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Port Adelaide Power vs Western Bulldogs AFL Round 9 Tips - Dogs break their losing trend

Jeremy Darke

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Last updated: Thu 07 May 2026 11:34

Jeremy Darke 07 May 2026

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The game will be played at Adelaide Oval on Friday, 8th May, with the bounce at 8:10 PM (AEST)
Western Bulldogs are tipped to win and cover against Port Adelaide Power.
Expect a low-scoring, tightly contested game with under 179.5 total points.
Top prop bets: Ed Richards 25+ disposals & Mitch Georgiades 3+ goals.

Port Adelaide Power vs Western Bulldogs AFL Round 9 Tips

Port Adelaide Power vs Western Bulldogs, Round 9 2026 - Expert Prediction

The Bulldogs have lost four straight games, but this shapes as the week they stabilise. Port Adelaide are coming off an emotional Showdown defeat decided in the final seconds and now face a Bulldogs midfield that still has the weapons to expose them around stoppage and in transition.

Port Adelaide Power vs Western Bulldogs, Round 9 2026 - Expert Prediction
Head to Head
Port Adelaide Power Form Analysis
Western Bulldogs Form Analysis
Port Adelaide Power vs Western Bulldogs Team List & News
Port Adelaide Power vs Western Bulldogs AFL 2026 Round 9 FAQ’s

The market has this almost as a coin flip, but the matchup leans towards the Dogs. Even during this losing run they are still generating strong contested numbers, averaging 38.3 clearances per game while Marcus Bontempelli continues to drag them into contests almost single-handedly. Against Fremantle last week the Dogs still kicked 102 points despite being undermanned defensively, showing the scoring power remains there when the ball movement clicks.

Port’s recent form has been competitive on the surface, but there are warning signs underneath it. They escaped Geelong at home by 30, lost heartbreakers to Hawthorn and Adelaide, and are still conceding dangerous transition looks too easily once teams win the ball at ground level. The Bulldogs’ midfield depth with Bontempelli, Richards, Kennedy and Sanders should generate enough territory to create repeat scoring opportunities.

The Total also leans under. Both sides have struggled for consistency across four quarters recently and this projects as a more contested midfield battle than the market suggests. Adelaide Oval night games between evenly matched sides often tighten up late and neither defence is healthy enough to fully trust, but both midfields are capable of slowing momentum when required.

Take the Bulldogs to win, the game total under 179.5 points, Ed Richards 25+ disposals and Mitch Georgiades 3+ goals as the strongest player prop angles.

Port Adelaide have lost 3 of their last 4 at Adelaide Oval.
The last 6 Port Adelaide games have gone under the game total.
Mitch Georgiades has 9 goals in his last 3 matches.
Ed Richards has 25+ disposals in 3 of his last 5 matches.

Article: Jesse's True Footy Round 9 Tips

Head to Head

These matchups have produced wildly different results in recent years. The Bulldogs smashed Port by 90 points last season, while Port won the previous three meetings by 48, 22 and 14 points. Adelaide Oval has generally suited the Power in this fixture, but the Dogs’ midfielders have consistently found plenty of the ball regardless of venue.

Port Adelaide Power Form Analysis

Port have actually been more competitive than their 3-5 record suggests. They pushed Hawthorn to the brink, beat Geelong comfortably at home and lost the Showdown by a single point after leading late in the final quarter.

Jason Horne-Francis and Zak Butters continue to drive the midfield while Mitch Georgiades is playing the best football of his career inside 50. Aliir Aliir was enormous defensively against Adelaide with eight intercept marks and remains crucial to how Port set up behind the ball.

The concern is still consistency. Port can dominate periods of games, but momentum swings against them too easily and they struggle to regain control once opposition midfields get on top at stoppage.

Western Bulldogs Form Analysis

The Bulldogs’ four-game losing streak looks ugly, but context matters. They have faced Sydney, Geelong, Hawthorn and Fremantle across that stretch while battling major injuries in defence.

Marcus Bontempelli continues to carry the midfield and was outstanding again against Fremantle with 33 disposals and two goals despite carrying a knee issue. Aaron Naughton also looked dangerous on return, while Ed Richards keeps finding plenty of the football across half-back and through the middle.

The issue remains their defensive structure. Injuries to key defenders have left them exposed in transition and opposition sides are capitalising heavily once the ball hits open space. Even so, their midfield remains strong enough to keep them in games and this matchup against Port shapes more evenly than recent form suggests.

Port Adelaide Power vs Western Bulldogs Team List & News

Port Adelaide Power Team News: Jack Watkins returns while Todd Marshall has been omitted.

Western Bulldogs Team News: Marcus Bontempelli will play through heel soreness. Connor Budarick, Caleb Hynes, Oskar Baker and Lachie Smith come in, while Laitham Vandermeer is injured and three others are omitted.

Port Adelaide	POS	Western Bulldogs
L. Evans, L. Jones, M. Bergman	B	M. Sellwood, B. Khamis, N. Coffield
D. Byrne-Jones, A. Aliir, K. Farrell	HB	C. Budarick, J. Busslinger, B. Dale
E. Mackinlay, J. Horne-Francis, J. Wehr	C	A. Jones, M. Bontempelli, B. Williams
C. Moraes, M. Georgiades, J. Berry	HF	R. Sanders, W. Lewis, C. Hynes
C. Durdin, J. Whitlock, J. Richards	F	J. Freijah, A. Naughton, R. West
J. Sweet, Z. Butters, W. Drew	FOLL	T. English, M. Kennedy, E. Richards
J. Burgoyne, O. Wines, J. Lai, J. Watkins, D. Visentini	I/C	H. Gallagher, L. Bramble, O. Baker, L. McNeil, L. Smith

Port Adelaide Power vs Western Bulldogs AFL 2026 Round 9 FAQ’s

How to watch Port Adelaide Power vs Western Bulldogs AFL 2026 Round 9?

You can watch the Port Adelaide Power vs Western Bulldogs AFL 2026 Round 9 game via Fox Sports or Kayo Sports. If you are watching from outside of Australia the WatchAFL app is the perfect solution.

How to buy tickets to Port Adelaide Power vs Western Bulldogs AFL 2026 Round 9?

To buy tickets to the Port Adelaide Power vs Western Bulldogs AFL 2026 Round 9 game check the AFL website or the official Port Adelaide Power site.

Verdict

Port Adelaide v Western Bulldogs

Take the Western Bulldogs to cover the line in what shapes as a tight midfield-driven contest. The under 179.5 points also appeals with both teams struggling to sustain four-quarter football consistently. Ed Richards 25+ disposals and Mitch Georgiades 3+ goals are the best player prop angles.

Western Bulldogs

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Mitch Georgiades

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Ed Richards

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