3 minute read
Racing and Sports will provide analysis of many games in the 2019 AFL Season.
We’ll endeavour to run through the form, incorporate appropriate stats and also supply a betting prediction which won’t always just be who will win.
ADELAIDE v RICHMOND
Thursday 13 June @ Adelaide Oval
On a weekend where there are some bad match ups on paper and little to enthuse, a replay of the 2017 AFL Grand Final is one to ignite interest.
A short week is never easy and leading into the bye, some teams have shown already they have checked out before that time off.
Which of Adelaide and Richmond will give their all and which team are potentially thinking of a little down time?
Adelaide is probably wanting to keep the roll going. Twice now they have looked in trouble, in fact gone against Melbourne and then fighting back against the Giants.
It took a much critiqued Taylor Walker, some toughness from Rory Sloane along with some Eddie Betts magic again to get them home in the last five minutes.
How do you assess the Crows? Are they a really good team marking time until the important games or a team in transition doing a top job to get to 7 & 5?
Their style has been very stagnated so far in 2019. It hasn’t the pep or vitality of the 2017 model. That shows in the percentage of 112. Add to that is six teams have scored more than them after just one of the split rounds.
But credit where it is due. The backline holds together. Can they get the forwards to gel once more.
They are taking advantage of a list now devoid of major injuries. You simply have to do that while it lasts as they can arise from nowhere.
Richmond will not be any easy task despite some recent hefty losses. They too are 7 & 5 but their losses have led to a big negative percentage.
Never judge a team when they are undermanned as Richmond were in the end with some substantial late outs. A backline weakened by Rance’s absence was harmed once more.
There is always a tipping point. Has that been reached at Punt Road? This match could be the make or break. They keep piling up every day.
You only have to go back to Round 4 when seemingly given little hope bar for the loyal in yellow and black. It came at this very ground against Port and they had to come from behind in that game too. Tom Lynch was vital with six.
The Adelaide Tom Lynch version was a late out against GWS and is out again. The Richmond version may be a lone Tiger hand again.
Richmond has to stay up in the Crows faces for much longer than they did against Geelong. Maybe that will be easier to do but not by much.
Expecting the Tigers to have a dip early and see if they can unsettle Adelaide. They will go helter skelter and play on you’d think at all costs.
Can’t see the Crows playing the same game. Uncontested from the backline, shifting from side to side and looking to pick off targets in Walker and Jenkins.
Adelaide hasn’t blown teams away so could be close for some time. That does bring an underdog closer to them not that it’s that big a difference. They simply must win this given the circumstances.
Rory Laird always gets those disposals off half back. Take him to rack up 30 possessions.
Match Selection: Adelaide by 25 points
Suggested Bet: Rory Laird 30+ possession @ $2.20
