It’s been a disappointing season for South Australian football, however there’s plenty of pride at stake in Showdown 52 on Saturday night! Can Adelaide do the double over the Power for the first time since 2017?
Jack Tobin has you covered with his Showdown preview, and the BeforeYouBet team has you covered with their AFL Tips for every game this season.
Port Adelaide vs Adelaide Betting Tips
Adelaide Oval, Saturday 20th August, 7:30pm (AEST)
Port Adelaide
Injuries: Tom Clurey, Lachie Jones, Scott Lycett, Jake Pasini
The Power will only have one change this week with Robbie Gray to come back into the side for his final AFL game after being managed last week. Riley Bonner makes way for Gray, while unused medi-sub Jackson Mead has been omitted. Tom Clurey (knee) and Lachie Jones (hamstring) have been sent in for surgery in a bid to have them ready for the start of pre-season.
Port Adelaide were utterly dominant en-route to an 84 point demolition of Essendon at Marvel Stadium. The Power recorded +58 disposals, +14 inside 50’s, +11 contested possessions, +7 tackles and converted a whopping 47% inside 50’s into scores. They were smashed in the clearances with Jeremy Finlayson as their ruck, but they dominated every other aspect of the game.
The Power would be seething after their four point loss to Adelaide in Round Three, and with this being Robbie Gray’s final game of his stellar career, Port Adelaide will come out all guns blazing. Port Adelaide played a ruthless brand of football in both attack and defence last week, and will be looking to replicate that performance against their arch rivals.
Adelaide
Injuries: Luke Brown, Will Hamil, Shane McAdam, Andrew McPherson, Josh Rachele, Paul Seedsman, Rory Sloane
Shane McAdam’s season is over after a hamstring strain against North Melbourne last week, while Wayne Milera comes back into the side after being a late withdrawal last week with a back issue.
A five goal to none final quarter saw the Crows storm home to a 29 point win over North Melbourne last week. Jordan Dawson (33 disposals) and Rory Laird (25 disposals) once again carried the load for the Crows. Dawson will be looking forward to his second Showdown, after claiming the Showdown Medal and kicking the winning goal against the Power back in Round Three.
Adelaide has won three games in a row, with Matthew Nicks clearly creating a galvanised group that believes in his system, despite the lack of talent they possess. The Crows would love nothing more than to cap off their season with a second Showdown win in 2022.
Match Prediction
Despite this being a dead rubber clash, there’s plenty of theatre around it after Ollie Wines’ comments about the Adelaide Football Club this week. Port Adelaide are a much different side than what they were at the start of the season, and the Crows will see that on Saturday night. The Crows started the season 3-3 while the Power were 1-5, yet Port Adelaide have still won more games than the Crows.
Port Adelaide have won four of the last five Showdown’s by an average of 46 points. They were in a horrible patch of form when they lost to the Crows and they’ll be eager to atone for their loss earlier in the season. A ruthless Power outfit will send off Robbie Gray in fitting fashion.
Port Adelaide -19.5
$1.90 (3 Units)
Prop Bets
Connor Rozee has had a breakout season in 2022 and is finishing strong, averaging 26 disposals per game in the last five weeks. Rozee has returns of 33, 35 and 28 disposals in his last five games and it’s difficult to see the Crows finding a way to stop the young star.
Connor Rozee 25+ Disposals, $1.80 with Ladbrokes
Travis Boak loves playing in the Showdown, with three Showdown Medals to his name. In his last five games against Adelaide he has record disposal tallies of 28, 27, 28, 24 (shortened quarters), and 28.
Travis Boak, 30+ Disposals, $2.10 with Ladbrokes
Jeremy Finlayson’s move into the ruck has seen the former Giant produce some of the best football of his career, using his athleticism to be an extra midfielder for the Power. Finlayson is in goal kicking form with two goals in each of his last two games.
Jeremy Finlayson 2+ Goals, $2.70 with Ladbrokes
