3 minute read
Racing and Sports will provide analysis of games in the 2024 AFL Season.
We'll endeavour to run through the form, incorporate appropriate stats and also supply a betting prediction which won't always just be who will win.
PORT ADELAIDE v MELBOURNE
Saturday 30 March @ Adelaide Oval
We could have seen a potential late season forerunner this week (and we still might) but injury has hit Melbourne hard for the match up with Port.
While the home side are fairly well served, the Demons likely lose not just one but two of their key defenders – the rocks they have built their resurgence around.
Lever and May start and stop everything they do. You need to be going well to get through them. Conservatism surely prevails until it matters more.
The home side this week had to settle and not panic when Richmond got 3 goals up last Sunday. Before and after the half time break they recouped the deficit then held it fairly comfortably late.
Once more it was Butters and Rozee driving them on. That is a great thing but sometimes it would be nice when they don't have to be the ones all the time.
However that is splitting hairs as elite players tend to do elite things.
It was almost a training drill for Melbourne against a boring Hawthorn side. 5 goals to 0 early set the margin much of the game until a dominant last quarter extended that.
But having incurred those in-game problems, a relatively uninteresting match was what they'd desire.
At least Oliver didn't have to shoot all his bullets this week as others joined him. Petracca was the one here.
The Demons have some lovely results against the Power in recent times and several of those have been at the Adelaide Oval.
But it will take a huge effort from the vaunted midfield to get this one done plus Max will have a lot of company at stoppage and Port have targeted him before with the blue print laid out only recently.
Simple maths and logic says you take Port Adelaide given circumstances.
Match Selection: Port Adelaide by 11 points
Suggested Bets: Port Adelaide 1-39 @ $2.05 @ bet365
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