Melbourne vs Port Adelaide AFL odds & betting tips – Rd18, 2022

AFL football heads up north to TIO Stadium in Alice Springs for this Sunday’s clash between the Melbourne Demons and Port Adelaide Power.

The Melbourne Demons have lost their position atop the AFL ladder following a rough last six matches, as they lost three in a row before winning a couple, only to get outplayed by the Geelong Cats last weekend.

Ken Hinkley’s Power are still dreaming of a finals appearance in 2022, which they are well on their way to achieving after winning three of their last four contests and rising to 12th on the ladder.

One of the best players in the league will miss out on the trip to Central Australia for the Demons, as Clayton Oliver underwent surgery on his thumb and did not recover in time for the contest.

This weekend’s squad will be one of the strongest the Port Adelaide Power have submitted this season, as all of their best 22 aside from Scott Lycett will be in attendance.

If the Power are serious about playing in the finals this season, they may come out and give the Demons a run for their money on neutral territory.

Key matchup: Christian Petracca vs Travis Boak

Christian Petracca is the one for the Demons who will step up to fill the void of Clayton Oliver, but it will not be an easy task coming up against Travis Boak and the Power midfielders. Boak is one of the most experienced players in the league, and he has not slowed down in recent years despite his old age.

Petracca has been unstoppable in his last two matches, kicking three goals in each contest and picking up 33 disposals against the Crows. Boak was ultra-consistent to start the season, but he has since been very up-and-down with his form in terms of disposal numbers. Both these stars are worth a look in the disposal betting markets, but the best value will lie with Boak on this occasion.

Melbourne Demons vs Port Adelaide Power AFL betting tips

Port Adelaide Power 1-39
We are taking the Power in an upset this weekend as we think they are the better side for the conditions at Alice Springs. We are yet to see how the Dees will manage without the elite Clayton Oliver this season, and we think it could be a slight worry, considering they lost three consecutive games while Steven May was unavailable.

Travis Boak 25+ disposals
The Demons beat the Power earlier this season in a very low-scoring contest, but one man who stepped up that day was Travis Boak. The veteran midfielder racked up a massive 35 disposals in the gutsy effort, which is one of six occasions he has eclipsed the 30-disposal mark. We have taken Boak to get past 25 touches this weekend, which he has achieved in his last four matches against Melbourne.

Melbourne vs Port Adelaide same game multi picks

The value in this multi comes from the Power to pull off an upset, while Travis Boak to star in the middle and Bayley Fritsch to kick a couple of goals up forward are always worth your time.

More sports betting tips