GWS Giants open as $5 favourites for 2017 AFL Premiership

Greater Western Sydney are the early favourites at Sportsbet to take out the 2017 AFL Premiership.

The Giants are in red-hot contention for the 2016 flag, sitting second on the ladder behind three-time reigning premiers Hawthorn, yet they are on the fifth line of outright betting at $8.

But while Geelong ($5), Adelaide ($5.50) and Sydney ($6) are all rated better bets to triumph this year, it is Leon Cameron’s men who have opened as $5 favourites in the 2017 AFL futures market.

The Cats are on the second line at $5.50, while the Hawks and the Swans are both at $6.50 odds.

Don Pyke’s Crows ($7) are the only other team in single figures for next year’s title, while the Western Bulldogs round out the top six at $10.

“With a stockpile of talent at its disposal, we knew the GWS tidal wave was coming but it was just a matter of when,” said Sportsbet’s Ben Bulmer.

“The when appears to be in 2017 with GWS starting as the premiership favourite, a fact we should get used to for many years to come.”

However, the Giants aren’t the biggest movers in the next year’s market.

That honour belongs to Essendon, who have shortened to $21 to claim their first AFL Premiership since 2000.

The Bombers were rank $1001 outsiders this season after 12 of their senior players were suspended over the 2012 supplements scandal.

They now look odds-on for the wooden spoon after capitulating last weekend against fellow stragglers Brisbane – the least fancied side for the 2017 title at $501.

But with young stars like Zach Merrett and Orazio Fantasia benefitting from a full season in the firsts, bookies and punters alike are expecting a much stronger showing from the Dons next year when their banned stars return to action.

2017 AFL Premiership betting market

$5 – Greater Western Sydney

$5.50 – Geelong

$6.50 – Sydney

$6.50 – Hawthorn

$7 – Adelaide

$10 – Western Bulldogs

$12 – West Coast

$21 – Essendon

$21 – Port Adelaide

$26 – St Kilda

$31 – North Melbourne

$34 – Melbourne

$34 – Fremantle

$34 – Gold Coast

$34 – Richmond

$34 – Collingwood

$81 – Carlton

$501 – Brisbane

2016 AFL Premiership outright odds

$3.50 – Hawthorn

$5 – Geelong

$5.50 – Adelaide

$6 – Sydney

$8 – Greater Western Sydney

$15 – West Coast

$15 – Western Bulldogs

$26 – North Melbourne

$251 – St Kilda

$1,001 – Port Adelaide

All prices provided by Sportsbet