We'll endeavour to run through the form, incorporate appropriate stats and also supply a betting prediction which won't always just be who will win.

PORT ADELAIDE v ESSENDON

Sunday 7 May @ Adelaide Oval

A strange set up here for a home team coming off four straight wins but against a side who has contested well without getting victories in two crucial/high profile contests.

You have to like the way Port Adelaide have progressed over the last month. Realistically they were effectively 2m from almost being gonski had Ollie Florent's after the siren kick gone through.

But you can't worry about what might have been. The Power have taken good advantage of that luck and had a great month.

Two homes wins were followed by a big one against St Kilda where they do play well at the Docklands. They were able to get around the Lyon defensive curse and kick a big enough score to win.

There was a mix of their top aging warriors and their brilliant youth that generated enough scoring potential. No one kicked more than 2 goals but 12 were enough to secure the points.

Winning away from home is never about making a statement. You take those wins in any way shape or form. And that was the way it occurred. You could tell in Ken Hinkley's reactions.

Now he has to cajole the troops to face Essendon who twice in a row met high quality opposition and came out on the worse side.

Not entirely sure they played overly poorly and yet were 5 goals down at the end and even worse at stages. The margin at Quarter Time was how it ended. No matter how they tried, they couldn't quite get close enough.

Never giving up, every time they made a run of 2 goals, Geelong would get it back. Parish and Stringer were hard to hold but defensive frailties were taken care of.

They won't face Cameron and Hawkins this week but still a tough opponent in tough surrounds. Will they be torn apart as the song goes?

Port Adelaide has won the last 5 against Essendon. Importantly those have come by an average of an amazing 52 points. That does not augur well for the Bombers no matter how they are playing.

Maybe the Bombers can find this a tad easier if they can hold their composure but that won't be easy. Mentally they are stronger than recent years but that may only mean they end up closer.

Port to win but it should be competitive.

Match Selection: Port Adelaide by 15 points

Suggested Bets: Port Adelaide 1-39 @ $2.25