ESSENDON has held on to defeat a gallant North Melbourne by three points in a Thursday night thriller at Marvel Stadium The Bombers managed just two goals after the main break but had done enough in a dominant first half to secure the 9.11 (65) to 9.8 (62) victory BOMBERS v KANGAROOS Full match coverage and stats A missed shot to North Melbourne debutant Finnbar Maley with less than two minutes to go helped the Bombers get over the line in a nailbiting finish in front of a raucous crowd of 35,439 The mature-aged recruit took a contested mark with the game in the balance but took longer than the designated 30 seconds to begin his run up and was called by the umpire to play on whose kick dropped short on the goalline and was taken over by Essendon defenders for a behind The Bombers kept possession of the ball in the final moments to hold for the narrow win The thrilling final moments between Essendon and North Melbourne in round eight kicking the first three goals of the match Two of the three came from young forward Archie Perkins who converted two set shots from practically the same spot on the 50m arc Essendon transitioned the ball quickly when going forward opening up North's defence and making it easy for the Bombers to find free players inside 50 North finally got a score of their own midway through the term when Cam Zurhaar converted from a free kick who on debut had a first possession he will remember forever The 21-year-old announced himself with a huge contested mark inside forward 50 and kicked his first goal with his first kick at AFL-level It looked as though Maley's efforts might bring the Kangaroos to life but the momentum swung back the Dons' way as they scored the next three goals before quarter-time to give them a 22-point buffer at the first change Extended highlights of the Bombers and Kangaroos clash in round eight of the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season Watch Essendon’s press conference after round eight’s match against North Melbourne Watch North Melbourne’s press conference after round eight’s match against Essendon Bombers skipper Zach Merrett lifts his side with some elite ball use and relentless drive in a 35-disposal masterclass The Bombers and Kangaroos clash in round eight of the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season Isaac Kako conjures a timely goal for the Bombers with some class around the sticks bursts forward and dribbles home a ripper as the Roos continue to press Essendon loses Jordan Ridley right before the main break as the injury-riddled defender appears to hurt his hamstring while being tackled North Melbourne is forced to substitute Jackson Archer out of the game after the rebound defender appears to hurt his hamstring before being tackled Kangaroos captain Jy Simpkin nails a beauty from long range to fire up his troops Kangaroos debutant Finnbar Maley clunks a towering mark and slots a goal with his very first kick Archie Perkins gets Essendon off to a fast start with a couple of strong marks and finishes The second term was a low scoring affair with only two goals kicked for the term The Bombers wasted opportunities in front of goal North skipper Jy Simpkin kicked his first with a scintillating goal on the run both sides suffered hamstring injuries to key players in the second quarter within minutes of each other who limped from the field midway through the term before luckless Bomber Jordan Ridley left the ground shortly after with the same injury The injury-riddled Bomber suffered a hamstring setback over the pre-season and was limited to just nine games last year due to a quad injury Essendon forward Jade Gresham's night also finished early with a groin concern leaving the Bombers with just two fit players on the bench late in the final term a third goal to Perkins before half-time extended their margin back out to 25 points at the main break North came out with renewed energy after half-time kicking four unanswered goals to start the second half The first came from a dashing run inside 50 from 2023 No.2 draft pick Colby McKercher then the following two came from consecutive goals to North spearhead Nick Larkey who has had his goalkicking issues in recent weeks followed by a short set shot from a free kick North's four goals reduced the margin to one point before young Essendon forward Nate Caddy came through with a soccered kick for his second goal of the game to give his side a much-needed steadier as North responded quickly when Zurhaar kicked an outrageous dribbler from the boundary that went past two Essendon defenders Moments before the three-quarter time siren Bomber Harrison Jones rolled over on his ankle as he attempted to spoil a Dylan Stephens mark near the boundary line He landed awkwardly and had to be stretchered off the ground The stage was set for a close final quarter kicked the first of the final term when he crumbed and snapped a goal to start proceedings The arm wrestle continued until finally North got one of their own when Zane Duursma again reduced the margin to within a goal late North had its moment when Maley lined up for his shot on goal but his miss allowed the Bombers to hang on in a thriller Maley's momentsNorth Melbourne unveiled a new cult hero tonight in mature-aged recruit Finnbar Maley Maley was picked up by the Kangaroos with Pick No.2 in the 2023 Rookie Draft from Eltham Football Club after a stint in the VFL with the Northern Bullants The tall forward with a signature moustache made an immediate impact taking a strong contested mark with his first touch and converted truly Maley joins the illustrious group of players to kick a goal with their first kick as he bent the ball around in a snap shot on goal Maley's set shot with less than two minutes to go could have seen the first gamer kick the sealer Jones' horror injuryEssendon's Harrison Jones looks set for a lengthy sideline stint after a horror ankle injury saw the 24-year-old stretched from the ground at the three-quarter time break Jones went down after a marking contest where he lost his footing and rolled over on his ankle With the utility unable to put weight on his foot the Bombers will eagerly await scans to determine the severity of the injury ESSENDON                    6.1    7.5    8.7    9.11 (65)NORTH MELBOURNE     2.3    3.4    8.6    9.8 (62) Gresham (groin)North Melbourne: Archer (hamstring) SUBSTITUTESEssendon: Jye Menzie (replaced Jordan Ridley in the second quarter)North Melbourne: Bailey Scott (replaced Jackson Archer in the second quarter) Gold Coast Academy’s Usher on her ACL injury rehab battles and best friend Havana Harris incredible misses and more in our look back on the April action of the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership season Three-time premiership coach Mick Malthouse gives host Bharat Sundaresan the rundown on how Australian football began and how it became such a significant part of Australian culture With a challenging month of away clashes ahead Fremantle needs to find a way to win on the road if it's to seriously contend in 2025 One of footy's famous rivalries will kick off the AFLW season to mark the 10th season of the competition Check out all the action from the state leagues around the country Damian Barrett and Matthew Lloyd with the latest news and opinions from Round 8 Roy and Warnie bring you the round eight teams Footy Feed: Sarah Olle and Riley Beveridge with the latest news Check out the Rising Star for AFL’s Round 8 Will a hard tag from Jack Viney be the reason Harley Reid leaves the Eagles Vote now on your favourite marks from Round 8 of the Toyota AFL Premiership Season The Match Review findings for Sunday's round eight games are in In the spirit of reconciliation the AFL acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today You have reached ESPN's Australian edition. Stay on current site or go to US version playMichaels: Blues still 'too reliant' on top end talent (2:22)Carlton have overcome a 0-4 start to sit at 3-4 ESPN's Jake Michaels isn't buying the hype just yet North Melbourne have gone into bat for under-fire stars Jy Simpkin and Harry Sheezel insisting they won't stand for "vindictive The Kangaroos will be without young gun George Wardlaw and suspended forward Paul Curtis on Thursday night when they attempt to snap a five-game losing run The clash with Essendon will be the club's first since it placed a media ban on Seven Network commentator Kane Cornes having taken exception to criticism from the former Port Adelaide midfielder Cornes accused young gun Sheezel of "stat-padding" and only winning easy ball He also took aim at Simpkin for "mouthing off" at former Kangaroo Jason Horne-Francis in North's loss to Port Adelaide Football boss Todd Viney fired back ahead of coach Alastair Clarkson's press conference on Wednesday Viney noted Seven had requested for Cornes and Luke Hodge to interview Clarkson ahead of Thursday's game but North had made it clear "Kane isn't welcome" there's been some real personal attacks on the club vindictive attacks that we feel have been unwarranted," Viney said "We believe some of the commentary from Kane and particularly earlier this week with a couple of our players in Jy Simpkin and Harry Sheezel bullying behaviour that we as a club won't stand for "We're open for a balanced critique of our performances but when it starts to overstep the line and become personal it's my responsibility and the club's responsibility to look after our people Until we feel it's a more respectful conversation and dialogue from Kane around our people and our club we won't be engaging with him on any of his media channels "So I just wanted to inform that and say we'll put a line in the sand on that and we'll look after our people and we won't be intimidated and bullied." North aren't blacklisting Seven altogether Viney wasn't expecting an apology from Cornes and understood North's decision would only create "more noise" around the issue - but the Kangaroos needed to stick up for their players Luckless midfielder Wardlaw has been ruled out for the clash at Marvel Stadium with what Clarkson described as a "pretty savage corky" that left him unable to train Forward Finnbar Maley will make his AFL debut after Curtis was given a three-game ban for a tackle that concussed Port Adelaide's Josh Sinn Viney said the club was "bitterly disappointed" Curtis's tribunal challenge had failed but North had "zero-to-no chance of winning" an appeal hearing which would have come too close to Thursday's game "We're disappointed for our player that he's been tarnished with this," Viney said "He had the best intentions of playing the game in the right spirit and not trying to hurt the player involved." 