Adelaide v Geelong AFL R2 betting picks & odds | March 22, 2024

Adelaide v Geelong best bets

Crows v Cats AFL R2 match preview

Round two of the 2024 AFL Premiership season continues this Friday night as the Crows host the Geelong Cats at Adelaide Oval.

It was a disappointing start to the season for the Adelaide Crows as they went down by six points in torrential conditions on the Gold Coast. In a scoreline that flatters Adelaide, they kicked just one goal in the first half and were down by as much as 30 points. However, after storming home in the last quarter, they showed their quality and are still favoured by top online bookmakers to make the finals.

After scraping through injury-free last weekend, the Crows are set to be boosted by the return of star forward Taylor Walker. Former Suns forward Chris Burgess is expected to make way after an uninspiring debut for Adelaide.

For the Cats, it was a successful round one as they celebrated the opening of their new stand with an eight-point win over the St Kilda Saints. In a low-scoring affair, the Cats held off multiple late scares to secure their first win of the season. Skipper Patrick Dangerfield was crucial in the win with 25 disposals and the sealer, while youngster Ollie Dempsey earned the Rising Star nomination with three goals.

The only new concern for the Cats is Tanner Bruhn, who is facing a fitness test after suffering a foot injury. If he misses, Shaun Mannagh would likely be promoted after impressing as the substitute last weekend.

Adelaide Crows v Geelong Cats betting strategy

While the Crows struggled on the road last season, they won nine of their 12 matches at Adelaide Oval. As such, don’t take last week’s performance too seriously — especially considering they were without Taylor Walker in the forward line. The Cats got the job done but were unimpressive in their win over the Saints, so back the home side as favourites at -200 with Bovada.

Playing his first match of the year, Walker comes off a career-best season in 2023 where he averaged 3.5 goals per game. Facing a Geelong defence that allowed 10 scoring shots from key forwards last weekend, expect the 33-year-old to get plenty of opportunities. He has eight goals in his past two matches against the Cats, and playing on his home deck, he is primed to kick three or more goals at +120 with top AFL bookmakers.

Tipped by many to have a breakout season in 2024, Geelong youngster Max Holmes has found himself playing a new role across the half-back line. After impressing with 23 disposals in the opener, Holmes should only get better as he gets accustomed to the position. In a Geelong side that prides itself on uncontested ball use in the backline, expect Holmes to collect 25 or more disposals at +135 with the best AFL betting sites.

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