Same Game multi tips for Gold Coast vs. Port Adelaide China match

Sunday, May 14, 2017, 3.15pm, Jiangwan Sports Stadium, China.

Ladder position:

Gold Coast Suns: 11th
Port Adelaide Power: Seventh

Season record:

Gold Coast Suns: 3-4
Port Adelaide Power: 4-3

Last five match results:

Gold Coast Suns: WWLLW
Port Adelaide Power: LLWWL

Head to head odds:

Gold Coast Suns: $3.05 with Sportsbet.com.au
Port Adelaide Power: $1.39 with Sportsbet.com.au

Line betting odds:

Gold Coast Suns: +20.5 ($1.92 with Sportsbet.com.au)
Port Adelaide Power: -20.5 ($1.92 with Sportsbet.com.au)

WELCOME to the Jiangwan Sports Paradise where the Gold Coast Suns and Port Adelaide Power will break new ground with the first game played for AFL points in China.

What a build up it has been – and none of it positive.

From Gold Coast coach Rodney Eade vowing not to take any players who suffer from asthma to the smog filled city, to category 50 sand storms, to 20 hour flights in cattle class, not much good has been said about the historic match up.

And what about the estimated 50 million homes the game is set to be broadcast into? Is that even going to happen?

Who knows.

But hey, if Kochy says it’s good, it must be, right?

Anyway, we reckon the coaches, Ken Hinkley and Eade might be just a little dirty about having to cart their high priced stars across the globe to play a meaningless Round 8 game in China that might just have lasting ramifications on their season.

The two teams enjoyed vastly different fortunes on the weekend, with the Suns rolling top four side Geelong, while the Power were upset by the West Coast Eagles on their home deck.

It makes for an intriguing match up that feels far more even than the odds would suggest.

Not many would have picked the Suns against the Cats last weekend, even if it was at the Metricon, but the sapping heat, coupled with massive games from midfield maestros Gary Ablett and Aaron Hall helped them get the job done as underdogs.

Both of those men had 32 possession – Hall adding 10 marks – as the Suns led at every change and managed to curtail the influence of Cats’ stars Joel Selwood and Patrick Dangerfield.

Captain Tom Lynch slotted 3.5 in an inaccurate performance, while Callum Ah Chee matched his output in front of the big sticks in the 18.16 (124) to 15.9 (99) win.

Back in Adelaide, Port disappointed in a 10 point loss to the Eagles, 15.7 (97) to 12.15 (87).

The Power showed why scoreboard pressure is just so important, managing 27 scoring shots to 22, but still falling to a more accurate Eagles side.

It wasn’t for lack of effort, though, with attacking midfielder Chad Winged gathering 34 disposals and Brad Ebert adding 30, while big forward target Charlie Dixon slotted three goals, adding 10 marks and 22 disposals for good measure.

The Power were behind at every change, but came home with a wet sail to boot five goals to three in the last term, but the damage had already been done and they were consigned to defeat, raising more questions than answers in the process.

How did they lose in their home cauldron to an Eagles side that has shown an ineptitude to winning any where outside Perth?

Maybe the game in China will help give a better picture of where the Power is at as a side… Maybe.

Suggested Same Game Multi

Gold Coast Suns at the line +20.5 ($1.92)

Total match score over 194.5 ($1.90)

Brad Ebert to have 25 or more disposals ($1.28)

Tom Lynch to kick four or more goals ($2.10)

Four leg same game multi pays $9.50 with Sportsbet.com.au

As we mentioned, we reckon this game is a lot closer than the bookies think. Both teams have to travel and the Suns have the form advantage. The line at +20.5 feels like a safe bet to kick off our same game multi with.

Ditto the total match score overs. These two teams are in the top five scorers in the AFL. The Power are third with more than 16 and a half goals per game and the Suns are fifth with 15. Both teams possess potent midfields and the goal kicking power to get the job done. While the Victorians might not be that interested, they are actually both fine choices to showcase our game in China. Expect end to end stuff.

You can bank on Brad Ebert gathering 25 or more touches. He is short, but it adds a little extra juice to our same game multi because his selection is converse to the Suns’ line and Tom Lynch picks. A rejuvenated Ebert has had 25 or more touches in every game bar one this season, with a best of 30 in a loss against the Eagles on the weekend. He averages more disposals against the Suns (22.33) than any other team in the competition bar one – West Coast. That is some solid viewing and this pick is our little banker.

Unusually inaccurate in season 2017, Gold Coast captain Tom Lynch is still among the best forwards in the game. And a look at the stats show he’s kicked fewer goals against the Power than any other team. Not exactly inspiring reading, but hear us out. After booting seven against Carlton in Round 4, he fell back to earth against Adelaide with just two, but has been slowly building since with a couple of bags of three. He had a massive game against the Cats, getting on his bike with 22 touches and eight marks and, had he kicked straight, he would have had eight goals. We reckon he might just explode in this game in China on the world stage.