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Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out North Melbourne general manager of football Todd Viney says the club has drawn a "line in the sand" following recent attacks on its players by media commentator Kane Cornes Explaining the club's decision to refuse a request by Cornes to interview coach Alastair Clarkson ahead of Thursday night's Round 8 match against Essendon at Marvel Stadium Viney described Cornes' attacks on vice-captain Harry Sheezel and captain Jy Simpkin as "vindictive" and "unwarranted" North Melbourne general manager of football Todd Viney and coach Alastair Clarkson speak to reporters ahead of Round 8 Cornes accused Sheezel of "stat padding" and getting cheap possessions after Saturday's hard-fought loss to Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval He followed up with derogatory attacks on Simpkin who he also accused of "mouthing off" at Jason Horne-Francis Simpkin was cleared by the AFL Tribunal of instigating a melee following North Melbourne's successful appeal this week bullying behaviour that we as a club won't stand for," Viney told reporters at Arden St on Wednesday "We'll look after our people and we won't be bullied." Viney said the club would not be engaging with Cornes on his media platforms for the immediate future "I'm not holding my breath on an apology," Viney said Viney also confirmed the club would not appeal the AFL Tribunal's decision to uphold forward Paul Curtis's three-game suspension, saying the club had "zero to no chance" of winning an appeal. "We're disappointed for our player that he has been tarnished with this," Viney said. "He had the best intentions of playing the game in the right spirit, and not trying to hurt the player involved. So we're really disappointed." Choose the membership package for you and become a North Melbourne member! The North Melbourne Werribee Kangaroos have suffered their first loss of the season, losing to Essendon by three points Wil Dawson's three majors have propelled North Melbourne to its third win in a row at VFL level Listen to all the latest interviews with North Melbourne players, coaches and staff Extended highlights of the Bombers and Kangaroos VFLW clash in Round 3 The Bombers and Kangaroos clash in Round 6 NMFC Media speaks to Tristan Xerri following the three-point loss to the Bombers Senior coach Alastair Clarkson speaks to reporters after Round 8's match against Essendon A scan on Friday confirmed the extent of Jackson Archer's hamstring injury Young defender Matt Whitlock and forward Robert Hansen jnr are the latest Roos to put pen to paper The North Melbourne Kangaroos acknowledge the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation, the traditional owners of our spiritual homeground at Arden Street. We extend our respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across Australia. NORTH Melbourne has slapped a ban on prolific media personality Kane Cornes in the wake of his criticism of Kangaroos players including young gun Harry Sheezel and captain Jy Simpkin. North football boss Todd Viney told reporters on Wednesday that the club would not engage with Cornes on any of his media platforms across TV, radio and digital. The issue came to a head when Channel Seven requested Kangaroos coach Alastair Clarkson be part of a pre-game TV interview that involved Cornes ahead of North's prime-time clash with Essendon on Thursday night. The request was rejected and Viney said it came after what the Roos felt were "personal ... vindictive" attacks on the club. "On the back of some commentary that we feel over my short time here, there's been some real personal attacks on the club, vindictive attacks that we feel that have been unwarranted," Viney said on Wednesday. "We understand the role of the media and our job to work with the media to promote our game and to inform our members on stuff that's going on. (But) we believe some of the commentary from Kane, particularly early this week with some of our players, Jy Simpkin and Harry Sheezel, overstepped the line – inappropriate, targeted, vindictive bullying behaviour that we as a club won't stand for. "We're open to balanced critique of our performances but when it starts to overstep the line and become personal, it's my responsibility and the club's responsibility to look after our people. "Therefore Channel Seven, Luke Hodge and whoever they'd like to present to have a conversation with Clarko is still open. But until we feel like there's a more respectful conversation and dialogue from Kane around our people and club, we won't be engaging with him on any of his media channels." Sarah Olle and Kane Cornes unpack the big issues from the round of footy Cornes was critical of Sheezel on Seven's Monday night analysis show The Agenda Setters in the wake of North's loss to Port Adelaide, suggesting the youngster had been "stat-padding" and urging Clarkson to play Sheezel front of centre, where he said he would have the most impact on games. In addition to his Seven commentary, Cornes also fronts First Up on AFL.com.au every Sunday night, and hosts several radio programs on SEN each week. Cornes posted a response to Viney's comments to his Instagram account on Wednesday afternoon, saying he "really rated" Sheezel but he wasn't being used to the best effect by North. "Banned from the North Melbourne rooms because essentially, I had some comments about one of their gun players, Harry Sheezel, who I've said a number of times I really rate," Cornes said. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kane Cornes (@kanecornes) "They're just not using him in the right way and that he's stat-padding and getting his possessions in non-damaging areas and that North Melbourne have to really challenge him to win his footy in better spots and be more impactful. "So it's strange that Clarko with all his experience wasn't able to answer some of these questions as well as all of the struggles at North Melbourne that I've been strong on. "But banned from the North Melbourne rooms? Tune in tomorrow night to see how we cover that game and let's see if North Melbourne can chalk up their second win of the year." Sheezel said while some of Cornes' criticism about his impact on games was valid, he believed the language used crossed a line. "It's his role in the media to have his opinion. I can't really control that. He's entitled to say what he wants," Sheezel said on SEN. "Maybe it stepped the boundary a bit too far, maybe. But the club has supported me really well and the support that I've had from family and friends and my teammates has been incredible. "At the end of the day, I'm an AFL footballer. I've signed up for all the scrutiny that comes with it. "Maybe (his criticism went) a little too far with some of the terms he used. Looking at what he was saying, I do agree; maybe I can have more impact on games. But at the end of the day, I'm playing the role that my coaches have assigned for me. "Last week was playing at half back and I think on the stat-padding side that he said, I don't believe in that. "The coaches want the ball in my hand. They want me getting more uncontested football, not less of it. They want me in time and space to use my skills. "Maybe that part of it was harsh, but I do understand ... that I could maybe be more damaging with the ball." Gold Coast Academy’s Usher on her ACL injury, rehab battles and best friend Havana Harris Unusual celebrations, freak goals, incredible misses and more in our look back on the April action of the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership season Three-time premiership coach Mick Malthouse gives host Bharat Sundaresan the rundown on how Australian football began, and how it became such a significant part of Australian culture With a challenging month of away clashes ahead, Fremantle needs to find a way to win on the road if it's to seriously contend in 2025, writes Nathan Schmook Damian Barrett and Matthew Lloyd with the latest news and opinions from Round 8. Hawthorn has invited past players and coaches to its match celebrating 100 years in the VFL/AFL, and former coach Alastair Clarkson will be there Check out the Rising Star for AFL’s Round 8, Hugo Garcia Will a hard tag from Jack Viney be the reason Harley Reid leaves the Eagles? Vote now on your favourite marks from Round 8 of the Toyota AFL Premiership Season. In the spirit of reconciliation the AFL acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today. Catch up on this week's latest scores and AFL stories with ABC Sport. CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) Essendon VFL have made four changes to face North Melbourne at Windy Hill on Friday afternoon Nik Cox and Angus Clarke for their returns from respective injuries exciting inclusions for an emerging outfit looking to improve their record to 3-2 this year Defender Kieran Gallagher (Calder Cannons/Greenvale) has also been named to make his Club debut as the 23rd man The Bombers' Windy Hill fixture marks a first appearance at their spiritual home this season Read the key individual stats from Thursday night’s close win North Melbourne pip Dons by 10 points at Windy Hill Key talking points from Senior Coach’s post-game presser Jordan Ridley and Jade Gresham will all miss against Sydney We acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woiwurrung people of the Kulin Nation as the Custodians on whose Country we are based We acknowledge their ongoing connection to Country and pay respect to their Elders We extend that acknowledgement and respect to all First Nations peoples throughout Australia Have you ever heard someone say that neither team deserved to lose a game I kind of felt the opposite about this one – I am not sure either team really deserved to win I am a bit grumpy at what I sat through on this Thursday night when the kids have to get up for school the next day To say I came away unimpressed with either team would be an understatement my knives were being sharpened for the Kangaroos with fumbles and poor decisions from many of their leaders “highlighting” their game and with the Bombers doing just enough to win by three points I started to wonder what the hell they were doing but this is a game they should have used to build their season they were holding on by the skin of their teeth in the last quarter They’d just managed to beat the Eagles by a couple of points two weeks ago they’ve fallen over the line against North… they’re not convincing me of anything positive Essendon managed to kick just three goals for the game against a pretty ordinary defence that had been conceding