Adelaide Oval played host to a fierce Finals Week 1 showdown as the Adelaide Crows took care of business against the Western Bulldogs, running out 90–68 winners in a hard-fought battle. The Crows entered the clash as clear favourites on the back of a strong season that yielded 15 wins and a ranking of 6th, and the market support proved spot on as Adelaide firmed from 1.38 down to 1.29 in the lead-up. Meanwhile, the Western Bulldogs saw their price drift out from 3.05 to 3.6 as punters weighed up the tough away assignment.
When the siren sounded, the scoreboard told the story of a Crows side that capitalised on their home-ground advantage at Adelaide Oval. Coming off a dominant 157–101 win against the GWS Giants, Adelaide kept their momentum rolling to dictate terms against a Bulldogs outfit whose price movement suggested an upset would require something special. The Bulldogs fought hard, arriving off the back of a narrow 96–93 victory over Collingwood, but ultimately couldn't bridge the gap as the Crows powered away to a 22-point margin.
How the tips went
It was a tough outing for the bold pre-match selections, with all three published tips missing the mark as the Crows asserted their dominance.
The head-to-head tip on the Western Bulldogs at 2.9 resulted in a loss as the visitors fell short of the 1.29-firmed favourites.
The line selection backing the Western Bulldogs +16.5 at 1.9 also resulted in a loss, as Adelaide's final 22-point winning margin comfortably cleared the handicap.
Finally, the total points tip of Under 153.5 at 3.1 resulted in a loss, with the combined 158 points pushing past the line in a relatively free-scoring contest.