ESSENDON v PORT ADELAIDE

Venue: Telstra Dome

Date: Sunday, May 4

Time: 4.40pm AEST

Head to head: Essendon 6, Port Adelaide 11, drawn 0

Last time: Port Adelaide 19.12 (126) d Essendon 13.17 (95), round 12, 2007, AAMI Stadium

Betting: TABSportsbet: Essendon $3.25, Port Adelaide $1.30. Centrebet: Essendon $2.97, Port Adelaide $1.40

Summary: After spending the early part of the season in hibernation, the Power is starting to stir. Two wins on end contrast with three losses for the Bombers. Port Adelaide was impressive in holding out St Kilda last week and are poised to capitalise this time against a side which showed little spirit against Collingwood. But they will miss the invaluable Chad Cornes (broken hand). With 14 players unavailable due to illness or injury, Matthew Knights has gone all out for youth and will hand debuts to three players - father-son selection Darcy Daniher, first round draft pick David Myers and mature-age rookie Jarrod Atkinson.

Key: Experience. Port has it. The Bombers don't.

Tip: Port Adelaide by 20 points

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.