over 130 points per game in their last three weeks and I am sure an intro like this will mean none of you will sign up as members on this site to read what I have to say about it I would much rather be honest about a poor win than blow smoke up your backsides and pretend there were huge positives to take out of this game other than Zach Merrett I am probably more inclined to offer the ugly truth… along with some pretty poor grammar enough time wasting – time to find out a little more about what went down The Mongrel has The Big Questions from this one HB writes 8-9 members columns every week during the season Four in-depth game reviews that stay locked and four or five standalone columns for the people that help keep the lights on Jump on board now and grab a mongrel membership to support the site and access the content that makes people happy to be Mongrel Members (Use Cropper to set image and use mouse scroller for zoom image.) I am suck of writing it.” That is not an error The Kangaroos did nothing but hurt themselves and still could have won – before the last two minutes and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" North Melbourne's admission to the VFL in 1925 was an underdog story in itself so it was fitting that the club's first game in the competition was also a triumph over the odds When the VFL's 11 clubs met in January 1925 to vote on admitting new teams It had taken a shrewd negotiation by North Melbourne committee member and one-time president Johnny Meere to sway the other clubs As the voters broke for a dinner of fish and chips at Cobb's Cafe in Bourke St with its backers from the wealthy suburb of Toorak would boast significant economic power and influence Might some of the existing clubs possibly consider that a threat North Melbourne’s name was substituted for Prahran the club received a letter acknowledging its request to join North Melbourne’s colours of a royal blue jersey with a white V at the neck were approved and just four months later the team lined up for its first game in the competition North Melbourne played its first VFL match on May 2 The players and coaches caught the train to Geelong and 10,000 people gathered at Corio Oval for the historic game and a final list of 18 men was chosen as the first team to represent North Melbourne in the VFL Johnny Lewis combined with Jim Goonan for the Northerners’ first score in the VFL; a behind It seemed the more experienced Geelong team had the edge during the first match between the teams in 29 years A 16-point margin at quarter time was a scoreline most had expected against the league’s new boys There was a sight to behold in the second quarter as Fred Metcalf registered North’s first goal in league ranks and injuries to both of Geelong’s rovers evened things up further It was a tough and willing game and when the sides broke from the main break North’s Harold Johnson set the tone for the fighting spirit that would become a hallmark of the club for years to come Geelong was considered to have a slight edge in the third quarter but with Metcalf and the injured Johnson the strongest performers for North the visitors led by five points when the siren sounded Hundreds of North supporters had made the trip to support their team and the atmosphere was tense as the players gathered together The home team kicked the first goal of the last quarter to take the lead with the attack on the ball ‘dogged and relentless’ A goal to Harold Clapson gave North the advantage and a mistake from Geelong saw Johnny Lewis kick the match-winner the tribunal was called in as the teams were involved a stoush As a measure of the significance of North’s win in the season opener The future looked bright for the Northerners Despite winning just five matches in that first 1925 season they finished above their two companions from association ranks >> A LEGACY EVERLASTING Help celebrate our centenary in the VFL/AFL Be there for our first visit to Hobart in 2025 as we take on the Lions The North Melbourne Werribee Kangaroos have suffered their first loss of the season North Melbourne Werribee has made a pair of changes to its side ahead of its Round 3 bout with the Bombers The North Melbourne Kangaroos acknowledge the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation the traditional owners of our spiritual homeground at Arden Street We extend our respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across Australia This is probably not the page you’re looking for AFL legend Matthew Lloyd has urged North Melbourne to focus on football after the club blacklisted controversial commentator Kane Cornes this week The belief at Arden St is that Channel 7 identity Cornes 'bullied' young gun Harry Sheezel and they needed to make a stand Kangaroos footy boss Todd Viney told reporters the outspoken Cornes has been 'personal and vindictive' in his analysis and 'overstepped the line' when critiquing Sheezel and captain Jy Simpkin this week the club has banned Cornes from talking to coach Alastair Clarkson or the playing group ahead of and during Thursday's game against Essendon at Marvel Stadium But Lloyd - who previously worked with Cornes on Nine's Footy Classified - says the Kangaroos should focus on beating the Bombers. 'I think with Kane....that's what he is,' Lloyd told Today on Thursday morning. '(The Kangaroos) feel that he's been at them for two and a half years and it's become a little bit personal with his attacks on the club. 'I probably wouldn't have gone down that track (if I was) North Melbourne because it only puts more pressure on them. 'I would have put my head down, tried to win a game of footy and moved on, because unfortunately they haven't won too many games in many years which brings a lot of pressure onto them. 'I can understand both sides of it - they are sick and tired of Kane and the way he's gone at the club, but that's what Kane is and it's why he's been pretty good in the media over many years.' The bitterness North Melbourne feel towards Cornes can be traced back to president Sonja Hood's confirming Alastair Clarkson was the club's new coach in August of 2022. Cornes was critical of the manner in which Clarkson was announced - and was often scathing in his criticism of midfielder Jason Horne-Francis, who only spent one season with the club before joining Port Adelaide in 2023. Horne-Francis was the number one pick in the draft - but requested a trade from Arden St. He the signed a six-year deal with the Power, keeping him at the club until 2028. Meanwhile, Cornes isn't concerned by being blacklisted, accusing Clarkson of 'running away from criticism.' 'The Alastair Clarkson they (Kangaroos) thought they were getting was the Hawthorn version of Alastair Clarkson, where he was strong enough and brave enough to front up and answer that type of criticism face-to-face and man-to-man,' Cornes said on Seven News on Wednesday. 'For him to run away from criticism like this, and essentially not be brave enough to answer it face-to-face with me in the change room is the most disappointing thing.' Clarkson feels Cornes is too blunt and should 'know better.' 'There's also a point in time where empathy and compassion needs to be given pretty strong consideration, particularly by guys that have played the game at the top level and know better,' Clarkson said. 'Because they've all been in exactly the same position as all the players. There's a time where you do draw a line in the sand.' Earlier this week, Cornes accused Kangaroos star Sheezel of 'stat-padding' and 'getting his possessions in non-damaging areas' before turning his attention to Simpkin. He was stunned to hear the North Melbourne skipper was sledging Port Adelaide players in round seven action, pointing out the midfielder has only 'won 16 games in six years.' 'He was on the lip all day. This is a captain who can't even play in his own midfield, playing half-forward,' Cornes said.  'He was extremely vocal. 'And just repeating, he's won 16 games in six years. 'I would be trying to turn this footy club around before I start mouthing off and throwing my weight around.' No one seems to have shared their thoughts on this topic yetLeave a comment so your voice will be heard first. {{message}} ABC News News HomeSport Alastair Clarkson is unimpressed with the suspension given to Paul Curtis (Getty Images/AFL Photos: Michael Willson) Link copiedShareShare articleNorth Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson has lashed out at the AFL over Paul Curtis's three-match dangerous tackle suspension still have at least two more weeks without Curtis who Clarkson believes is the game's best tackler North Melbourne's Paul Curtis remains suspended for three matches after losing his challenge to a rough conduct charge at the AFL tribunal "It's a shame that that part of our game is getting questioned," Clarkson said but there's a duty of care to the game "If the player hasn't got any intent other than to try and lay the tackle … we understand the slings "We're disappointed with that outcome and particularly the severity of the outcome Someone swings an arm [in an] off-the-ball incident "It also doesn't make sense that the AFL come out and say 'Oh we might change that at the end of the year' "We're really disappointed with that "Because really strong leadership would say 'We understand it's wrong and we'll change it right now' He shouldn't be missing three weeks of footy." The Kangaroos' Harry Sheezel was criticised during the build-up to the Bombers encounter Clarkson also defended his call to play Harry Sheezel off half-back amid heavy scrutiny over the classy young gun He had 32 disposals and 591 metres gained against Essendon "Would we like him to play midfield and forward a little bit "But he won a best and fairest (award) as a half-back flanker too "Part of our trouble in terms of defending the ground is part of the reason why he's gone back the last two weeks." Kane Cornes was in attendance but was not permitted to enter the Kangaroos rooms after being banned during the week The Kangaroos have blacklisted ex-Port Adelaide midfielder and pundit Kane Cornes over criticism of Sheezel and skipper Jy Simpkin that the club considered had crossed the line That included the suggestion Sheezel had been winning easy possessions in defence rather than having impact forward of the ball "It's hard to have score involvements when you're playing half-back flank," Clarkson said of Sheezel "There'll be critiquing of that elsewhere but part of being able to defend the ground is how do you get out of your back end effectively And we just need guys who use the ball really well "We saw what (Connor) Rozee's been able to do