Preliminary final round of the 2024 AFL Finals Series gets underway this Friday night as we see the Sydney Swans host Port Adelaide at the SCG. After looking like the best team in the league for the first half of the season and being on track to romp through to the Grand Final, things went a bit pear shaped down the back end of the season. Even still, Sydney was able to orchestrate a magical comeback in their first final to make it straight through to a home prelim. Meanwhile it has been a rollercoaster ride for Port Adelaide who were thoroughly beaten in the first week of the finals before knocking out arguably the form team of the competition last week. This should be a great contest and we can all be unsure exactly what we are going to get, noting that the last time these two sides met this year, the Power demolished Sydney by over 100 points.
Daily fantasy players will enjoy the games on offer as Draftstars continue their massive prize pools with the main contest for this game being worth $75,000 along with their usual variety of alternate contests:
- AFL $75,000+ Swans vs Power
- AFL $7,500+ Swans vs Power High Roller ($150 Entry)
- AFL $2,000+ Swans vs Power Fiver
- AFL $3,000+ Swans vs Power Mini ($2 Entry)
Betting Markets
Sydney ($1.32) vs Port Adelaide ($3.30)
Points: 168.5
Line: Sydney -19.5
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 Swans vs Power Betting Preview for the game where we provide our best bet for the game as well as a great value Same Game Multi!
Weather
22 degrees and sunny. No weather impact to fantasy.
Where to Attack?
As always with big finals it’s very hard to find areas to attack in the single game slates. Both Sydney and Port Adelaide have been very stingy teams for allowing fantasy points across the season, but the area where you can target the Swans is via the opposition’s backline. Sydney have given up over 5 points per game above league average to general defenders and over 2 points above league average to designated kickers.
An interesting area to breakdown is the fact that Sydney give up a high number of fantasy points to chains of play after turnovers leading to opponents transitioning the football, while Port Adelaide scored the third highest amount of points in the league from chains after turnovers. So, I love game stacks for Port that include their outside players along with their best interceptors. This was a key component to how Port Adelaide beat Sydney by over 100 points in Round 21.
Game Script – Port Adelaide backs (interceptors) and Port Adelaide outside players
VALUE PLAYS
Quinten Narkle ($6,000) / Josh Sinn ($6,000)
Like last week I think we can go back to these minimum priced plays for the Power in this slate. Remember to check for the final teams and the sub situation, but if either are named on the ground, I would automatically look to roster one or even both. Narkle started on the ground last week and returned a very respectable 54 fantasy points. Meanwhile, Josh Sinn managed just 44 points, but again at a minimum price in this type of slate that is a relatively respectable floor if you can nail your premium plays.
Further to this, I love Sinn in Port stacks on this slate to link up with other half backs and wingers who will potentially take advantage of chains of play when Port are in transition.
Logan McDonald ($8,050) should have every opportunity to take advantage of the Power’s smaller backline in this matchup. I would be looking to build teams based off game scripts so if you are playing McDonald look to link up with a few other key Sydney players through the midfield. Alternatively, if you are looking for a well-priced key forward for Port Adelaide stacks consider Charlie Dixon ($7,780) who is coming into the team for an injured Marshall.
MID PRICED PLAYS
Miles Bergman ($10,520) / Logan Evans ($10,550)
In line with the play of stacking up Port Adelaide intercepting backs with outside players both Miles Bergman and Logan Evans offer potential in a game stack around this theory. Bergman has moved to the back line in recent weeks, while Evans has showed scoring potential in his role with an 83 and 93 point game from his last three games. As noted above, Sydney leak points to backs at a solid rate and you can potentially look to stack up Jase Burgoyne ($12,340) as part of this to link up the transition chains with the rest of the team.
PREMIUM PLAYS
Brodie Grundy ($14,030)… while Jordan Sweet has been in top fantasy form in recent weeks, I think that will be cut short this week against Grundy. The Swans have been one of the hardest teams in the league for rucks to score against and Grundy is coming off one of his better games in the last month last round with a 98 point output.
Jason Horne-Francis ($13,340)… I will continue to go with Horne-Francis in these finals as an upside play and a bit of point of difference. The SCG ground should suit his game style with more inside play while also giving the opportunity to land on the end of Port Adelaide’s transition chains up forward.
Suggested Draftstars Team
Cheat Sheet
