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Where: Etihad Stadium
When: 08.50 (GMT)
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The North Melbourne Kangaroos will be out to break an unenviable streak, having not won their Round one game under coach Brad Scott since 2010.
To do that they will need to beat the Essendon Bombers, who have won their first three games in the past three seasons.
Essendon will miss Tom Bellchambers and Jake Melksham, and North is minus Andrew Swallow and Robbie Tarrant. It looms as a hard-fought clash.
Three debutants will line up in Essendon’s season opener with Zach Merrett, Marty Gleeson and Patrick Ambrose named to take on North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium on Friday night.
The trio will join new recruit Paul Chapman in donning the sash for the first time in a premiership season match for the Club.
Coach Mark Thompson said all the players selected for their first match had earned their place in the side.
“I am sure that all Essendon supporters and football people think he has great talent and we think so too. At some stage you have to play these young guys if you are going to be a good side and that is what our intentions are. We have seen his ability during the pre-season and deserves his call up,” Thompson said of Gleeson.
‘Bomber’ also looked forward to seeing what Merret, as the side’s highest draft pick and Ambrose are capable of in their AFL starts.
“Zach Merrett is a terrific little player and was our first pick in the draft recently. He kicks the ball well, reads the ball well, is tough and really just has all the qualities you need as an AFL footballer,” he said.
“Patty has played in our VFL team as a top up player and he is just a workhorse. He keeps doing what the coaches want him to do, he pleases us and therefore deserves his chance. He has fantastic athletic ability, his tall, competitive and hopefully he has a good career.”
Match facts
1. Since 2008, the teams have waged a close-fought rivalry, with North holding a 4-3 edge. The Bombers’ past two wins over the Roos have been by three and two points.
2. North won eight of 13 games at Etihad Stadium in 2013, averaging 119 points a game, while Essendon won five of 10 and averaged 99 points a game.
3. No team took more marks in 2013 than Essendon (2213), with North ranked sixth (2064).
4. The teams were at the opposite ends of the AFL’s free kick count last year, with North receiving the most free kicks of any club (445) and Essendon the fewest (348).
5. Despite missing the finals in 2013, the Kangaroos averaged 15 goals a game, ranked third in the AFL behind Hawthorn and Geelong.
6. Essendon captain Jobe Watson is ranked No. 5 in the competition in the Official AFL Player Ratings. North Melbourne’s best is Brent Harvey at No. 12.
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