The Blues will start as just slight underdogs when they host Port Adelaide at the MCG in Round 5 on Saturday night. As usual, our AFL guru PuntingInDanger is back on deck with a full preview and betting tips for the clash below.
AFL Carlton vs Port Adelaide Betting Tips
MCG, Saturday 7.25pm
The Power will be riding high after a fantastic Round 4 win over the Tigers and they will be on the road against a feisty Blues team that was too good for the Suns on the weekend.
Match Prediction
The Power travelled to West Coast in Round 3 with their undefeated record on the line and failed to get the job done, going down by 37 points in a pretty unconvincing game. They couldn’t have bounced back in better fashion, downing the Tigers in another thriller at Adelaide Oval to move to 3-1 on the season and jump into the top 5 on the ladder. They’ll be desperate for a win here before a tough stretch begins which sees them play the Saints, Lions and Western Bulldogs over their next four rounds.
The Blues started the season with back to back losses to Richmond and Collingwood but have also bounced back to win their last two over the Dockers and the Suns. They still have one of the toughest looking injury lists in the league, with up to nine best 22 players potentially out for the clash against the Power.
Port Adelaide also suffered some injuries in their win over the Tigers. The exciting young trio of Zak Butters, Xavier Duursma and Connor Rozee all went down with injury in the game, with only Rozee a chance to play this week. Todd Marshall and Orazio Fantasia will also need to prove fitness in order to play against the Blues.
The Power have been dominant over the Blues in recent history, winning their last four meetings in a row dating back to 2016. Those four wins have come at an average of 27.5 points, which makes the 4.5 point line in favour of the Power seem a little low here, especially given how many injuries the Blues are carrying at the moment. Like the look of the Power at the MCG.
Power -4.5 (1.5 Units)
$1.90
Blues Prop
Marc Murphy has been spending much more time forward this year as the Blues young midfield core continues to develop. He is getting less of the footy but has hit the scoreboard in the last two games, kicking 1 goal against the Dockers and two against the Suns. Back him to kick at least one against the Power on Saturday night.
Power Prop
Some extra time in the midfield will be up for grabs for Port Adelaide players with Zak Butters coming out of the line-up. Travis Boak’s disposal numbers in his four games so far reads 29, 26, 30 and 27. He’s right on the money week in, week out and with no Butters in the line-up he’ll be expected to win even more of the footy.