for Port Adelaide in the last three weeks since he's gone back "Winning requires no explanation but when you lose you've got to try and justify everything." Asked when the players were told the club had put a ban on Cornes Clarkson said: "I didn't tell them." Essendon big man Harry Jones left the field on a stretcher after suffering a gruesome leg injury on the three-quarter time siren the Bombers are counting the cost of their three-point win They lost luckless defender Jordan Ridley to a hamstring injury just before half-time and Harrison Jones (lower leg) left the field on a stretcher in the third quarter Jones had attempted to spoil a mark but landed awkwardly on his left ankle He was sent to hospital to have his leg assessed with the club believing he had suffered a dislocation rather than a break although scans will determine the full severity of the injury Jade Gresham (groin) also limped off in the final term Look back at how the action unfolded in our blog Submit a comment or question Log in to commentLive updatesLatestOldestPinnedThu 8:02amThu 1 May 2025 at 8:02amEssendon vs North Melbourne scoreboardCBy Chris De Silva ReactReactCopy linkKey EventThu 1:11pmThu 1 May 2025 at 1:11pmJones heading to hospital after ankle injuryCBy Chris De Silva Essendon coach Brad Scott says Harry Jones has been sent to hospital to get further assessment on his ankle after being stretchered off "It was carnage there in the second half in particular," he said "The Jones one looks reasonably serious "He's in a fair bit of pain and his ankle was pointing the wrong way so that obviously doesn't sound good."  12:56pmThu 1 May 2025 at 12:56pmClarkson unloads on AFL over Curtis verdictCBy Chris De Silva Alastair Clarkson has questioned the AFL's leadership on the suspension to Paul Curtis during the week Here's what Clarkson said on the incident in full: he's (Curtis) nearly the best tackler in the competition," he said "It's a shame that that part of our game is getting questioned "We understand there is a duty of care (to the player) If the player hasn't got any intent other than to try to lay the tackle A football action (and) he gets three weeks and someone swings an arm off the ball and gets less It also doesn't make sense that the AFL comes out and says 'We might change that at the end of the year' "He shouldn't be missing three weeks of footy." ReactReactCopy linkThu 12:48pmThu 1 May 2025 at 12:48pmClarkson responds to the Sheezel criticismCBy Chris De Silva Kangaroos coach Alastair Clarkson defending his decision to keep Harry Sheezel at halfback after another strong game Got to think this is a bit of a jab at Kane Cornes who has questioned why Sheezel doesn't have many score involvements 12:36pmThu 1 May 2025 at 12:36pmGoldstein's reaction to going against old protege XerriCBy Chris De Silva Essendon's Todd Goldstein spoke about what it was like going up against his old team 12:24pmThu 1 May 2025 at 12:24pmThe Bombers sing it loud and proud!CBy Chris De Silva 12:24pmThu 1 May 2025 at 12:24pmNate Caddy 'flat' after Jones injuryCBy Chris De Silva Essendon forward Nate Caddy with some reaction on that horrible looking Harry Jones injury I was pretty flat with seeing Harry go down he's one of my best mates," he told Fox Footy "I hope he's feeling good but it didn't look good." Here's Caddy on the message Essendon's coaches delivered to the team at three-quarter time 'Keep competing' and to keep doing what we're doing and just refining a few things that we were lacking on," he said "We played to our structure but there were just a few things we had to clean up." 12:17pmThu 1 May 2025 at 12:17pmZach Merrett labels thrilling win 'a little bit disappointing'CBy Chris De Silva Essendon captain Zach Merrett put his Superman cape on again tonight Here's what he told Fox's Eddie Betts after the siren "Really pleased to get the four points but a little bit disappointing the way we didn't show up consistently tonight "I thought that first quarter was the way we wanted to play more consistently teams are going to try and adjust and work through games but I thought we went away from the way we wanted to play in the last three quarters." 12:07pmThu 1 May 2025 at 12:07pmFT: Essendon 9.11 (65) beats North Melbourne 9.8 (62)CBy Chris De Silva How on earth have they escaped with that win They were down three players after Jade Gresham went off in the final quarter with a groin injury and they've held on by the skin of their teeth as the Kangaroos came hard The Kangaroos will wonder what could have been if they had taken some of their chances in front of goal with Maley's shot in the final minute symptomatic of this Essendon captain Zach Merrett looked like he played five positions in that quarter he finishes with 35 disposals and five clearances in a superhuman performance North big man Tristan Xerri finishes with 25 disposals 12:07pmThu 1 May 2025 at 12:07pmWright saves a certain goalCBy Chris De Silva Finnbar Maley takes a big mark inside 50 but can't quite convert on the set shot Jack Darling was on the goal line and looked certain to goal bumps him and it goes through for a behind 12:04pmThu 1 May 2025 at 12:04pmPerkins miss keeps Roos aliveCBy Chris De Silva Archie Perkins misses a banana under pressure from virtually directly in front 12:01pmThu 1 May 2025 at 12:01pmDuursma drills one on the runCBy Chris De Silva Zane Duursma with a huge goal on the run from a tight angle The margin is three points with under five minutes remaining What an excellent finish there from the younger Duursma under pressure 11:57amThu 1 May 2025 at 11:57amBizarre scenes in the squareCBy Chris De Silva The umpire called ball-up and Konstanty volleyed the footy into the stands but then is told in the earpiece that it's Konstanty that's kicked it that's not a free kick to the Dons though 11:54amThu 1 May 2025 at 11:54amInto the final 10 minutesCBy Chris De Silva The Kangaroos pushing hard with the ball in their forward 50 11:46amThu 1 May 2025 at 11:46amKako strikes first in the final quarterCBy Chris De Silva Isaac Kako plays the role of the crumber to perfection Again two Kangaroos defenders are drawn to a contest in the Essendon forward line and Kako stays on the ground and finishes coolly 11:36amThu 1 May 2025 at 11:36am3QT: Essendon 8.7 (55) leads North Melbourne 8.6 (54)CBy Chris De Silva They kick five goals to one to draw to within one point of the Bombers with a quarter to go Essendon looked completely shellshocked in that quarter as the Roos dominated the clinches and the territory They've got all the momentum going into the final quarter and the break probably comes at a good time for the Dons Tristan Xerri is absolutely manhandling the Bombers in the ruck 30 hitouts and eight clearances and is giving North first use at the clearances which they lead 29-23 11:34amThu 1 May 2025 at 11:34amHarry Jones stretchered off after serious leg injuryCBy Chris De Silva Some more injury woes for Essendon here on the stroke of three-quarter time Harry Jones initially looks like he's badly sprained his ankle in a contest on the wing and the physio has called for the stretcher He was going at great pace and then his foot basically turned at right angles That looks very serious for the Bombers big man unfortunately 11:28amThu 1 May 2025 at 11:28amZurhaar dribbles home a miraculous goalCBy Chris De Silva Zurhaar pounces on the loose ball in the pocket and then shrugs off a tackle from Zach Reid and dribbles one home from a tight angle to perfection That ball seemed to speed up as it got closer to goal and it bounces past Kyle Langford on the goal line 11:25amThu 1 May 2025 at 11:25amCaddy soccers one home to stem the tideCBy Chris De Silva Nate Caddy with a massive goal for the Bombers as he toe pokes one through from close range It was a long kick towards a contest where Harry Jones was manned by two defenders and the defenders can't quite kill the footy and Caddy plays the role of the rover to perfection 11:23amThu 1 May 2025 at 11:23amSimpkin makes it FOUR in a rowCBy Chris De Silva Jy Simpkin drills another one for the Kangaroos and they are within ONE point of Essendon now The Bombers have completely ground to a halt in this quarter and the Roos are all over them They've had 14 inside 50s in this quarter after halving a total of 16 in the first half Simpkin turns to the crowd and silences them after that one sails through I wonder that silencer was aimed at Cornes Two of the biggest rivals of the 90s meet on Thursday night footy at Marvel with Essendon taking on North Melbourne These are two very inconsistent teams but on thing that remains consistent is North playing in shootouts Seven of the Roos’ last eight games have gone over with their average total in their 2025 games sitting at an enormous 202 Alastair Clarkson’s team have made some good strides offensively giving up 114 points on average this season – ranked 17th The Dons were a bottom four team for defence last year and have improved that ranking slightly this year but they are still giving up 91 a game in 2025 Marvel has again been a high-scoring venue in 2025 with nine of twelve games at the venue clearing the total with North’s four games averaging 199 points The Roos look a good bet with a near three goal start with Essendon failing to cover the line in ten straight games as favourites Kyle Langford is averaging 2.4 goals per game in his last five against North kicking 2+ in four of his last five against them expect Zane Duursma to get a full game in the Roos’ forward line after being sub for two of his last three games He kicked 2.1 in his full game against the Suns Betseeker’s expert tipsters have you covered for the best AFL tips The weekend concludes with the biggest Q-Clash yet with Brisbane taking on Gold Coast at the Gabba In between two ripping derbies on Sunday sits this stinker between fourth-placed Hawthorn and 16th placed Richmond The first Sydney derby of 2025 sees the Giants comfortable favourites to beat the Swans at the SCG Our expert team is made up of experienced professional punters we have more than three decades of industry experience with major bookies including TAB Learn more about Betseeker If gambling is a problem for you, call Gambling Help on 1800 858 858 or visit www.gamblinghelponline.org.au Betseeker is strongly committed to responsible gambling and wants gambling to be a fun recreational activity Read our practical tips to keep your gambling safe here Betseeker content is provided for entertainment and informational purposes only No responsibility is taken for the accuracy of betting information provided You are encouraged to do your own research prior to placing any bets All odds and