Second up on Friday night’s double-header for AFL Round 17 is a fixture that pits the West Coast Eagles against the Adelaide Crows at Optus Stadium. The visiting Crows will start as the red-hot favourites as they look to bounce back from a disappointing Showdown defeat.
We bring you our full preview and expert tips for the Eagles vs Crows clash 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!
West Coast vs Adelaide Prediction & Betting Tips: AFL 2026 Round 17
Eagles Searching for a Response
West Coast returns to Optus Stadium under the guidance of senior coach Andrew McQualter, looking to build upon their development phase as they host the Crows. They enter this Friday night home fixture having lost four of their last five games, although three of those were by a combined 17 points. Selection news for this week confirms the return of experienced midfielder Tim Kelly, who overcomes hamstring tightness to bolster the engine room. Alongside his return, the club has opted to blood exciting young prospect Oliver Francou for his AFL debut.
Crows Need a Response
Adelaide arrives in Perth eager to consolidate their place in the top eight following a disappointing performance against their rivals in the Showdown last weekend. Matthew Nicks has made just one change to the side that took the field against the Power, bringing in Toby Murray to provide additional ruck/forward-line versatility, with wingman Isaac Cumming omitted to make way. The focus this week is squarely on the collective response after an uncharacteristic lapse in form during the derby. The visitors know that their season trajectory depends on regaining their trademark pressure and efficient ball movement, particularly in the forward half, to ensure they can secure a vital four points on the road.
A One-Sided Rivalry
The recent history between these two clubs highlights a clear tactical divide. Adelaide has been completely dominant in their recent encounters, winning each of the last five meetings by an average margin of 65 points. While West Coast remains competitive in patches at Optus Stadium, the tactical disparity is most evident when the Crows are allowed to run the ball through the corridor. The Eagles have frequently struggled to curb the output of Adelaide’s primary scoring threats, and this Friday night serves as a test of whether they can maintain defensive integrity against a Crows outfit highly motivated to prove their Showdown performance was an outlier.
The Verdict
Backing the Crows to cover their team total of 99.5 is the clear choice. Adelaide averages nearly 130 points against the Eagles across their last five meetings, highlighting an enormous scoring ceiling in this specific matchup. After a frustrated performance in the Showdown, the Crows will be desperate to re-establish their offensive flow against an Eagles unit that surrendered 117 points to Carlton last week. West Coast has shown no sign of tightening up, and with Adelaide keen to bounce back, the visitors have the firepower to dictate terms and clear this total with ease.
Adelaide Total Over 99.5 Points
$1.88 (1.5 Units)
West Coast vs Adelaide Prop Bet
Riley Thilthorpe kicked 3.2 in his last meeting with the Eagles (R22 2025) and 2.3 in their clash prior to that (R11 2024). He’s also looking in far better touch in recent weeks after playing sore in the first half of the season. It’s been a long running trend for big key forwards to wreak havoc against the inexperienced Eagles defence, and we’re banking on that trend continuing this week.
Riley Thilthorpe 3+ Goals
$2.60
West Coast vs Adelaide Same Game Multi
Adelaide to Win: They’ll simply be too powerful for the Eagles once again.
Riley Thilthorpe 3+ Goals: For the reasons mentioned above in our prop bet. Love this matchup for Thilthorpe.
Jobe Shanahan Score Anytime: He’s kicked at least one goal in each of his last six games and kicked 3.2 in his only career game against the Crows.
West Coast vs Adelaide Match Info & Betting Odds
Date: Friday 3rd July
Time: 8:10pm AEST
Location: Optus Stadium, Perth
Odds: West Coast $5.10 vs Adelaide $1.17
Line: +31.5
Points: 171.5
Where to Watch West Coast vs Adelaide
You can watch the Eagles vs Crows live and ad-free on Kayo Sports.
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