Thursday’s AFL 2018 Round 13 match is between Port Adelaide Power and Western Bulldogs. The opening kick is set to commence at 19:50 local time with the game to be played at Adelaide Oval. The home team Port Adelaide Power are the favourites for the match. View our preview and teams for the game between Port Adelaide Power and Western Bulldogs.
When: 19:50 | Thursday 14/06/2018
Where: Adelaide Oval
Preview:
The Power and Bulldogs meet on Thursday and while I like Thursday night footy, it’s better off scheduled during the warming months as it gets freezing cold in winter.
Port will derive a lot of confidence from their win over the Tigers and they have beaten some good teams this year and their work in the contest last week was very impressive.
Chad Wingard thrived in the midfield and I expect him to play a similar role as a midfielder who will rest in the forward line.
I’m not sure what the Bulldogs’ game plan will be, their game plan is very unpredictable.
It usually revolves around high use of run and handball.
KEY BATTLE: Jackson Trengove v Charlie Dixon
It’s Trengove’s first game against his old side and he will be setting himself for a big one.
The Verdict
Port Adelaide too good on their home ground.
Power forward Charlie Dixon has been the first goal-scorer in four of Port’s last seven night matches at the Adelaide Oval.
Unibet Odds:
Port Adelaide at $1.11
Western Bulldogs at $7.00
Odds:
Tip: Port Adelaide Power at $1.10
Value Bet: First Goal Scorer: Chad Wingard at $10.00
More Info:
Teams:
Port Adelaide Power:
B: Bonner, Hombsch, Houston
HB: Byrne-Jones, Clurey, Pittard
C: Motlop, Wines, Polec
HF: Boak, Westhoff, Wingard
F: S.Gray, Dixon, R.Gray
FOLL: Ryder, Rockliff, Ebert
I/C: Howard, Powell-Pepper, Marshall, Thomas
EMG: Amon, Johnson, Trengove, Toumpas
IN: Hombsch, Marshall, Thomas
OUT: Jonas, Watts, Neade.
Western Bulldogs:
B: Williams, Trengove, Richards
HB: Crozier, Cordy, Wood
C: Johannisen, Hunter, Lipinski
HF: Daniel, Schache, Wallis
F: Dahlhaus, Bontempelli, Gowers
I/C: Webb, Honeychurch, Biggs, Smith
FOLL: Boyd, McLean, Macrae
EMG: Young, Dunkley, Roughead, Jong
IN: Cordy, Wallis, Webb, Biggs
OUT: Suckling, Morris, Dickson, Roughead.
AFL News:
Injuries have weakened the Port Adelaide and Western Bulldogs backlines ahead of their Thursday night AFL clash.
Bulldogs ironman Dale Morris is out because of knee surgery, meaning fresh speculation about the 35-year-old’s football future.
In-form Power defender Tom Jonas will also miss the Adelaide Oval clash because of a hamstring injury, despite playing out last Friday night’s big home win over Richmond.
Morris made a stunning AFL comeback at the start of the month, after partially tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during the pre-season.
But the premiership defender, one of the AFL’s toughest players, needed an arthroscopy on the same knee.
While the Bulldogs insist this is separate to his ACL injury and also say the operation is a minor procedure, they are unsure how long he will be sidelined.
Power coach Ken Hinkley said on Tuesday night that they would probably lose Jonas for the Bulldogs clash.
Hinkley suspects Jonas suffered the injury in the opening quarter of the Tigers match.
“We’re clearly going to have an issue with Jonas,” Hinkley told Sportsday SA.
“Jonas is probably going to struggle to come up, we’ll confirm that in the morning once we get through it, but he’s got a little nick in his hammy.
“He’ll be out, probably.”
Jack Hombsch will probably take Jonas’ place.
Meanwhile, Bulldogs forward Liam Picken has gone on Twitter to discuss his ongoing concussion problems.
Picken has not played since suffered a heavy head knock during the pre-season.
The premiership player remains unsure when he will return to the AFL.
Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge said in April that there is a chance Picken might not play this season.
“Some of the symptoms that have impacted me have been light and noise sensitivity, noise ringing in my ears, vision, headaches, migraines, mental wellness, memory function and impaired balance,” Picken said of his post-concussion syndrome.
“Some of these I still have and others I’ve fully recovered from. I’m hoping it’s any day now.
“But one of the hardest aspects of post-concussion syndrome is not knowing when you’ll get better.”