information provided are subject to change Betseeker has no relationship with any of the sporting bodies listed on this website or any other platforms Round 8 in the 2025 AFL season begins on Thursday night with a clash under the Marvel Stadium lights between Essendon and North Melbourne The Bombers will be aiming to bounce back from a disappointing Anzac Day defeat while the Kangaroos will be out to snap a five-game losing streak Also, Before You Bet will be providing free previews and betting tips for EVERY game in the 2025 AFL season, so make sure to head over to out our AFL Tips regularly to keep up to date with all of our free content Odds: Essendon ($1.42) vs North Melbourne ($2.85) Odds and lines provided with thanks to Dabble Note that odds and lines can fluctuate throughout the week Essendon will be out to bounce back after their Anzac Day disappointment and they’ve got the perfect opportunity to do it when they face a struggling North Melbourne outfit The Bombers were well beaten by the Magpies last round going down by 41 points in a clash that reminded everyone just how far they’ve still got to go to match the elite it’s been a solid enough start to the season they can push themselves into that busy logjam of teams sitting just above .500 North Melbourne come into this game in familiar territory — down the bottom and trying to find positives The Kangaroos have now lost five in a row and sit 17th on the ladder They’ve won just 16 games since the start of 2020 and while there were signs of life last week in Adelaide but again couldn’t convert late chances and fell short by 9 points livewire forward Paul Curtis will miss the next three games after being suspended for a tackle that concussed Josh Sinn North challenged the decision midweek but were unsuccessful and they’ll have to rejig their forward line again You’d expect a few more changes for the Kangaroos too especially after Darcy Tucker didn’t touch the footy for over three quarters last weekend It’s the kind of thing that usually leads to a week off The Bombers will again rely on Todd Goldstein in the ruck with Nick Bryan and Sam Draper both ruled out long term the Bombers have more than enough talent to cover They’ve had the wood over North for a while now winning the last 11 clashes between the two sides including a comfortable 40-point win the last time they met Essendon were dominant that day and there’s every chance of a repeat Essendon sit third in the AFL for contested possession differential while North are bottom eight in that category The Bombers are also significantly better around stoppages ranking in the top half for clearances and top six for scores from stoppages North Melbourne sit in the bottom four in both of those key areas which tells you all you need to know about how this contest could be won If Essendon bring the heat around the ball — which they’ve done most weeks this year — then North are going to struggle to stay in it and the structure to bounce back in a big way They’ve been consistent enough this season to trust in a response after a poor outing and with North still very much in a rebuild Essendon to win and cover the -13.5 line looks like a strong play Throughout the 2025 AFL season we’ll be putting together a fun same game multi for every match at BoomBet using their BetShare feature just click on the BoomBet BetShare button below and our same game multi selections will be added straight into your bet slip on BoomBet You can then enter how much you wish to wager Kyle Langford 3+ Goals – Slow start to the year due to injury but gets one of the best matchups in the league for key forwards here Expecting a big game for Langford in this one Nick Larkey 3+ Goals – The radar was off for Larkey last weekend which was a touch bizarre he returns to the perfect conditions at Marvel Stadium and gets a nice matchup for key forwards George Wardlaw 20+ Disposals – Has looked fantastic in his two games since returning from injury There’s no reason why he won’t continue to build his form on Thursday night SGM Odds: $6.00 at BoomBet Jake has been an avid sports fanatic since he could walk but he's also got a soft spot for countless other sports Besides being a major contributor to our sports and fantasy content since 2017 Jake is our Content Manager & Editor and helps to plan and coordinate our team of writers every week He's also one of the unlucky ones that is a keen Port Adelaide and Phoenix Suns fan Editor’s note: Take care when signing up to new sports betting agencies Be sure to read all 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Please select a video to watch from the collection below The Footy Almanac That was a real grind but four points is four points We presently sit outside the eight on percentage with four wins and a game in hand – possibly a much better position than many pundits expected us to be at this time of the season but the Bombers continue to hang in there I must admit those last few seconds brought about a sense of déjà vu of once again being pipped at the post– a far too common occurrence over the past few seasons Undoubtably the win came down to one player – Zach Merrett In particular his last quarter was sensational mainly spent in the back half directing traffic and keeping the game under Essendon’s control If we only two or three more Zach Merrett’s we’d be a force to be reckoned with Peter Wright was also an integral player in the last quarter taking many telling marks by being in the right position at the right time He certainly is making his presence felt now he is fit and back in the team we suffered another possible season ending injury with Harrison Jones going down with a serious ankle injury Three players in four weeks receiving major injuries places immense pressure on the team With Jordan Ridley sidelined once again with a leg injury Gresham and Hobbs also possible outs for next week opens up opportunities for the younger players to get a crack at the big time For the first time in some while we had an excellent start to the game kicking six goals to two Archie Perkins kicked three goals and looked as if he may have a day out and dominating in that quarter – and we were kicking straight Everything was clicking and coming together After quarter-time we kicked three goals ten for the remainder of the match with players such as Peter Wright missing shots on goal they would normally swallow We probably had a chance to bury North in that second quarter but those easy misses kept them in the game North certainly applied more pressure in the remaining three quarters by beginning to outrun the Bombers as they gained momentum Essendon seem to struggle against the so-called lowly teams The Bombers just don’t switch on fully when they should against such teams Next Saturday against Sydney will be a real test of character for the Bombers with so many injuries Dire circumstances often call for drastic responses and provide an opportunity to blood new players More from Col Ritchie can be read Here To return to the www.footyalmanac.com.au  home page click HERE The opinions expressed in their articles are their own Retired teacher who enjoys following the Bombers Sign up for your weekly Almanac eNewsletter here VISIT OUR ONLINE STORE Copyright © 2025 · The Footy Almanac - Web Hosting by DISKMANdotNet Return to top of page The Monday Knee Jerk Reaction: Round Eight 14 Comments Footy is a passion spread sheet dominated rational exercise.  this was about as enjoyable as making small talk with that guy from corporate strategy who wants to tell you about a conference he just got back from “It’s amazing what’s happening with AI.” unless you’re talking about Allen Iverson I couldn’t be less interested.” and it looked like another shellacking for the Kangaroos until the Bombers adopted a strategy of injuring a fair chunk of their players Harrison Jones had the worst of it with an ankle injury that had those up close in the crowd looking like they needed counselling The second half was a disaster for the Bombers they kicked just two goals to the Kangaroos six you’d come away from that not exactly brimming with confidence If you want to ensure you get my columns every week, the best way is to sign up for the email. Like people who find comfort in True Crime podcasts Dockers fans must feel most comfortable when experiencing high levels of trauma It’s the only thing that explains their ongoing loyalty the Dockers produced the footballing equivalent of the Coalition’s election campaign The Dockers managed only one goal to half time as a Ross Lyon masterclass in taking away an opponent’s strength unfolded Rather than push through the chokehold the Saints had them in Fremantle seemed to decide it was all too hard This is not a team of superstars or a superstar team but they’re getting everything out of this group Western Bulldogs (131) v Port Adelaide (41) the Bulldogs have had less luck than me in a nightclub they haven’t fallen apart over it and cried themselves to sleep at night listening to The Smiths they’ve pulled themselves together and are winning the Doggies relished the cold and windy conditions while the Power accidentally went to Marvel Stadium but it’s the way you lose that upsets you and the Power seem to be going out of their way to upset their fans.  the Power were also not interested in defending which smart football types will tell you is a bad combination they were like a bunch of kids at the old Pizza Hut all you can eat desert bars Every year Carlton builds up their fans hopes It’s like watching kids building sandcastles and knocking them down but with less coordination After a brilliant performance against the Cats but Carlton was quick to remind them of how rarely they can do it the Blues players looked like a team resting on the laurels The problem is how few laurels they seem to need to rest on but many teams would take a level of belief from that they jumped them early and never let them get back up I had to wonder just where the Carlton players were If you’d told me they only had ten players on the field more interesting and historically more important than the Federal Election the Cats v Pies was also more successful for third parties with the umpires holding the balance of power It was certainly the best game we’ve had this season as two of the top sides went at it in a reminder that football at its best is the pinnacle of human achievement with his record-setting 245th consecutive game and almost won it for the Pies with a kick after the siren which went wide Obviously those 245 consecutive games mean nothing now The night was the perfect stage for the big stars the other Daicos and Patrick Dangerfield all seemed to lift for the big occasion Pendlebury and Dangerfield seem to be beating not just their opponents but Father Time too Geelong won because they kept their heads when it mattered but if you’re talking to a Pies supporter Last year the Eagles won this match up and it looked like they were finally turning a corner that corner seems to have turned into another dead end This is their worst ever start to the season.  