Adelaide v Collingwood betting tips and prediction
Collingwood faces its sternest test since embarking on a five game winning streak, with Craig McRae’s outfit facing top five team Adelaide in Adelaide on Thursday night.
The Crows (1.44) have been installed a heavy favourite to snap the Magpies’ (2.80) streak, but they will be nervy with the Victorian club having a strong record at the Adelaide Oval and in recent matches against them.
The Magpies v Crows clash also marks the first time Crow Izak Rankine will lock horns with Isaac Quaynor since he was suspended at the tail-end of last season for using a homophobic slur against his opponent.
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Collingwood has rattled off five successive wins with their most recent victory coming against Carlton on Saturday night, with their star man Nick Daicos again dominant and key forwards Dan McStay, Tim Membrey and Charlie West all among the goals.
The Magpies will be sweating on the availability of older brother Josh Daicos after he missed training on Tuesday, but coach McRae was confident he would be fit. They are also likely to be boosted by the inclusion of veteran Jeremy Howe, who was rested against the Blues.
Adelaide will again be without veteran defender Rory Laird as he overcomes an ankle injury, and will also be missing in-form forward Darcy Fogarty after he was rubbed out for three matches for striking in their win over the Swans. The Crows are likely to recall Taylor Walker as a direct swap.
The Crows would be buoyed by their victory over second-placed Sydney with Rankine (30 possessions) and unheralded names like James Peatling and Jake Soligo playing strong hands.
The Crows v Magpies line has been set at 14.5 points while the over/under total match points market is sitting at 165.5 and will attract suitors,
Adelaide v Collingwood betting tips
WGL’s AFL betting expert has assessed the markets and found some value Adelaide v Collingwood betting tips:
Daniel Curtin anytime goal-scorer
Curtin has not been a regular goalkicker for the Crows, but you can imagine he will be told to get on his bike this week and stretch the Magpies backline, in the absence of Fogarty. He’s also great value at 3.25 to be an anytime goal-kicker in this clash, and looms as a key player, with the Magpies having no logical match-up.
Ed Allan 15+ possessions
This is paying 1.52 but you can almost bank it, with the young Magpie set to spend the bulk of the night in the midfield rumbling with the Crows best. Allan’s defensive edge has been a big reason the Pies have turned their season around. Will he sit on Rankine or Dawson? We think the former and the Pies will use Pendlebury on Dawson when in the middle.
Alex Neal-Bullen 2+ goals
Neal-Bullen is a consistent goal-kicker for the Crows and looms as wildcard for 2+ against the Magpies. This option is paying 6.25 and we like it because off these odds and we can see the opportunists playing big hands in this game, with both teams very well drilled defensively.
Adelaide v Collingwood prediction
The Crows will head into this clash as heavy favourites and it’s hard seeing the Magpies’ upsetting them off a five day break. The loss of Fogarty, who has become their best key forward this year, hurts but Walker is a ready-made replacement, even if he is a bit long in the tooth. While you can’t write a Magpies team with Nick Daicos in it off completely, we think the Crows should win this one. Our final Crows v Magpies prediction? Crows by 13 points.
