Round 13 of the 2026 AFL Season delivers a huge Thursday night opener with this clash between the Crows and the Cats from Adelaide Oval.

Both teams are entering this match with plenty to prove as the race for the finals begins to tighten up.

Adelaide are currently sitting in 8th position after a peaceful bye round, with Geelong dropping to 4th after a surprise loss to the resurgent Carlton Blues.

These two clubs face off for the second time in 2026 – with their Round 3 match ending in a hard-fought Geelong victory 68-60.

With high-stakes clashes against the Gold Coast Suns, Fremantle, and the Brisbane Lions looming large on the horizon, that heartbreaking 88-84 defeat could have significant long-term ramifications for Geelong’s top four hopes.

Chris Scott will be desperate to see his men recalibrate quickly and find their clinical edge on foreign soil.

Meanwhile, Adelaide comes into this encounter fresh off a well-timed bye, meaning its last official outing was a tight 75-66 loss to Hawthorn almost a fortnight ago in Round 11.

Coming off the bye and feeling fresh, the Crows have a golden opportunity to take out last year’s Grand Finalists at home.

However, Matthew Nicks' men will need to overcome some serious recent history if they want to cause an upset, having lost their last six matchups with the Geelong Football Club.

For the latest team news, analysis, and expert insights, check out our Adelaide Crows vs Geelong Cats Round 13 prediction and preview below.

Adelaide Crows vs Geelong Cats Match Predictions and Betting Tips

Head-to-Head Prediction

Adelaide lands the perfect test to judge whether, and how far their game has improved across the early part of 2026. Last season, these Crows exploded in the second half of the season to win the minor premiership.

This season, with a harder fixture, they’re yet to fully wind up and this looms as a golden opportunity to do so on their home deck.

The Crows will need to find plenty of scoring potency from their forward line, with Darcy Fogarty and Riley Thilthorpe tasked with kicking a big score against a very good aerial defence at Geelong. Tom Stewart and Sam De Koning are always tough nuts to crack in the air, so clean delivery into the inside-50 arc will be paramount for the home side.

Around the ball, Bailey Smith is in truly epic form for the visitors, whilst Max Holmes is doing his thing behind the ball and at centre ball-ups. That high-octane running capacity will be Adelaide’s primary challenge to contain across four quarters of footy.

As for Jeremy Cameron’s matchup down forward, that looks like a major area of concern for the Adelaide coaching staff. These two proud clubs clashed to open up Gather Round last season, and we copped an absolute blockbuster game.

Adelaide led the charge across the first three quarters, but Cameron and Patrick Dangerfield got rolling late and completely took the game away. Both big guns kicked four goals apiece on that afternoon as Geelong eventually ran away with a three-goal victory.

We expect a similarly fierce contest here, but the Cats' extra class should see them through.

Head-to-head prediction: Geelong Cats by 13 points.

First Goal Scorer Prediction

We love the look of Jeremy Cameron to come out and make a massive statement early to the Crows fans at Adelaide Oval. As we all know, Jezza is an absolute specialist in the big games and knows exactly how to exploit defensive mismatches inside fifty.

With Geelong expected to jump out of the blocks hard after last week's disappointment, look for him to snag an early major.

Betting tip: Jeremy Cameron.

Most Disposals Prediction

We have to back Bazlenka here by a comfortable margin. The dynamic midfielder has been absolutely killing it this year and racked up 35 touches in their loss to Carlton last week.

Smith seems to be maturing off the field and it’s translating to performance on the field - his timing, explosive speed and cardio make him one of the best ball-finders in the league in 2026.

Betting tip: Bailey Smith.

Odds are subject to change. *

Adelaide Crows vs Geelong Cats Predicted Team Lists

Adelaide Crows Predicted Team List

FB: Max Michalanney, James Borlase, Josh Worrell

HB: Wayne Milera, Jordon Butts, Rory Laird

C: Brayden Cook, Jordan Dawson, Daniel Curtin

HF: Josh Rachele, Riley Thilthorpe, Callum Ah Chee

FF: Ben Keays, Darcy Fogarty, Alex Neal-Bullen

FOLL: Lachlan McAndrew, James Peatling, Izak Rankine

I/C: Sam Berry, Zac Taylor, Jake Soligo, Luke Nankervis, Toby Murray

Geelong Cats Predicted Team List

FB: Sam De Koning, Tom Stewart, Connor O'Sullivan

HB: Jack Henry, Zach Guthrie, Jake Kolodjashnij

C: Lawson Humphries, Bailey Smith, Mark Blicavs

HF: Oliver Dempsey, Shaun Mannagh, Jeremy Cameron

FF: Brad Close, Shannon Neale, Oliver Henry

FOLL: Mitchell Edwards, Max Holmes, Oisin Mullin

I/C: Mark O'Connor, Tanner Bruhn, Tom Atkins, Gryan Miers, Patrick Dangerfield

Adelaide Crows vs Geelong Cats Match Details

Date: Thursday, June 4, 2026.

First Bounce: 7:30pm AEST

Location: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide

How to Watch: Fox Footy / Kayo Sports / Channel 7