Round 24 at Docklands delivered a high-scoring contest as Port Adelaide edged past Essendon, securing a 104–95 victory on Sunday, 23 August. In a match where pre-match markets saw Port Adelaide tighten into 1.74 (firmed) while Essendon drifted out to 2.1 (drifted), the visitors ultimately justified that late backing to claim the four points.
Both sides entered this final round clash coming off heavy defeats in their previous outings, but it was the Power who managed to navigate the Docklands conditions better to outscore the Bombers 104 to 95 by the final siren, bringing an end to the home-and-away campaign.
Match breakdown and pre-match market moves
The pre-match indicators pointed towards a tight tussle with a points line set at 188.5 points, though the actual output pushed past that benchmark to total 199 points on the day. Port Adelaide's price movement in the lead-up saw them shorten from 1.78 down to 1.74 (firmed), while Essendon moved from 2.05 out to 2.1 (drifted).
Essendon battled hard on their home deck but ultimately fell short by nine points, finishing the season with a 2-21 record. Port Adelaide heads into the off-season with their seventh win of the year, adding to a campaign where their away form and scoring power were tested.
How the tips went
Looking back at our published selections for this Docklands showdown, it was a tough outing across the board with all three tips resulting in losses.
The head-to-head tip on Essendon at 2.1 resulted in a loss as the Bombers dropped a close nine-point encounter. The line selection of Essendon +4.5 also missed as Port Adelaide covered the margin with their 104–95 triumph. Finally, the total points market selection of Under 163.5 at 3.0 proved unsuccessful, with the combined 199 points comfortably clearing the line.