meaningful gap worth acting on.
What makes this particularly compelling is his home hit rate: Meek has cleared 9.5 disposals in six of his last seven games at home, and 13 of his last 14 overall. His contested possession load at home (8.2 per game) drives the bulk of his output, complemented by 6.6 handballs — he's consistently busy around the stoppages. Brisbane isn't a side that typically suppresses ruckman involvement, and with Meek averaging 12.4 disposals across his last five against them, this line feels genuinely soft.
Jarman Impey (Hawthorn) Over 16.5 Disposals (-333)
Odds available at sportsbet at time of publishing
Jarman Impey at home is a fundamentally different player to the one you see on the road, and that split is the core of this bet. His L5 home disposal average sits at 28.4 — nearly 12 disposals clear of the 16.5 line — driven by 19.8 kicks and 574.8 metres gained per game. Even against Brisbane specifically, he's averaging 21 disposals at home, comfortably clearing the number. The model projects 22.8 disposals with a 9.3% edge over the implied 76.9% probability baked into the $1.30 price, and his overall hit rate of 17 from his last 20 games at this line confirms the consistency. His 74.9% disposal efficiency at home suggests the volume isn't just busy-body work — he's finding it cleanly and using it. At a line this conservative relative to his home output, this shapes as a genuine model edge worth taking.
Logan Morris (Brisbane Lions) Over 9.5 Disposals (-156)
Odds available at sportsbet at time of publishing
Logan Morris is a strong play here despite the away trip to the MCG. The model projects him for 11.3 disposals against a line of 9.5, generating a 9.1% edge against the 61.0% implied probability baked into the $1.64 price. The case is built on a remarkable away-game hit rate — Morris has cleared 9.5 disposals in 9 of his last 10 away fixtures, averaging 11.8 disposals across that stretch with his kicks (8.4) doing the heavy lifting. His 240-plus metres gained per away game confirms he's finding the ball in space and moving it efficiently rather than just accumulating cheap touches.
The one concern is his L5 record against Hawthorn specifically, where he's averaged just 7.5 disposals in away matchups. That's worth noting, but the broader away-game trend and the model's projection both point comfortably over the line. A measured play at these odds.
Hawthorn Hawks vs Brisbane Lions : Hawthorn Hawks Win (-105)
Odds available at sportsbet at time of publishing
The model has Hawthorn at 60% to win this one, against an implied probability of just 51.3% from the $1.95 price — that's a 5.6% edge worth taking seriously. The Hawks' MCG form is the foundation: over their last five home games they've averaged a +17.2 margin, conceding only 82.2 points and generating 59.6 inside 50s per game. Their defensive structure has been suffocating at home, and 65 intercepts per game tells you they're winning the turnover battle in their own half. Brisbane's away record is the other side of the coin — a -3.8 margin average on the road, with opponents piling on 109.8 points against them. Despite the Lions looking elite overall (35-point average margin across L5), that form evaporates away from home. The Hawks' contested possession and clearance numbers hold up at the MCG, and Brisbane's defensive leakiness away from Queensland makes this a genuine edge.
Hawthorn Hawks vs Brisbane Lions : Hawthorn Hawks 2.5 (-111)
Odds available at sportsbet at time of publishing
Hawthorn at home covering a 2.5-point spread against Brisbane is a thin but genuine edge worth taking. The model projects this as a virtual line-ball contest, generating a 3.5% edge against the implied 52.6% probability baked into the $1.90. The Hawks' MCG fortress form is the backbone of the case — averaging a 17.2-point winning margin across their last five home games while conceding just 82.2 points, they've been genuinely hard to beat on their own deck. Their 59.6 inside-50s and 30.4 shots at goal at home show they generate serious forward pressure when the conditions suit.
Brisbane's away record complicates their overall gloss considerably. Strip out home games and the Lions are averaging a -3.8 margin on the road across their last five, conceding 109.8 points. That defensive leakiness away from the Gabba is a real vulnerability, and Hawthorn's home engine should be enough to cover this modest line.