AFL Round 2 continues on Friday night with an absolute blockbuster at Adelaide Oval between the 1-0 Adelaide Crows and the 2-0 Western Bulldogs. Both teams are coming off wins against quality outfits last time out and will be feeling confident ahead of this one.
We bring you our full preview and expert tips for the Crows vs Bulldogs below. And if you’re keen to back in our tips, consider doing so at Bet365 - one of the biggest and best sportsbooks in the world!
Adelaide vs Western Bulldogs Prediction & Betting Tips: AFL 2026 Round 1
Strong Start for the Crows
The Adelaide Crows opened their 2026 campaign in perfect fashion after sitting out Opening Round. They travelled to the MCG in Round 1 and secured a statement 14 point victory over Collingwood, beating them at the home of footy for the first time since 2014. Wayne Milera had the best game of his career, amassing 34 disposals, eight marks and a perfect 10 coaches votes. Josh Worrell was elite in defence with 27 touches while the Crows key defensive unit held firm across the board. The side receives another massive boost this week with Izak Rankine returning from his four game suspension for a homophobic slur. Returning to Adelaide Oval for their first home game of the season will only boost their confidence and crowd support.
Bulldogs Full of Early Momentum
The Western Bulldogs are arguably the form team of the competition right now, albeit extremely early in the season. They started the year with a thrilling five-point comeback win over the reigning premier Brisbane Lions at the Gabba in Opening Round, followed by an absolute demolition of the GWS Giants at Marvel Stadium in Round 1 by 81 points. Unsurprisingly, Marcus Bontempelli has been immense with dominant performances in both games, while Aaron Naughton has started the season the way he finished last year and booted six goals and took 11 marks in the Giants rout alone. Luke Beveridge has his group playing a clinical and punishing brand of football that already looks premiership calibre.
Recent H2H History
These teams met just once last season and that came in Round 18 at Marvel Stadium with the Crows running home 11-point winners. They’ve now won two in a row against the Dogs and hold a 3 to 2 advantage over their last five meetings. Interestingly, this is only the second time since 2018 that these teams will meet at the Adelaide home ground. The Crows generally perform well at home against Victorian visitors, but this Bulldogs outfit looks entirely different to the side they faced last year.
Crows or Dogs? Here’s Our Best Bet
If the odds for this game are a true reflection of how tight it will be, then we are in for a cracker, with both sides priced at $1.92 at the time of writing. However, considering the lengthy injury list for the Crows and how dynamic the Bulldogs have looked so far this season, I have to lean towards the visitors. Their key forwards are clunking everything and their midfield is arguably the best in the competition, while the new ruck rules suit Tim English’s athletic style to a tee. Izak Rankine returning for the Crows is a massive boost, but he might be a little rusty first up. With that in mind, I am comfortable siding with the Bulldogs to make it a 3-0 start to the season.
Western Bulldogs to Win
$1.92 (2 Units)
Adelaide vs Western Bulldogs Prop Bet
Rhylee West has turned himself into one of the more reliable small forwards in the competition and plays well no matter the venue. He’s kicked at least one goal in each of his last 12 away matches and will be a strong chance for multiple goals against this Crows defence that is excellent at defending talls, but struggles a bit defending smalls.
Rhylee West 2+ Goals
$2.35
Adelaide vs Western Bulldogs Same Game Multi
Rhylee West 2+ Goals: See prop bet above for reasoning. I like this matchup against the Crows small defenders and I expect this to be a high-scoring affair.
Darcy Fogarty 2+ Goals: He loves playing against the Bulldogs and has kicked three goals in each of his last two matches against them. Should also get a favourable matchup with the best key defender going to Thilthorpe and potentially even the second best going to Walker.
Wayne Milera 25+ Disposals: Had the best game of his career against the Magpies last week with 34 disposals and 10 coaches votes. He’s also taking the Lion’s share of the kickouts with both Hinge and Keane out injured, so I expect him to rack up the touches again.
Same Game Odds: $7.25 at Bet365
Adelaide vs Western Bulldogs Match Info & Betting Odds
Date: Friday 20th March
Time: 7:40pm AEDT
Location: Adelaide Oval
Odds: Adelaide $1.92 vs Western Bulldogs $1.92
Line: N/A
Points: 190.5
Where to Watch Adelaide vs Western Bulldogs
You can watch the Crows vs Bulldogs live and ad-free on Kayo Sports.
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