There are two night matches on Saturday in AFL Round 1, with one of those being and intriguing matchup between the Western Bulldogs and North Melbourne. The Bulldogs enter this game with a truckload of injuries to key players – does this open the door for the Kangaroos to begin 2025 with a bang? We bring you our thoughts and best bets below!
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.
Western Bulldogs vs North Melbourne
Location: Marvel Stadium – Melbourne
Date: Saturday, 15th March
Time: 7:35pm AEDT
Odds: Western Bulldogs ($1.33) vs North Melbourne ($3.30)
Line: Western Bulldogs -22.5
Points: 180.5
Odds and lines provided with thanks to BoomBet. Note that odds and lines can fluctuate throughout the week, and are correct at the time of writing.
Match Preview
The Western Bulldogs and North Melbourne open their 2025 AFL campaigns on Saturday night, with both clubs looking to set the tone for their season. The Bulldogs finished sixth last year but exited the finals early, suffering a disappointing 37-point loss to Hawthorn in the elimination final. Meanwhile, the Kangaroos endured another difficult year, winning just three games to finish second last on the ladder. However, North Melbourne was one of the busiest teams in the off-season, aggressively strengthening their squad with the additions of Luke Parker from Sydney, Jack Darling from West Coast, and Caleb Daniel from the Bulldogs. All three will make their club debuts, alongside Finn O’Sullivan, who was taken with the second pick in last year’s draft.
The Bulldogs enter the season with several key players unavailable due to injury, which could prove problematic. Captain Marcus Bontempelli is a significant loss, set to miss over a month with a calf injury, while Adam Treloar, Liam Jones, Jason Johannisen, and Cody Weightman are also sidelined. These absences will test the club’s depth, but they do welcome three new faces into the side, with Matthew Kennedy making his Bulldogs debut after crossing from Carlton, and youngsters Sam Davidson and Josh Dolan set to play their first AFL games. Despite their injury woes, the Bulldogs still have experienced players capable of stepping up, particularly in the midfield, where they will look to control possession and generate scoring opportunities.
North Melbourne, on the other hand, will see this as a prime opportunity to make an early statement. The additions of Parker and Daniel should bring much-needed leadership as well as improving their ball movement, while Darling’s presence inside 50 will give them a reliable target in attack. The Kangaroos struggled in contested ball last season, but with the Bulldogs missing some of their best midfielders, they could find an edge in this area. If they can apply pressure and take advantage of their opponent’s weakened defensive unit, they could be in with a real chance of causing an upset. Given the Bulldogs’ injury list and the Kangaroos’ improved squad, the current 22.5-point line in favour of the Bulldogs seems generous. This should be a far more competitive contest than expected, and North Melbourne looks well-placed to at least cover the spread, if not snatch an early-season victory.
Also Backing: North Melbourne to Win – $3.40 (0.5 Units)
North Melbourne +22.5
$1.90 (2 Units)
Same Game Multi
Throughout the 2025 AFL season we’ll be putting together a fun same game multi for every match at BoomBet using their BetShare feature.
To follow our multi, 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, and with a single click, your bet has been placed!
Jack Darling 1+ Goals – Looked good in their preseason hitout and will be eager to begin life at North on the front foot. He should be hitting the scoreboard here.
Caleb Daniel 25+ Disposals – Has a juicy role off half back this season and will be on kick-in duty. He should rack up disposals for fun.
Ryley Sanders 20+ Disposals – Has had a big preseason and is set to have the keys in the midfield with a number of stars sidelined. I’m expecting a big start to the year from Sanders.
Joel Freijah 20+ Disposals – Another one tipped to make big strides in 2025 is Freijah. Looked the goods in his rookie campaign and can find plenty of it.
SGM Odds: $3.60 at BoomBet
