Week 2 of the 2024 AFL Finals Series gets underway this Friday night as the current darlings of the league continue their unlikely cinderella run to a flag. Amazingly, Hawthorn will go into this game against Port Adelaide in Adelaide as over a goal favourites after a stunning demolition of the Western Bulldogs last week. The Power on the other hand will be looking to save face, their coach and their season after a humiliating loss in the first week to Geelong.
Daily fantasy players will also rejoice as Draftstars continue their massive prize pools for the AFL Finals, with the main contest for this game being worth $70,000 along with their usual variety of alternate contests:
- AFL $70,000+ Power vs Hawks
- AFL $7,500+ Power vs Hawks High Roller ($150 Entry)
- AFL $2,000+ Power vs Hawks Fiver
- AFL $3,000+ Power vs Hawks Mini ($2 Entry)
The AFL Star contest is back for 2024 and Draftstars are offering the biggest prize pool in Australian DFS history with a $1 million guaranteed final with $250,000 top prize! There's only a couple more chances to qualify for the AFL Star final this season so jump into the qualifiers in the Draftstars lobby now!
Betting Markets
Port Adelaide ($2.31) vs Hawthorn ($1.59)
Points: 166.5
Line: Hawthorn -8.5
If you’re looking to bet on the AFL this season, then you can bet with PlayUp by using the same account that you have at Draftstars. PlayUp are Australian owned and offer an strong range of AFL betting markets and offers, including Same Game Multis.
Additionally, we have a full Power vs Hawks Betting Preview for the game where we provide our best bet for the game as well as a great value Same Game Multi!
Weather
18 degrees and partly cloudy.
Perfect finals football weather with no expected on the game or our fantasy scores.
Where to Attack?
As is often the case once finals football arrives there are little avenues to attack as both sides are quality and don’t concede fantasy scores to any position. By the numbers the Hawks have given up above average points to opposition defenders over the last 10 games as well as in the ruck (although as we saw last week, once the finals come around big Meek is taking no prisoners).
On the flip side, Port Adelaide concede around league average to general forwards, designated kickers and rucks and everything else is below average.
In games like this it is best to roster based off game script. With everyone behind the Hawks I think a nice play is to fade the squares and stack up the Power in this matchup. Often the teams that win in the first week of the finals are too highly rated in the markets and by the general public, so there is definitely opportunity for a point of difference by being big on Port Adelaide players in this matchup.
Game Script – Port Adelaide forwards and midfielders, Hawks backs
VALUE PLAYS
Josh Sinn ($6,000) returns to the Port lineup this week after Burton is out injured. There will always be a sub risk with Sinn so keep an eye on the final teams but he has been named on the ground at this stage. Sinn has produced a relatively stable floor this year for a minimum priced player averaging 54 points per game. If Sinn was to be the sub I would pivot to Quinten Narkle ($6,000) as another minimum priced option.
Willie Rioli ($7,060) / Todd Marshall ($7,650)
If you are following a Port Adelaide game script I like getting value from the forwards. You could even add Charlie Dixon to the mix here. Rioli and Marshall both have shown big upside if the Power get the win here, and in a final you need to hit on these low-priced players who hit their ceiling scores. Make sure if you are rostering cheap Power forwards you are stacking up the rest of the team with Port Adelaide players.
MID PRICED PLAYS
Josh Ward ($9,860) is the clear option on this slate in this mid-range price point. After coming back into the team for the first final last week he immediately dropped a 100+ point game and featured heavily in the Hawks midfield attending over 50% of their centre bounces. With that role he will still be well priced considering the tightness of pricing and value options in a final. The main thing to consider is whether you just fade Ward here to go against what will likely be one of the more popular plays on this slate.
PREMIUM PLAYS
Jason Horne-Francis ($13,110) is a player I love for big finals performances as his career goes on and it could start this Friday night. He tore the Hawks apart during their one meeting in the season with a best on ground 27 possessions and 2 goals to the tune of 112 fantasy points. While there is the risk the Hawks will target him similar to the way they worked over Bontempelli last week, in my Power stacks I love him as a centre piece.
Connor Rozee ($15,310)… it is really hard to see both Rozee and Butters letting go of the rope again this week like they did in the first final. After they copped it all week in the media, I expect them to come out all guns blazing this Friday night and we all know what they’re capable off fantasy scoring wise.
Suggested Draftstars Lineup
Cheat Sheet
