Essendon vs Sydney Prediction and Tips - AFL Round 23, 2026
Last updated: Aug 16, 2026, 6:40AM | Published: Aug 9, 2026, 9:25AM
Essendon will take on the favoured Sydney in AFL Round 23 action at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday, starting at 4:40pm AEST.
This article features Stats Insider's prediction and tips for the Essendon vs Sydney game, along with the latest betting odds.
Who Will Win?
Utilising trusted machine learning and data, Stats Insider has simulated the outcome of Sunday's Essendon vs Sydney AFL match 10,000 times.
Our independent predictive analytics model currently gives the Swans a 95% chance of defeating the Bombers in Round 23 of the 2026 AFL season.
Essendon vs Sydney: Odds
The latest Bet365 betting odds for Sunday's AFL clash at the Melbourne Cricket Ground are shown below:
- Head to Head: Essendon $12.00, Sydney $1.03
- Line: Essendon +56.5 ($1.91), Sydney -56.5 ($1.91)
- Total (Over/Under 184.5 Points): Over $1.91, Under $1.91
Odds are correct at the time of publication and subject to change.
Looking at the latest head-to-head odds, Bet365 currently has Essendon at $12.00 and Sydney at $1.03.
The Bombers are 56.5-point underdogs against the Swans, with odds of $1.91 available at Bet365.
For the favourite Swans (-56.5) to cover the line, Bet365 offers odds of $1.91.
The over/under for total points scored is set at 184.5 with Bet365, which has odds of $1.91 for the over and $1.91 for the under.
According to Stats Insider's analytics model, the Bombers (+56.5) are predicted to cover the line 52% of the time, while the 184.5-point over/under is expected to go over 56% of the time.
Essendon vs Sydney: Betting Tips
- Head to Head: Sydney at $1.03 with Bet365
- Line: Essendon +56.5 at $1.91 with Bet365
- Total Points: Over 184.5 at $1.91 with Bet365
Our Essendon vs Sydney betting tips are based on complex simulations and gambling expertise to give you the best possible advice every time.
Essendon vs Sydney: Prediction
Stats Insider's predicted final score for Essendon vs Sydney at the Melbourne Cricket Ground this Sunday is Sydney winning 121-66.
This prediction is based on each team's average score following 10,000 game simulations.
Stats Insider provides full betting coverage of the Essendon vs Sydney match on Sunday, including data-driven predictions and live updatestips.
18+. Odds correct at time of publishing and subject to change.Our model updates regularly, so keep checking this page for the latest betting predictions before the Essendon vs Sydney match.
As always, see our Best Bets for the best tips for every AFL match, plus predictions for a wide range of other sports.
Essendon vs Sydney: Essential Details
The AFL Round 23 clash between the Bombers and Swans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground is scheduled to start at 4:40pm AEST on Sunday.
- Teams: Essendon vs Sydney
- Date: Sunday 16 August 2026
- Time: 4:40pm AEST
- Venue: Melbourne Cricket Ground
All dates and times in this article are in Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST), unless otherwise noted.
Conclusion
Our Essendon vs Sydney predictions are the result of 10,000 data-driven simulations of the game, carefully curated by our team of experienced data scientists and analysts. We use the latest in predictive analytics technology and machine learning to ensure our AFL tips are trustworthy and reliable, giving you the confidence to make informed decisions.
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