We are heading into the final stages of the 2024 AFL Premiership Season this week as Round 19 kicks off this Friday night with a clash between Essendon and Adelaide at Marvel Stadium. While the Crows season is all but over the Bombers are in a total dog fight for their spot in the top 8, currently tied with 5 other teams on 10 wins. There is no doubt about it, this game is a must win for Essendon.
Draftstars continue to offer massive prize pools with the Friday night main being worth $50,000 along with their usual variety of alternate contests:
- AFL $50,000+ Bombers vs Crows
- AFL $5,000+ Bombers vs Crows High Roller ($150 Entry)
- AFL $2,000+ Bombers vs Crows Fiver
- AFL $3,000+ Bombers vs Crows Mini ($2 Entry)
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Betting Markets
Essendon ($1.43) vs Adelaide ($2.78)
Points: 169.5
Line: Essendon -13.5
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Additionally, we have a full Essendon vs Adelaide Betting Preview for the game where we provide our best bet for the game as well as a great value Same Game Multi!
Weather
No concerns at all on weather with this game being played at Marvel Stadium. Let’s play some fantasy.
Where to Attack?
This is a tough matchup from a fantasy rostering perspective as neither the Bombers or the Crows give up significant fantasy points to any position this season. The best area to attack the Bombers is through wings and attacking defenders where they have been giving up over 4 points per game above league average across the last 10 games. This does play nicely into the game script of stacking up Adelaide backs against Essendon midfielders and forwards if you expect the Bombers to win this game comfortably, which I do.
Game Script – Essendon midfielders and forwards, Adelaide backs
VALUE PLAYS
Zac Taylor ($7,500) showed fantasy scoring capability in the juniors and has been racking it up recently in the SANFL before getting the call up in the past three weeks for the Crows. His first two games he was the sub before getting his first full game last week putting up 86 fantasy points and being used up around the contest significantly throughout the game. This enabled him to notch up a massive 8 clearances and 8 tackles. I love him at this price point in the role the Crows are currently using him in. If he surprisingly does start as the sub again tomorrow, look to Billy Dowling ($9,170) as an alternative.
Kyle Langford ($9,920) has had somewhat of a disappointing season fantasy score wise across the entire year. But he has been hit with interruptions through niggling injuries. The past two weeks has seen him back to his more regular output with 75 and 85 point games. I expect him to continue that trend in this matchup as Essendon should win convincingly. Langford brings a solid 100+ point upside at this price point.
MID PRICED PLAYS
Jake Soligo ($11,810) was on a very solid trajectory mid-season before he hit a bit of a wall in recent weeks. His floor has still consistently been in the 70-80 point mark but we’ll need more of his upside performances at this price point at around 110+. This is a decent matchup for Soligo with the Bombers giving up a few points over league average to inside midfielders.
PREMIUM PLAYS
Zach Merrett ($16,170) had an unusual down game last week with just 91 fantasy points. I can’t see him doing that two weeks in a row. I expect a huge bounce back performance here, he absolutely loves playing at Marvel where he posted three scores last year of 140+. Stack up the Bombers midfielders as they will be looking to stamp their authority on this game from the start after last week’s soft performance against the Demons that threw their season into jeopardy.
Mitchell Hinge ($13,330) returns this week and will resume his role as the designated kicker for the Crows. As we mentioned at the top the attacking half backs are one of the few areas in this game you can attack Essendon with, and I expect there will be plenty of football in the Crows half back line in this matchup. Everyone loaded the Crows back stacks last week and it failed miserably, but I love backing over that play as others get scared from a recent poor performance. Hinge had been in huge form before his injury with back-to-back 116 and 130 point performances.
Suggested Draftstars Team
Cheat Sheet
