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.

PORT ADELAIDE v NORTH MELBOURNE

There are Friday night games, and then there is this one.

At least Port come off a top performance granted but this doesn’t shape as a classic.

To their credit, after a shocker the week before, the Power really were dynamic against the Premiers last Friday night. They simply attacked them with pace from the first bounce and were unrelenting.

At no stage did you think West Coast was coming back. Their speed of handball was far too much for their opponents. Compared to the Richmond game, the youngsters stood up and drove the momentum.

Connor Rozee looks a goodun’. Had it not been for Sam Walsh, he’d be a top bet for the Rising Star.

Port isn’t the furnished model but there is a framework to build on in a few years.

That can’t be said of North Melbourne. They’ve lost a lot of dare and are also making it very hard for the main focus (Ben Brown) to get his form back.

He is best on the lead rather than having to grapple and wrestle with the big boppers of the backline.

Without proper delivery, North haven’t the weaponry. Jack Ziebell needs to get hold of the sherrin much more while Cunnington will always do that but isn’t going to hurt breaking the lines.

They bought Pittard and Polec from Port to explode from the backline but that hasn’t happened often enough. Port will be hoping they don’t rediscover it back against their old team on Friday.

Having said all that North’s backline has been leaking too many points and that is never going to work.

Should Port Adelaide bring the same pressure at the ball and kick straight early, this has the potential to be a rather early night.

Covering the start seems a very likely option here as the Power look capable of scoring heavily – certainly more heavily than the Kangas and being at home, you’d hope they offer more than they did against Richmond.

Match Selection: Port Adelaide by 46 points

Suggested Bet: Port Adelaide -27.5 @ $1.90