When and Where:
4.10pm at AAMI Stadium
Overall Head-To-Head:
Adelaide – 13
Port Adelaide – 17
Draws – 0
Last Time They Met:
Port Adelaide 14.14 (98) defeated Adelaide 9.12 (66), Round 4, 2011 at AAMI Stadium
Recent Form:
Adelaide – LLWLL
Essendon – LLLLL
Current Ladder Positions:
Adelaide – 14th (4-12)
Port Adelaide – 17th (2-14)
Key Players:
Bernie Vince was one of the main players who came under severe criticism after the Crows’ dismal performance last round. The 25-year-old only gathered 13 disposals in perhaps his poorest game for the year. Vince was slammed for not going in hard at the contest and almost seeming disinterested. However the midfielder is a class act and should be able to bounce back against the bottom-placed Power on Sunday night.
The last time these two teams met, Justin Westhoff played perhaps the best game of his career. The 24-year-old was named the best man on the ground for his two-goal, 24-disposal and 10-mark performance, which helped the Power win their first game of the season. Westhoff has been sidelined for the past few weeks with a foot injury. However he’s been rushed back into the side for Sunday’s game, because Port Adelaide’s match committee is well aware of his previous feats against the Crows.
Adelaide Team Changes:
IN – Chris Knights, Ivan Maric, Aidan Riley and Taylor Walker
OUT – Brad Symes (Jaw), Kurt Tippett (Hamstring), Brad Moran and Richard Tambling
Essendon Team Changes:
IN – Justin Westhoff
OUT – Ben Jacobs (Quad)
Who Wins?
Never have there been so many subplots – mainly negative – in the lead up to a South Australian derby.
What a past week for the Adelaide Football Club. Following the Crows’ worst performance in AFL history – a 103-point loss to St Kilda last round – Neil Craig fell on his own sword and resigned as senior coach on Monday. It was a sad day for South Australian footy, but one that needed to happen, because Craig had lost the players, supporters and the media. Former Crows skipper Mark Bickley, who has been earmarked for this job for a while, will take over for the rest of the season and has a golden chance to impress the club’s board.
Craig’s departure from the Crows, as well as the bye last weekend, has meant Port Adelaide has escaped the negative press over the past week and a half. But let’s not forget the Power have had a deplorable season to date, currently sitting on the bottom of the ladder with little support from fans and the media. However Sunday presents them with the perfect opportunity to spoil a party being hosted by their greatest rivals. The Power will go into the game full of confidence, knowing they have won four of the past five South Australian derbies, including an inspirational come-from-behind victory earlier this season. A win would not only give the players plenty of confidence but would also lift them off the bottom of the ladder.
However the new coach factor at the Crows will get them the win here. Players always lift the week after a coach has been sacked, because they know they could be next on the chopping board. Adelaide is the best bet of the round – it’s a certainty to win.
Best Head-To-Head Bet:
Adelaide by 25+ ($2.75 – Sportsbet)
Also Sportingbet Australia is doing a first goal scorer special on the AFL, on top of the usual first goal scorer payout. If your first goal scorer bet scores the second goal, the guys at Sportingbet will pay you out as well! If he kicks the first two, they will pay you double! Get on!
Other Suggested Bets:
First Goal Scorer – Jared Petrenko on Sportingbet