The typical three-game Sunday slate is upon us again in AFL Round 18 and there’s some juicy matchups on the cards to say the least. Here, we preview the Demons vs Power clash and provide our best bets!
Also, make sure to check out our AFL Betting Tips page regularly to find our best bets for every match of every round!
Melbourne vs Port Adelaide Betting Tips
TIO Traeger Park, Sunday 17th July, 3:20pm AEST
Melbourne Demons
Injuries: Blake Howes, Tom McDonald, Clayton Oliver, Deakyn Smith, Joel Smith, Daniel Turner
Melbourne only have a couple of players on the injury list, but one of those is arguably the best player in the competition in Clayton Oliver. He’ll miss this week due to a fractured thumb that he hurt against the Cats last weekend. Tom McDonald is the only other player in their best 22 who can’t get out on the park due to an ankle injury.
The Demons were thoroughly outplayed in their match against the Cats last weekend, losing by 28 points after trailing from wire-to-wire. The 91 points they conceded was the second most for the season, with the most being 94 against the Dockers back in Round 11. Alarmingly, the Demons have now lost four of their last six matches after starting the season with a perfect 10-0 record. Their midfield depth is set to be tested this weekend in Oliver’s absence and it’ll be interesting to see who gets the bulk of those important minutes around the footy.
Port Adelaide Power
Injuries: Trent Dumont, Orazio Fantasia, Lachie Jones, Jake Pasini, Josh Sinn, Brynn Teakle
Port Adelaide have a relatively healthy roster as well with only six players unavailable for selection. The biggest out among them is probably Orazio Fantasia who continues to nurse a sore quad. Mid-season draftee Brynn Teakle is another one they’d love to have running around in the seniors to fill the noticeable void at the ruck position.
The Power’s season looked to be over before it started when they started off with losses in each of their first five matches, although some impressive form from Round 6 onwards has provided them with some life. They were far too good for the Giants last weekend when winning by 55 points, making it six straight wins on their home deck. The Power are now 8-8 and only one game outside the top eight.
Match Prediction
The Demons got the better of the Power by five goals when they met at the start of April, which made it two wins in a row in this fixture. The Power have certainly improved a lot since that defeat and have kept their slim finals hopes alive with wins in eight of their last 11 matches, which is a better record than the Demons over the same span. On top of that, the Power get a look at the Demons at the neutral venue at TIO Traeger Park, which levels the playing field even further. All things considered, I like the Power to be really competitive in this contest and to cover the small spread.
Port Adelaide Power +10.5 (1 Unit)
$2
Prop Bets
Kane Farrell continues to show why he’s one of the best kicks in the competition with almost a weekly goal from outside 50. He’s kicked at least one in eight out of 10 matches this season and remains good value.
Kane Farrell Anytime Goal Scorer - $1.75 at Ladbrokes
These teams combined for just 104 points when they met earlier in the season, and it wasn’t a big surprise considering the low-scoring affairs they’ve played out in recent years. The current line of 155.5 hasn’t been surpassed in each of their last seven meetings and I expect that streak to continue.
Under 155.5 Total Points - $1.88 at Ladbrokes