West Coast in the AFL is like watching a Corolla give Formula 1 a go The fact Melbourne aren’t that good kept this close early but eventually Max Gawn got sick of this state of affairs and dragged Melbourne ahead of the Eagles Gawn smashed the living daylights out of the Eagles at stoppages and gathered the ball like a midfielder the rest of the time but they have Hawthorn next week in a reminder that we all must return to reality eventually Sydney needed this win like you need a souvlaki after a big night out And there’s no love lost between these two due to some things that have happened that I’m unaware of because the Melbourne media don’t really cover these two There was a bit of feeling in this one and the first quarter saw lots of pushing and shoving and acting tough Lewis Melican though decided it was a good idea to go a bit further he could get as many weeks as someone laying a tackle Perhaps the big difference was James Jordon who tagged Lachie Whitfield and kicked two goals Sydney’s goalscoring has been a concern and may remain one Hawthorn celebrated their centenary doing two things they love Things got angry early on when James Sicily caught Maurice Rioli holding the ball and decided to push him into the ground completely unnecessarily There’s no bigger sporting event in Australia than the Q Clash and it just has so much more meaning when Brisbane are honouring the Bears by wearing their jumper there’s so much heritage to honour when it comes to the Bears The scoreboard makes this look closer than it was Perhaps the most interesting moment was when Jarrod Berry had a set shot after the first quarter siren only for the man on the mark Bailey Humphrey to give away a 50-meter penalty that bit of turf could have lightly brushed Berry if it made contacts You can help support me in producing this ridiculous nonsense I churn out on a regular basis. Find out more here: https://titusoreily.com/support-titus Join the Titus O’Reily mailing list to stay up to date with the latest Do you find it funny that since the innovation of 3D printers I saw Yze saying that Noah Belta was a key member in the Tigers leadership group After Ben Stokes was filmed committing a similarly vicious unprovoked street assault English Cricket decided he was just the right kind of chap to be the England captain I'm leaning against my 2004 Corolla feeling very hurt but it could 100%win an AFL game against the Eagles.. People hate Hawthorn for one basic reason - they are incredibly good at being a successful club At least one premiership every decade since the 1960s - envy is a great driver of hate Tips and predictions for AFL Round 8By SEN Round 8 kicks off on Thursday night with Essendon and North Melbourne clashing at Marvel Stadium St Kilda hosts Fremantle in the second Marvel night fixture of the weekend on Friday before a stacked Saturday highlighted by Collingwood v Geelong at the MCG Sunday sees the Sydney Derby between the Swans and GWS at the SCG and the Q-Clash between Brisbane and Gold Coast to wrap things up Check out our tips and predictions for each game below Two solid wins against Port Adelaide and Melbourne were enough to suggest that Essendon have what it takes to perform at the top level however a horror scare against the Eagles and a 41-point Anzac Day defeat to the Pies left a lot to be desired With growing confidence in youngsters Nate Caddy and Zach Reid and the continued stardom of captain Zach Merrett the Bombers will continue to prove a challenging fixture across the course of the season While their 1-6 record might ring alarm bells North Melbourne can still salvage plenty from their season With ongoing questions of coach Alastair Clarkson’s ability to steer the young list in the right direction the Kangaroos put on a well-fought contest over Anzac Day weekend Falling by just nine points to Port Adelaide North’s 11-goal-to-seven run in the final three quarters was a strong sign of the side’s capability to compete the Roos will need their forwards to step up in his absence both the Roos and the Bombers have a great deal to play for North Melbourne will view this contest as a very winnable game particularly after the Bombers barely squeezed by the winless Eagles however there is no denying that their solid performance against the Power will build confidence Essendon’s Anzac Day loss will hurt given their advantage in the third term but a strong contest against the competition’s top team and with a young core finding their stride makes it three losses in a row for St Kilda the Saints have found themselves up against sides that finished second to sixth on last year’s ladder as well as having three matches in South Australia They now have three of their next four in Victoria against sides that finished around them so these next few weeks will be telling for where they stand Another dismal outing on Friday night would make for an interesting post-match the Dockers have won four of their next five games Add to this the addition of Luke Jackson playing alongside Sean Darcy for the first time on Friday and it poses a big threat to a low-on-confidence St Kilda Justin Longmuir seems to have his side back on track after a mishap against Melbourne but a trip to Marvel Stadium for one of two games this year could aid the Saints chances There are two St Kilda’s we’ve seen this year; one that is capable of stopping the likes of Geelong and one that looks lifeless and disorganised After three weeks of the latter I think we are due for a response particularly with the return of fiery Ross Lyon in the build-up In front of the eyes of the footy world on a Friday night it’s a chance for both of these teams to prove their game styles can be attractive viewing A close one under the lid would deliver the goods Prickly Ross is back and he will be intent on a strong showing against hid old club Despite all the challenges the team has faced from a personnel viewpoint Luke Beveridge has the Doggies absolutely humming They went to Canberra last week and dismantled one of the league’s best defensive outfits becoming the first team this season to put 100-plus points on the Giants leaning on their small-to-medium forwards in James Harmes (four goals) and Rhylee West (three goals) Captain Marcus Bontempelli has hit the ground running after injury and Joel Freijah is a rapidly-rising star Port Adelaide’s early-season renaissance continued in Round 7 getting the business done by nine points over North Melbourne It was a fiery affair which largely centred around the Roos’ former No.1 pick Jason Horne-Francis ‘JHF’ overcame the close checking of his old colleagues to help guide the Power to a third win in a row Zak Butters has been dominant in his four games back from a knee injury and with captain Connor Rozee starring at half-back things are looking good for Ken Hinkley and Josh Carr The Dogs are in great shape right now and seem to be in absolute control of their game They are two of the form teams of the competition with the winner looking to establish themselves in the top eight Port have won the past four matchups including the two meetings in Ballarat (2017 and 2018) while the Dogs have won four of their past five at MARS Stadium overall but Bevo’s Bulldogs seem to have a few more gears That’s the big question leading into this game Both sides are capable of blistering footy at their best but can lose to just about anyone on an off day the Blues absolutely get the nod with three wins in their last three games while the Crows are 1-3 over the last month after starting the season hot you’d expect the Crows – who have the league’s best offence – to blow Carlton out of the water as they couldn’t put a winning score on the board That’s changed in recent weeks with the Blues averaging 122 points per game in their last three two of those games came against the Eagles and Kangaroos If Carlton can keep that scoring momentum up then they have every chance of keeping up with the Crows Adelaide’s forward line still probably scores north of 85 points While other contenders have failed against the Magpies this year Cats coach Chris Scott will no doubt throw something different at them from a gameplan perspective the Magpies have strangled teams defensively out wide while scoring freely through the corridor If the Cats can get through that zone and take away some of their opposition’s attacking threat they’ve got enough inside their forward line to get the job done One area which will obviously be crucial is the midfield an area where Geelong fell short against Carlton With the way Nick Daicos and Steele Sidebottom are playing the Cats will need to slow some of their influence and Tom Atkins will probably be the man to go to the Brownlow Medal favourite But if the Cats get on top on ball and feed the likes of Jeremy Cameron Patrick Dangerfield and Tyson Stengle enough it’s hard to pick against Craig McRae’s side at the moment Although they come in to this game winless the Eagles OFFENSIVELY have started to show better signs in the most recent weeks Three times this season they’ve scored 75 points with two of those coming in the last two weeks And apart from the 50 point defeat to the Hawks last week they’ve had more moments recently that show signs of a team that is getting closer to getting that first win of the year who have won three of their past four matches just quietly is much better then what both Port Adelaide AND Melbourne were able to achieve when they had to play them during the past month then this should definitely convince you to rethink your tip The last time the Demons had to play the Eagles in Perth was last season in Round 10 where West Coast won comfortably to the tune of 35 points A game in which Melbourne came in with a record of 6-3… the Eagles have been the Round 8 masters since the year 2000 winning 18 of the past 25 matches in that round You’ve got to give credit to Melbourne though however Two wins from their past two games and things do start to look like they’re beginning to click for the 2021 premiers we can’t quickly forget that this side is still trying to evolve into something different There will be plenty of highs and lows for this Melbourne side this year their recent high will take a pause this week as the footy gods find