The 2026 ANZAC Day AFL fixture delivers four matches across the long weekend, headlined by the traditional Essendon versus Collingwood clash on Saturday at Marvel Stadium. The Magpies enter the match as $1.42 favourites with most Australian bookmakers, with Essendon out to $2.85 after an improved but ultimately unsuccessful Round 6 against Carlton.
Essendon vs Collingwood at Marvel
Collingwood come into Round 7 at 5-1 and looking like genuine top-four contenders. Nick Daicos has been in career-best form, averaging 33 disposals per game with nine goal assists for the season. His 39-touch effort in Round 6 against Carlton was one of the individual performances of the season. Predictive analytics from Stats Insider give the Magpies a 73 per cent chance of winning, with a projected 97-77 score line.
Essendon sit at 1-5 but have shown progress. Their Round 6 loss to Carlton was competitive and midfielder Zach Merrett has returned to form after an indifferent start. Head-to-head, the Pies have dominated recent ANZAC Day matches, winning six of the past eight. Punters considering the Bombers need to weigh genuine improvement against the obvious class gap at both ends of the ground.
The Rest of Round 7
Thursday's ANZAC Eve headline match is the Western Bulldogs versus Sydney at Marvel Stadium, with the Swans at $1.24 after their demolition of GWS in Round 6. Tom Papley has been cleared of a hamstring injury scare and will play. Friday's Richmond versus Melbourne clash sees the Tigers at $5.50 as Melbourne continue their strong start.
Saturday also features Hawthorn versus Gold Coast in Launceston (Hawks $1.55) and Geelong versus Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval (Cats $1.22). Sunday rounds out the week with the Dockers hosting Carlton, St Kilda versus West Coast, Brisbane versus Adelaide and GWS versus North Melbourne. The full fixture and starting times are available on AFL.com.au.
What This Means for Punters
ANZAC Day rounds historically produce several upsets as teams adjust to the travel and atmosphere. The Essendon versus Collingwood clash in particular has a history of tight finishes despite lopsided odds in recent years. Punters looking for value should consider the Bombers in line markets at $1.91 to cover the 18.5-point start, which has paid off in three of the past five ANZAC Day meetings. For same game multi players, the combination of a Collingwood win plus Nick Daicos to have 30+ disposals is one of the most backed multi combinations heading into Saturday.