St Kilda v Melbourne Rd 20

Sunday, July 27 – 3.15 PM AEST – Venue: Marvel Stadium

St Kilda and Melbourne will be playing for pride and for their fans. Both have had seasons to forget. Melbourne were very disappointing last week against the Blues and will need to ensure they are strong around the contest right from the first bounce. May is out with concussion even if he isn’t suspended at the tribunal on Wednesday night. Harrison Petty is the logical replacement as Jake Lever will miss again too. Johnson should come in too after kicking five goals in the VFL last week.

Paddy Dow has had no luck with injury this season but he may get a game after being very influential in the VFL over recent weeks. Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera and Jack Sinclair were dominant with the ball last week racking up 36 and 33 possessions respectively, and they will have to do it again if the Saints are to beat the Demons.

Tough to pick the winner of this one, but I think the Demons will bounce back in a close one.  

Melbourne by 2+ points

The dust has settled on one of the most incredible finishes we’ve seen all season: St Kilda’s jaw-dropping Round 20 comeback against Melbourne. Down by 46 points at three-quarter time, they rallied to win by six after the siren truly the greatest three-quarter-time turnaround in AFL/VFL history.

You don’t need fancy algorithms to feel the intensity of that comeback. It was the kind of match that grabs you those moments when every scratchy inner voice says, “This can’t happen,” only for the players to prove it absolutely can. Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera erupted in the final term, kicking multiple crucial goals and earning “Messiah” status among fans.

If you’re following AFL Betting Tips, this game was a case study in why you should consider momentum and psychological edge not just raw stats. Going into the final quarter, Melbourne had been dominant. Yet St Kilda’s refusal to stop fighting changed everything. So, when you’re weighing your next AFL Prediction, consider not just who starts fast, but who finishes strongest. Finals football often rewards resilience.

Looking ahead, both teams seem to carry different moods. Melbourne has responded fiercely this season but now faces a shake-up Simon Goodwin has been sacked as coach following this meltdown, and his assistant has taken over. That kind of disruption can ripple through a team. Meanwhile, St Kilda may ride the adrenaline of that victory forward but they’re also managing injuries, including the loss of forward Mitch Owens, ruled out for the season.

So, for sharp AFL Tips, the takeaway is clear: always dig deeper. Don’t just look at ladder positions or formlines. Think about emotional swings, coaching changes, injury tolls, and recent momentum especially something like a stunning comeback that could redefine an entire season.

In short, every AFL Prediction should be grounded in context. After all, footy isn’t played on paper it’s played in moments, in emotion, in that last desperate scramble for the ball. And if Round 20 taught us anything? Never count out the heart.