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Kate’s Bolters - AFL Players to Watch - Round 5 2026

10/04/2026|Kate McCarthy|AFL Tips & Predictions
<p><meta charset="utf-8"></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Welcome to the </span><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/australian-rules"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Round 5</span></a><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"> edition of Kate’s Bolters!</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Gather Round is finally here and with all 18 clubs descending on Adelaide, it’s a footy fans paradise.</span></p><p style="background-color:#ffffff;line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:0pt;margin-top:0pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">I’ve been keeping a close eye on the AFL season so far to find the value for footy fans and punters alike.</span></p><p style="background-color:#ffffff;line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:0pt;margin-top:0pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">&nbsp;</span></p><p style="background-color:#ffffff;line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:0pt;margin-top:0pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Whether they’re an under-the-radar-performer, or a bona-fide gun, you’ll find the best AFL players to watch in Kate’s Bolters.</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">For the inside lane on players to watch every round, check out our expert AFL Round 5 analysis by Kate McCarthy below.&nbsp;</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:11pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">&nbsp;</span></p><h2 style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:4pt;margin-top:18pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:17pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Kate’s Bolters - AFL’s Best Players to Watch in Round 5</span></h2><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:11pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">&nbsp;</span></p><h3 style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:4pt;margin-top:14pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:13pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Murphy Reid - Fremantle Dockers</span></h3><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">A great matchup for the young Freo side this week against the Pies on Friday night.</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Collingwood have been rocks and diamonds so far this season and are showing signs of faltering after a disappointing performance against the Lions at the Gabba last week.</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Here’s a fun stat, so far this season, we’ve seen the Pies concede the most disposals to general forwards in the comp, averaging 23 per game.</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Great value for a 23+ this week for the 2025 Rising Star Murphy Reid.</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">I think Freo will control the game from start to finish against the more experienced Collingwood side. And that Murphy Reid is set for a big game in this one.</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"><strong>Betting tip:&nbsp;</strong></span><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/australian-rules/afl/collingwood-v-fremantle-10320045"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Murphy Road 23+ disposals.</span></a></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:11pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">&nbsp;</span></p><h3 style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:4pt;margin-top:14pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:13pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Max Gawn - Melbourne Demons</span></h3><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">The Dees take on the wounded Bombers at Gather Round, with plenty of fans, (myself included) expecting Melbourne to rack up a massive score in this one.</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Love Big Maxy for any time goal this week against the Dons. Great value here.</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Melbourne have been kicking some big scores this year and will be full of confidence after toppling the Gold Coast.</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">I think Max will get well on top in his matchup with the inexperienced Essendon rucky Lachie Blakiston.</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Maxy’s in for a big one at Gather Round.</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"><strong>Betting tip:&nbsp;</strong></span><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/australian-rules/afl/essendon-v-melbourne-10320048"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Max Gawn Anytime goal scorer.</span></a></p><h3 style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:4pt;margin-top:14pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:13pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></h3><h3 style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:4pt;margin-top:14pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:13pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Oscar Allen - Brisbane Lions</span></h3><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Brissy Lions key forward Oscar Allen is starting to find his groove at the Lion’s Den. He slotted three goals last week against the Pies and looked at home in the maroon, blue and gold.</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">I’ve got a good feeling about him slotting a few in this one, and I think he’s starting to put together a big year for the back-to-back reigning premiers (even though they still can’t get a run on Adelaide Oval).</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">I’m expecting Oscar Allen to go from strength to strength in this one and slot another three+ goals for Brisbane.</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"><strong>Betting tip:&nbsp;</strong></span><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/australian-rules/afl/north-melbourne-v-brisbane-lions-10320047"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Oscar Allen 3+ goals.</span></a></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:11pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></p><h3 style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:4pt;margin-top:14pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:13pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Small Forwards - Geelong Cats</span></h3><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">I’m looking at a potential scoreboard blitz at Norwood Oval when Geelong take on West Coast.</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Despite their pair of early season wins, West Coast still concede the most goals in the AFL. Their defence was decimated last week by the Swans who scored an absurd 163.</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">I think the small brigade of Shaun Mannagh, Jack Martin and Ollie Dempsey pushing forward are a great shout to hit the scoreboard.</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">I’d be looking to have all three in a Same Game Multi.</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"><strong>Betting tip:&nbsp;</strong></span><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/australian-rules/afl/geelong-cats-v-west-coast-eagles-10320056/sgm"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">SGM - Shaun Mannagh, Jack Martin &amp; Ollie Dempsey to score anytime.</span></a></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:11pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">&nbsp;</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:12pt;margin-top:12pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Odds are subject to change.*</span></p>
Nick Daicos
Marcus Bontempelli
Bailey Smith
Christian Petracca
Zak Butters
Isaac Heeney
Jai Newcombe
Harry Sheezel
Lachie Neale
Kysaiah Pickett
Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera
Caleb Serong
Will Ashcroft
Finn Callaghan
Jason Horne-Francis
Max Holmes
Luke Davies-Uniacke
Luke Jackson
Chad Warner
Matt Rowell
Jordan Dawson
Max Gawn
Noah Anderson
Shai Bolton
Andrew Brayshaw
Clayton Oliver
Ed Richards
Sam Walsh
Zach Merrett
Brodie Grundy
Hugh McCluggage
Jack Steele
Josh Rachele
Justin McInerney
Murphy Reid
Nick Blakey
Nick Watson
Patrick Cripps
Archie Roberts
Ben King
Callum Mills
Callum Wilkie
Charlie Curnow
Colby McKercher
Harley Reid
Hayden Young
Izak Rankine
Jack Ginnivan
Jack Gunston
Jack Sinclair
Jagga Smith
Jeremy Cameron
Josh Daicos
Josh Dunkley
Josh Treacy
Levi Ashcroft
Patrick Dangerfield
Riley Thilthorpe
Sam Flanders
Samuel Lalor
Tim Taranto
Toby Greene
Touk Miller

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