Port Adelaide Power vs Melbourne Demons Prediction: Low scoring encounter expected

The Australian Football League action in game 3 will take place at Adelaide Oval, featuring a matchup between Port Adelaide Power and Melbourne Demons. As the game approaches, the hosts, Port Adelaide Power, are in excellent form, while the Melbourne Demons are riding the momentum of consecutive victories.

Port Adelaide remains undefeated in 2024, commencing their campaign with a commanding 50-point victory against West Coast in Round 1 at Adelaide Oval. They continued their impressive form into Round 2 at the MCG, where they rectified their accuracy issues from the previous match, kicking 18 goals and 14 behinds against Richmond. Despite trailing by 11 points at halftime, Port Adelaide rallied to defeat the Richmond Tigers by 30 points.

Zak Butters, at 23 years old, has carried his exceptional form from 2023 into the current season, emerging as Port Adelaide's most influential player on the field. He has showcased his versatility by contributing across various aspects of the game, leading the team with an average of 30.5 disposals, three more than his average from last season.

With the advantage of playing at home, Port Adelaide holds a strong record at Adelaide Oval since the beginning of 2023, having won 11 out of 15 matches at the venue.

There were initial concerns for the Melbourne Demons following their defeat to the Sydney Swans in the opening round. However, these worries have been dispelled after two subsequent games. Sydney appears to be the team to beat this season, which puts Melbourne's loss into perspective. The Demons responded with two dominant performances against the Western Bulldogs and the Hawthorn Hawks.

Their match against the Hawthorn Hawks showcased a flawless display by the Demons. They restricted the Hawks to just 13 scoring shots, resulting in 38 points. Additionally, Melbourne's defensive prowess was evident, holding Hawthorn to a mere 38.1 percent inside 50 efficiency. The Demons also asserted dominance in the clearances, outperforming the Hawks 35-23.

The midfield of the Melbourne Demons has been particularly impressive in both victories, with Clayton Oliver averaging 29.3 disposals per game and Christian Petracca contributing 28 disposals per game, leading the charge as usual.

Since their defeat to the Swans in the opening round, Melbourne has steadily impressed, particularly in matches against teams they were expected to beat, where they dominated convincingly. In contrast, Port Adelaide has faced relatively easy opponents at the start of the season but hasn't found success as effortlessly. Consequently, I'm inclined to give the edge to the Melbourne Demons in this matchup.

The defensive line of the Demons has shown resilience, even in their match against the Sydney Swans where they conceded 86 points. This performance gains perspective when considering the Swans' early-season form. I anticipate Melbourne's capability to limit Zak Butters' influence in the midfield, consequently reducing Port Adelaide's inside 50 entries and scoring opportunities. With the game evolving into a defensive struggle, the advantage should tilt in favor of the Melbourne Demons, and I anticipate the total score to fall below the 167.5 mark.