The Essendon Bombers take on the North Melbourne Kangaroos in Round 8 of the 2025 AFL season at the Marvel Stadium on Thursday.
Essendon suffered a 107-66 defeat on Anzac Day against Collingwood last week as they slipped to 3-4 in the season and 11th on the points ladder.
Harrison Jones and Dylan Shiel were suspected of injuries as Jones was subbed off early due to an ankle issue, while Shiel came off after complaints of cramping. However, coach Brad Scott has stated that the two midfielders are fit and available for selection.
North Melbourne are 1-6 in the season and sit at 17th on the ladder and have now lost five straight matches in the league. They were defeated 97-88 against Port Adelaide last week.
Paul Curtis was handed a three-match ban following a tackle on defender Josh Sinn who suffered a concussion. Curtis was charged with high and careless conduct - as it stands, he is ruled out of this game, however, the Kangaroos have challenged the decision.
The Sporting News looks at the key details ahead of this game, including how to watch the match, kickoff times, and the latest lineup news.
Essendon vs. North Melbourne free live stream, free-to-air channel
- Live Stream: Kayo, Foxtel, 7plus
- TV Channel: Fox Footy
- Free-to-air: Seven Mate
Kayo Sports and Foxtel are providing both live and catch-up coverage of Thursday's match. The clash will also be available on TV via Fox Footy with free-to-air option on Seven Mate (7mate).
Fans can stream Essendon vs. North Melbourne on Kayo, which is currently offering a free trial for new subscribers so you can essentially watch this game and others this week for free. The match will also be streamed on the AFL website.
Essendon vs. North Melbourne start time
- Date: Thursday, May 1, 2025
- Start Time: 7:30 p.m. AEST
- Venue & Location: Marvel Stadium
The AFL Round 8 game between Essendon vs. North Melbourne will be played on Thursday, May 1, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. local time (AEST).
It will be played at the Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Victoria.
Here's how that kick-off time translates to the various Australian time zones:
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| Australian Eastern Standard Time | Thursday, May 1 | 7:30 p.m. |
| Australian Central Standard Time | Thursday, May 1 | 7:00 p.m. |
| Australian Western Standard Time | Thursday, May 1 | 5:30 p.m. |
AFL 2025 fixture schedule this week
Thursday, May 1
| Fixture | Venue | Time (AEST) | TV/Livestream |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essendon vs. North Melbourne | Marvel Stadium | 7:30 p.m. | Seven, Fox Footy/Kayo, Binge |
Friday, May 2
| Fixture | Venue | Time (AEST) | TV/Livestream |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Kilda vs. Fremantle | Marvel Stadium | 7:40 p.m. | Seven, Fox Footy/Kayo, Binge |
Saturday, May 3
| Fixture | Venue | Time (AEST) | TV/Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western Bulldogs vs. Port Adelaide | Mars Stadium | 1:20 p.m. | Fox Footy/Kayo |
| Adelaide Crows vs. Carlton | Adelaide Oval | 4:15 p.m. | Fox Footy/Kayo |
| Collingwood vs. Geelong | MCG | 7:35 p.m. | Fox Footy/Kayo |
| West Coast vs. Melbourne Demons | Optus Stadium | 7:35 p.m. | Fox Sports 3/Kayo |
Sunday, May 4
| Fixture | Venue | Time (AEST) | TV/Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney Swans vs. GWS Giants | SCG | 1:10 p.m. | Seven, Fox Sports 3/Kayo |
| Hawthorn vs. Richmond | MCG | 3:20 p.m. | Fox Footy/Kayo, Binge |
| Brisbane Lions vs. Gold Coast | Gabba | 7:20 p.m. | Fox Footy/Kayo |
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