a way to give the Eagles (and Andrew McQualter) their first win of the season Sunday’s Sydney Derby sees two sides entering with plenty to prove The Swans have failed to defend their minor premiership winning just two of their first seven games in 2025 While injuries have certainly crippled the club performances have left a lot to be desired under Dean Cox with a clear inability to put points on the board Currently fifth from bottom in total scores for the season in the absence of front-half talent Tom Papley the Swans have managed over 100 points just once thus far After blowing a 29-point advantage to the Suns Sydney needs to perform to get their season back on track While the Giants were a suspected premiership threat entering this season they have fallen in all but one of their major challenges since Opening Round A strong win against Collingwood saw them in good stead Adelaide and the Bulldogs has raised a number of questions as to where the Giants might reside come season’s end This edition of the Derby presents as an opportunity for either side to return to form certainly have the talent to compete with the competition’s best as seen for the better part of their clash with Gold Coast the Giants have all the tools necessary to control the Swans’ scoring issues Partnered with a full-strength forward line this contest has all the makings of a comfortable win Hawthorn’s Centenary celebrations take place against Richmond at the MCG on Sunday The two clubs clashed in the Hawks’ very first VFL game back in 1925 at Glenferrie Oval with the Tigers saluting by 39 points you wouldn’t expect a similar result this weekend given the Hawks are a serious side and the Tigers are rebuilding Sam Mitchell’s Hawks returned to winning ways with a 50-point smashing of West Coast last Sunday night off-season recruit Josh Battle played his best game in brown and gold to date and veteran forward Jack Gunston keeps on keeping on booting another four goals to take his season tally to 17 The Tigers were competitive for three quarters against Melbourne but were blown away in the third term They’d want to stay competitive for longer against a side like the Hawks this on paper appears somewhat one-sided but Adem Yze’s Tigers have already surprised Carlton and Gold Cast this season The Hawks faithful helped the Tigers achieve an enormous crowd of 92,311 for Dusty’s 300th in June last year so it would be nice to see the Tiger Army repay the faith for Hawthorn’s big day You’d expect that Richmond will at times make life difficult for the Hawks but in the end the class of the top-four chasers should come out on top to tick their sixth win of the season it’s more than just bragging rights on the line Both Brisbane and Gold Coast are in strong early-season form and this matchup seems like an amazing game to close out the round While the Suns have surprised many with a 5-1 start questions remain over the quality of their opposition Four of their five wins have come against teams currently sitting 14th or lower and their narrow win over Adelaide came with controversy — a missed free kick to Izak Rankine that could’ve flipped the result Their loss against a struggling Richmond is also unforgivable and it’s fair to ask just how real Gold Coast’s form is have already defeated two current top-eight sides and their only defeat came against the ladder-leading Pies They’ve also owned the Q-Clash in recent history They’ve only led at half-time in two of their seven matches something that Gold Coast will need to exploit early if they’re to cause an upset Key defender Jack Payne could return to bolster the Lions’ backline after being a late-out last week due to illness while the focus will be on Kai Lohmann’s fitness following a shoulder concern look set to roll in unchanged after a commanding win over Sydney last week and a near full-strength squad Gold Coast look like a genuine top-eight contender but this is their first real test against elite opposition expect Brisbane to fraud-check the Suns here Crafted by Project Diamond IN SEARCH of their first win of the 2025 VFL season, the Carlton Reserves fell agonisingly short against North Melbourne at Arden Street Oval.    In a back-and-forth affair, the Blues went down in a nail biter to the Kangaroos, with the home side holding on for a 12.12 (84) to 12.10 (82) victory.  In hot and windy conditions, the Blues were quick to land the first blow of the game. After a chain of linking handballs, it was Francis Evans who kicked the opener in the good Friday clash, with a set shot off the back of a piercing Will Hayes kick.    Oliver Poole showed poise early with ball in hand, with his delivery inside 50 resulting in returning co-captain Liam McMahon kicking his first of the game to take an early lead.   With the Kangaroos returning serve, it was Will Hayes (nine disposals) who took a bounce and launched one from long range for a quick response to take back the lead.   View this post on Instagram A post shared by Carlton Reserves (@carlton_reserves) Darcy Hogg (nine disposals) and Archie Stevens (seven disposals) both got involved early Ashton Moir took a mark inside 50 to set up a set shot after the siren he gave the Blues a seven-point lead heading into quarter time It was similarly a hot start to the second as McMahon continued where he left off to become the first multiple goalkicker of the day and get the ball rolling once more Hogg (15 disposals) continued to find plenty of the ball with a one-two in the corridor resulting in a Heath Ramshaw goal from 50 metres out on the run It wasn’t long until key forward Harry Lemmey got involved and kicked his first with some classy vision from Ramshaw (12 disposals) to pull the kick and deliver a set shot inside 50 McMahon kicked his third of the day to give the Blues three in a row before the Roos responded More nice transition from half back gave Lemmey the chance to stem the tide kicking his second of the quarter as Stevens and Hayes (15 disposals each) continued to bring plenty of energy at the contest The Blues took a 17-point lead into the main break after a six-goal second quarter Jordan Boyd and Harry Charleson (12 disposals each) provided plenty of run from the back half with conditions proving tough as the wind picked up Luke Nelson (10 disposals) was lively throughout the term looking dangerous when the Blues entered the forward half: he found Lemmey with a pinpoint kick in the pocket getting one back against the run of play and registering his third of the afternoon 14 hitouts) played a crucial role in his return from injury as the Blues’ leaders needed to lift Hayes continued to do so with a 13-disposal quarter while co-captain Ramshaw climbed to 21 disposals at the final change McMahon kicked his fourth with a classy set shot from the boundary to level the scores Time started to become a factor after North hit the leader and produced a string of behinds with Boyd backing himself by foot and an energetic Francis Evans (13 disposals) producing some crucial moments After Evans lowered his eyes to find Ashton Moir the second-year Blue kicked goal No.2 to get the Blues back within a goal it unfortunately wasn’t to be for the Blues The VFL Blues will continue their season next Sunday 27 April at 11:05am against Geelong at IKON Park NORTH MELBOURNE      3.2      6.6    11.9    12.12 (84) CARLTON RESERVES     4.3      9.5      10.8   12.10 (82)   The Carlton Reserves went down to a surging Coburg Lions outfit Michael Voss reviews a disappointing day in Adelaide Carlton has fallen to Adelaide by 60 points Marc Pittonet will play his first game of the season in the VFL clash with North Melbourne The Carlton Football Club is proud to reveal its 2025 Indigenous guernsey designed by Yorta Yorta siblings and founders of Bayadherra Hudson O'Keeffe had his most commanding performance of his VFL career to date in the Carlton Reserves' Round 6 clash with coburg Watch the best of the Carlton Reserves in the VFL Round 6 clash with Coburg AFL Senior Coach Michael Voss joined media following the Round 8 clash with Adelaide See what Michael Voss had to say ahead of Carlton's Round 8 clash with Adelaide Carlton Football Club acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which IKON Park is located The Club also acknowledges and pays its respects to their Elders past and present and the Traditional Owners of the many lands on which we play our great game You can now click/tap WATCH to start the live stream You can now click/tap LISTEN to start the live stream You can now click/tap LATEST NEWS to start the live stream Despite a lacklustre match on Thursday night between Essendon and North Melbourne there was controversy in the final quarter of the close finish Joel Selwood and Jimmy Bartel spoke about a big moment in the final term of Thursday night’s clash where it appeared North Melbourne were given a free kick only to have it taken away “I’m unsure on what actually happened,” Selwood said on 3AW Football Press PLAY to listen to Selwood and Bartel’s thoughts on 3AW  playMason Cox: AFL suspensions need more consistency (1:51)Collingwood's Mason Cox reacts to the three-game ban handed to Paul Curtis questioning the 'archaic' system and calling for greater clarity on what is and isn't fair Round 8 of the AFL season gets underway Thursday night with a battle between Essendon and North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium before the Saints host the Dockers on Friday night Marvel Stadium, 7:30pm [AEST] Team news: The Bombers have made one change this week with veteran Dylan Shiel managed and young midfielder Elijah Tsatas coming into the side Paul Curtis had his three-match suspension upheld by the tribunal and is one of three changes at the roos with Darcy Tucker (omitted) and Gorge Wardlaw (corked thigh) also making way for Bailey Scott Pointsbet odds: Bombers $1.40 Marvel Stadium, 7:40pm [AEST] Team news: The Saints have named but will make a game-day decision on Mattaes Phillipou while Hugh Boxshall and Liam O'Connoll also come in Luke Jackson (hamstring) is back in the team Pointsbet odds: Saints $2.10 Mars Stadium, 1:20pm [AEST] Team news: Dogs midfielder Adam Treloar is close to returning from a calf injury as the Dogs hunt three consecutive wins while Taylor Duryea has also put his hand up after an impressive 31 disposals and eight marks for Footscray where Liam Jones also played an effective role with 15 touches six marks and a game-high eight intercepts Port Adelaide have made two changes; Josh Sinn was left concussed by a Paul Curtis tackle in Round 7 and will miss Pointsbet odds: Dogs $1.35 Adelaide Oval, 4:15pm [AEST] with the Crows making four and Carlton three