Josh Goater is one of six inclusions for Friday's VFL game against Footscray at Mission Whitten Oval.

The defender/winger suffered a ruptured Achilles in North Melbourne's opening match of the 2024 AFL season, with subsequent quad and hamstring setbacks keeping him on the sidelines until this week.

For his first appearance in 2025, the No.31 has been named to start on the wing.

Jackson Archer is back in the reserves side having shaken off a hamstring complaint, while Eddie Ford returns from a midfoot sprain and will line up at half-back.

After travelling with the AFL team to Launceston last week as an emergency, Callum Coleman-Jones will reprise his role as a ruck-forward.

VFL-listed players Olli Hotton and Alex Noblett are also back in the side.

Connor Downie has been omitted from the team that lost to Box Hill in Round 14, while Nathaniel Sulzberger will miss due to injury.

Bailey Scott, Cooper Harvey, Finnbar Maley and Zane Duursma have been called up for AFL duty.

How to follow the game

You can live stream the match free via the AFL website, AFL Live Official App and VFL App. Head here on gameday to keep up with the score and our best performers.

Round 15

Friday, July 4
Footscray v North Melbourne at Mission Whitten Oval, 4.05pm AEST

A 16-point defeat to Footscray on Friday night has seen North Melbourne suffer back-to-back losses for the first time this season.

The Kangaroos fought hard to remain in the contest right to the final siren, but the Bulldogs proved to be too strong in their 13.9 (87) to 10.11 (71) win at Mission Whitten Oval.

BULLDOGS v KANGAROOS Full match coverage and stats

An eight-goal avalanche saw the hosts well on top at the main break, but the Roos stormed back into the contest to hit the lead shortly before three-quarter time.

It wasn't to be though as the Bulldogs kicked four majors to the Roos' two in the final stanza.

Player watch

Geordie Payne's (14 disposals, two goals) pressure around the contest was simply elite. Lining up at most centre bounces, Payne was relentless, laying 17 tackles. His first major of the evening came off the back of a chase-down tackle in the forward pocket.

The one-two punch of Callum Coleman-Jones (18 disposals, 17 hitouts) and Taylor Goad (seven disposals, 27 hitouts) was strong once again. 

Both big men were fierce with their physicality in the ruck, with Goad showing off his agility through a pick-up-and-snap goal shortly after half-time.

Eddie Ford (18 disposals, six marks) impressed in his return to the side. The utility put his body on the line to take a number of intercept marks, while repeatedly using his pace on the overlap to launch the Roos into transition.

River Stevens (nine disposals, four tackles) played a huge role in his side's third-term fightback. The crafty forward pushed up high to show off his foot skills, with goals to Ford and Trembath coming straight from Stevens' bullet passes to the goalface.

Zac Banch (16 disposals, five score involvements) was also dangerous down forward once again. The livewire attacked the ball hard at ground level and added another two goals to his tally for the year through quick-thinking efforts out the back.

Darcy Macpherson (26 disposals, one goal) was smooth around the contest and with his ball use, as well as Oliver Lowe who racked up 27 disposals and a goal off the wing.

Next up

North Melbourne will have a bye in round 16, before travelling north to take on Sydney on July 19. The first bounce at Tramway Oval is scheduled for 12.05pm AEST.

FOOTSCRAY BULLDOGS      2.1    8.5    9.6    13.9   (87)
NORTH MELBOURNE            3.3    3.4   8.10   10.11  (71)

GOALS
Footscray Bulldogs: Khamis 2, Cuningham 2, Lewis 2, Muratore, Scott, Smith, E Macpherson, Dolan, Jaques, Baker
North Melbourne: Banch 2, Payne 2, Trembath, Ford, Lowe, D Macpherson, Tarrant, Goad

BEST
North Melbourne: Payne, Macpherson, Linder, Coleman-Jones, Goad, Banch