Round 1 of the 2021 AFL season continues on Sunday with three games on the cards, beginning with the early fixture between North Melbourne and Port Adelaide. Catch our match prediction and player props for this clash right here!
Remember, you can check out our preview and tips for every game in Round 1 and beyond of the AFL season, just be sure to head to our AFL Betting Tips page for regular updates.
This season, we will be using a staking system to gauge our confidence on our match bets for each game. Bets will be given a 1-3 unit stake, with three units being the highest level of confidence.
2021 AFL Round 1 North Melbourne vs Port Adelaide Tips
Marvel Stadium, Sunday 21st March 1.10pm (AEDT)
North Melbourne get the opportunity to play in front of their home fans for the first time in 12 months when they host one of the flag-fancies in Port Adelaide. The traditional 1.10pm Sunday time slot returns in Round 1 and it’s forecasted to be welcomed with a sunny 26 degrees.
Match Prediction
This is one of many matches this weekend that have been touted as a one-sided affair by the bookies. One club finished top of the ladder last season and the other finished second last.
North Melbourne get their first home game of the season underway at Marvel Stadium after a troublesome 2021 which saw them secure just three wins. North have gone through an obvious rebuild that has seen them appoint a new Head Coach in David Noble, which fans hope will be the start of something special.
It’s expected that Luke Davies-Uniacke and Tom Powell will be given plenty of midfield time to potentially form the nucleus of their centre, while the likes of Luke McDonald and Jy Simpkin are the two players that look likely to take the next step.
Port Adelaide come into this season looking to go one or two places better than last season where they lost in the Preliminary Final to Richmond by one kick. The Power bring back the same coaching staff and leadership group in hope to achieve the biggest goal in football.
The Power made some savvy additions in the off-season by adding the likes of Aliir Aliir and Orazio Fantasia into the mix, which will help fill some holes in the team.
Although this is Round 1 an no one can be too sure how things will pan out, it’s hard to make a case for North Melbourne coming close to Port Adelaide here. North are going to struggle to win games this season and they come up against one of the genuine flag-fancies firs up. This has all the makings of a bloodbath and we’ll be taking the Power to cover the spread as a result.
Port Adelaide -33.5 (2.5 Units)
$1.90
North Melbourne Prop
This was a tough market to find value, but we do fancy a little wager on Jy Simpkin to collect 25+ disposals. He averaged a career high 20.2 disposals last campaign in shortened quarters and will have another huge chance in the midfield this season. He’s slated to play on the pill in Round 1, making him a solid play on Sunday.
Jy Simpkin 25+ Disposals
$1.83
Port Adelaide Prop
We’re expecting the Power to have a big advantage in disposals in this game, so it will be no surprise to see a bunch of their players rack up 20+. The player we see the most value in is Karl Amon. He’s turned into a fantastic wingman but there’s talk that he will also get a run on ball this season, which we saw a bit of in their pre-season games. With increased opportunity and playing against one of the weaker teams in the competition, expect Amon to rack up at least 20 touches here.
Karl Amon 20+ Disposals
$2