and veteran Sam Docherty for injured trio Jack Silvagni (hand) Pointsbet odds: Crows $1.53 MCG, 7:35pm [AEST] Collingwood will be without Dan McStay for the next 6-8 weeks after he injured his MCL against the Bombers Lachie Schultz also returns from a hamstring injury and captain Darcy Moore returns after vertigo symptoms related to an inner-ear issue ruled him out of last week's Anzac Day win with Tom Stewart going out with knee soreness Pointsbet odds: Pies $1.60 Optus Stadium, 7:35pm [AEST] Team news: Clayton Oliver will miss this week's clash through personal reasons with Jake Melksham coming in with Dan Turner West Coast have announced that draftee Bo Allen will debut joining Tim Kelly and Tyler Brockman as 'ins' Pointsbet odds: Eagles $3.00 Australia and New Zealand audiences can now access over 10,000 live ESPN events on Disney+ SCG, 1:10pm [AEST] Team news: Ben Paton (calf) was subbed out of the Swans' loss against Gold Coast and if he is to be replaced Angus Sheldrick's 34 touches in the VFL could be hard to ignore Callum Mills (foot) is also nearing a return Luckless forward Logan McDonald could go under the knife after suffering a stress fracture in his fibula Pointsbet odds: Swans $2.35 MCG, 3:20pm [AEST] Team news: The Hawks will make at least two changes after Karl Amon and Jack Scrimshaw were concussed against the Eagles who'll welcome back Noah Balta after the versatile key defender had to miss last week due to curfew Pointsbet odds: Hawks $1.06 Gabba, 7:20pm [AEST] Team news: The Lions are expected to have key defender Jack Payne return after he was a late out against the Saints with illness but Logan Morris will miss Sunday night's match with calf soreness Pointsbet odds: Lions $1.55 Frankston will aim to celebrate Trent Mynott’s 100th Smithy’s VFL game against Werribee at Melbourne Avalon Airport Oval by doing something that hasn’t happened in his lifetime And Brisbane Lions star Keidean Coleman will make his long awaited return from his knee reconstruction when his club brings back the Bears in its VFL QClash against Gold Coast at Brighton Homes Arena on Sunday was still more than two years away from being born when his club last sung the song against the Tigers in the Werribee rooms on August 3 Since then the Big W have record 13 wins by an average of nearly nine goals in that time although they did beat Sydney and North Melbourne there in 2021 and 2018 respectively Mynott has now played 56 games for Frankston and has yet to beat Werribee with 2009 being the Dolphins’ last victory over the Tigers anywhere But the club’s confidence would never have been higher sitting in fourth spot on 3-1 while the Tigers are 13th at 2-3 and with star recruit Will Hamill returning from a hamstring injury the Dolphins will give themselves every chance of breaking the drought Brisbane will wear the old Bears pyramid guernsey and run out to the original Dare To Beat The Bear song in both VFL and AFL this week with Coleman being joined in the team by AFL omissions James Tunstill and Darcy Fort The returning James Creighton and Sherwood debutant Ryan Gilder have also been named with Will McLachlan and Conor McKenna promoted while Curtis McCarthy and Wyatt Greenaway are both in concussion protocols Stars Suns defender Caleb Graham returns after being a late exclusion last week with Zai Millane coming in from Academy duties Northern Bullants and Port Melbourne will be fighting for their first wins of the season when they lock horns at Genis Steel Oval The Bullants have had the hardest fixture in the competition with consecutive trips to Footscray Gold Coast and Frankston and will relish the chance to return home for the first time this year Although they will do it without captain Liam Mackie ex-Borough player Sam Green and Wal Wuol all coming in the second son of former star Essendon ruckman Steve to their list and rushed him in for a VFL debut straight out of the Calder Cannons Williamstown star Luke Parks will play his 50th VFL as the Seagulls try to get their season back on track against Southport at DSV Stadium on Saturday The injury-riddled Seagulls have slipped to 1-4 with a tough fixture staring them in the face and could see their finals hopes all but gone by mid-season if they can’t claim a big scalp And there are none bigger at the moment than the undefeated Grand Finalists who have lost Jacob Heron to a minor hamstring and Wylie Buzza to illness but have the luxury of replacing them with Jesse Joyce and Will Sexton Parks has been holding Williamstown together this season with Fin O’Dwyer’s return last week easing the pressure but the home team will have to do it without Jack Toner who copped a two-week suspension last week and has been replaced by Tom Mundy Tom Downie played his 150th State league game last week and will be looking forward to a huge battle with Sharks gun Brayden Crossley Coburg has lost star signing Jack Bytel with a hamstring injury for its crucial clash with Carlton at Barry Plant Park Bytel was hurt early in the stunning win over Williamstown but should only miss the clash with the Blues although the news is worse for skipper Jesse Corigliano a late withdrawal from the Seagulls game with an ankle that has ruled him out for two months The Lions will mark recruit Matt Allison’s 50th VFL game in the clash with Carlton losing Sam Docherty and Lachie Cowan to AFL duty replacing them with Dane Harvey and Kristian Ferronato Caleb Poulter will play his 50th VFL game in Footscray’s trip to Victoria Park to meet Collingwood on Saturday with the Bulldogs regaining Nick Coffield from a hamstring injury for his first game since Round 1 They also bring back Luke Kennedy from concussion while draftee Josh Dolan drops back from the AFL team to make his VFL debut alongside Round 2 hero Cooper Hynes and young speedster Diesel Moloney The Magpies have named recruits Ben De Bolfo and Michael Kiraly for their first games in black and white while big-bodied North Albury youngster Josh Murphy will make his debut alongside Brady Grey and Josh Tovey Ed Allan and Oleg Markov also held over and Joel Cochran in concussion protocols Richmond coach Jake Batchelor has wielded the axe after the Tigers’ horror showing against Casey Demons making five unforced changes to meet Box Hill Hawks under lights at Kinetic Stadium Aussie Johnson and Liam George all bolster the line-up The Hawks have named Leongatha product Max Donohue to make his debut alongside livewire Jake Arundell with Finn Maginness and Changkuoth Jiath called up by Hawthorn Sydney and GWS Giants each have a debutant for their VFL Derby at the SCG on Sunday with the Swans naming Academy top-ager Cameron Este and the Giants calling up Manly-Warringah’s Sam McMeeken Pierce Roseby and AFL omissions Peter Ladhams and Tom Hanily but lose Joel Hamling and Gus Sheldrick in the other direction and Patrick Snell to illness the Giants get Conor Stone back from AFL duty with Callum Brown Joe Fonti and debutant Josaia Delana going the other way and James Leake injured Luckless North Melbourne high-flyer Brayden George will make his long-awaited return from a second knee reconstruction when the Kangaroos take on Essendon in the Smithy’s VFL Round 6 opener at Windy Hill on Friday was originally considered a top 10 chance in the 2022 draft but slid to No 26 after suffering his first ACL injury during a dominant top-age year with the Murray Bushrangers that yielded 18 goals in eight matches He didn’t play at all in 2023 but returned in the VFL last year playing across half-back and showing his marking prowess in eight appearances before landing awkwardly in a marking contest in Round 12 and requiring a second knee reconstruction The Girgarre product via Wangaratta Rovers will play managed minutes against the Bombers with the Kangaroos making seven significant changes Aidan Corr and Darcy Tucker return from AFL duties and Zac Fisher Griffin Logue and Matt Whitlock from injury as young North Hobart product Nathaniel Sulzberger makes his debut Riley Hardeman and Finnbar Maley have been called into the AFL team while Adam Tomlinson has been rested from the Roos team that produced a thrilling win over Carlton on Good Friday Dangerous Essendon forward Matt Guelfi and 200cm swingman Nik Cox will play their first games of the year while first-year defender Angus Clarke has recovered from a broken collarbone suffered in Round 2 Guelfi had hamstring surgery in February to delay his start to the year while Cox’s off-season was disrupted by concussion symptoms and his return put on the backburner by a calf injury with Calder Cannons and Greenvale teenager Kieran Gallagher to play his first game BROADCAST AND STREAMING: All matches in the 2025 Smithy’s VFL season will be live streamed free via the AFL website The Seven Network will broadcast a match live and free on 7mate in Victoria and 7plus Sport nationally every Saturday night This week’s broadcast match will be Box Hill Hawks vs Richmond Spiteri (omitted)NEW: Nathaniel Sulzberger North Hobart/Tasmania Devils/Sandringham Dragons Head-to-Head: Essendon 24-14-6; At Windy Hill: Essendon 4-1; Streak: Essendon 1; Last time: Essendon 15.9 (99) def North Melbourne 6.12 (48) – Round 8 Head-to-Head: Level 2-2; At DSV Stadium: Williamstown 2-0; Streak: Southport 1; Last time: Southport 13.13 (91) def Williamstown 7.4 (46) – Round 11 Head-to-Head: Werribee 39-38; At Avalon Airport Oval: Werribee 23-10; Streak: Werribee 13; Last time: Werribee 13.9 (87) def Frankston 8.11 (59) – Round 11 Head-to-Head: Footscray 13-8; At Victoria Park: Footscray 4-3; Streak: Footscray 2; Last time: Footscray 14.13 (97) def Collingwood 8.11 (59) – Round 10 Head-to-Head: Port Melbourne 121-63-2; At Genis Steel Oval: Port Melbourne 47-38-2; Streak: Port Melbourne 4; Last time: Port Melbourne 13.9 (87) def Northern Bullants 9.6 (60) – Round 21 Head-to-Head: Box Hill Hawks 7-5; At Kinetic Stadium: Never Met; Streak: Box Hill Hawks 4; Last time: Box Hill Hawks 13.9 (87) def Richmond 6.14 (50) – Round 12 Head-to-Head: Brisbane Lions 21-16; At Brighton Homes Arena: Gold Coast Suns 1-0; Streak: Gold Coast Suns 5; Last time: Gold Coast Suns 20.11 (131) def Brisbane Lions 14.12 (96) – Round 18 Head-to-Head: Level 3-3; At Barry Plant Park: Coburg 3-1; Streak: Carlton 2; Last time: Carlton 18.15 (123) def Coburg 11.5 (71) – Round 16 Head-to-Head: Sydney Swans 23-16; At SCG: Level 4-4; Streak: GWS Giants 1; Last time: GWS Giants 12.18 (90) def Sydney Swans 11.10 (76) – Round 14 NORTHERN BULLANTS vs PORT MELBOURNEFIELD: 12 BRISBANE LIONS vs GOLD COAST SUNSFIELD: 22 Michael Voss is confident his rejuvenated Blues can continue their winning ways with a precious away victory against Adelaide