AFL TIPS: Adelaide v Collingwood

Thursday, September 4 – 7.40 PM AEST – Venue: Adelaide Oval

These two sides played in one of the best games of the season 3 weeks ago at the same ground, with the Crows winning by 3 points. The Pies dominated inside 50 but couldn’t kick a winning score. The Piess have brought in Mason Cox and dropped Dan McStay who has been very disappointing over the past 6-7 weeks. Cox will play deep forward and second ruck, and he has played well in some big finals games for the Pies. If he doesn’t mark it, he’ll bring it to ground to give the small forwards in Jamie Elliott, Lachie Shultz, Beau McCreery and Pat Lipinski plenty of opportunity. Let’s hope McCreery’s foot will allow him to play with the speed the Pies need him to bring to their forward line – it will make a huge difference.

 The risk is coverage down back if one of Moore, Maynard and Frampton get injured or towelled up by Thilthorpe, Fogarty and Tex Walker who is playing his 300^th game tonight.  Jeremy Howe will be badly missed and the Pies will be hoping to get him back from an adducter strain as the finals progress.  

Adelaide at home will be hard to beat, particularly if they can get the crowd up and going early with a few goals. Their pressure is elite – around 180-185 – week in week out, so this is going to be real contest. With Isaac Rankine out suspended and Josh Rachele another week away after injury, Ben Keays and Alex Neal-Bullen will have to get on the move at forward 50 stoppages, which is what Rankine has been No 1 in the competition at post-bye. Max Michalanney returns after he missed 4 games with a hamstring injury, but he’ll probably get a forward role as the backs are all set, and he did a great job locking down the Tigers Nick Vlaustin whilst kicking 3 goals. Could he lock down Josh Daicos, and kick a goal or two as well?  

The ruck battle will be interesting with Cameron and O’Brien both in good form. The Crows skipper Jordan Dawson, Sam Berry and Jake Soligo will create an excellent contest in the middle against Nick Daicos, Scott Pendlebury and Jordan DeGoey.

This should be a great game, but I fancy the Crows will get up.    

Crows by 22 points

Ever feel that buzz ahead of a big match? With Adelaide snapping a nine-year Collingwood hoodoo in Round 23 and locking down a top-two finish, confidence is brewing among the Crows faithful. For anyone mulling over AFL Betting Tips, it’s hard to ignore that home-ground magic and their attacking flair. Those sharp AFL Tips suggest the Crows could press that advantage again, especially after Collingwood edged them earlier in the season. As for an AFL Prediction, the Crows’ momentum and crowd energy at Adelaide Oval could just tip the balance.

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