Port Adelaide v Brisbane, AAMI Stadium

Port Adelaide last year made the Grand Final however they have yet to win a match this season. They played Geelong, Sydney and Adelaide giving a good account of themselves in two of those matches. All of those three teams have shown great early season form and are playing top 4 football so Port have really just been unlucky to strike such a difficult draw in the first few rounds.

Brisbane has yet to really get going, a close victory over Collingwood the only thing they have to show from the first 3 rounds. They are an improved team with Bradshaw back up forward and Travis Johnstone slotting in to the midfield. However the team still contains lots of inexperience in Patfull, Rischitelli, Leunberger, Stiller, Henderson, Hooper, Corrie and Begley. They missed the finals last season and will be touch and go this year.

Boak, Thomas and Stewart are the youngsters for Port in the midfield and Carlisle in defence however the others are an experienced bunch and can beat the Lions in the midfield with Lade and Brogan controlling the Ruck. I can’t see Port dropping their first 4 matches particularly this one at home and needless to say they will be very hungry to get on the winners list. The only issue for the Power is the issue every team faces when playing the Lions and that is Jonathon Brown. Port’s defence is a little inexperienced and whoever gets the job on Brown will have his work cut out. Having Bradshaw up forward also presents another forward target that will have to be matched up with but the Cornes and Burgoyne boys will be fired up for this one and should get the best of the midfield battle drying up supply to big Brown.

They should be on for this one Port and will be motivated from the beginning to the end and could win convincingly though if Brown and Bradshaw fire it could very easily be keeped close, picking a margin is therefore difficult. I expect Port to come to play and take the lead early and I can’t see them relinquishing it.

Port to be in front at half time and full time.



Pick : Port HT/FT double
Odds : 1.80
Stake : 8 / 10
Bookmaker : SportingBet
Date : 2008-04-12
Match Result : 104-124
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