We're back at Marvel Stadium to take on Essendon for the second time this year and we want to see you at the game!

We're celebrating Kids Footy Month with FREE kids tickets, and  plenty happening at the ground for kids and kids-at-heart.

Here’s everything you need to know. 

When: Sunday, June 28 at 3.15pm AEST
Where: Marvel Stadium, Docklands, VIC 
Gates Open: 1.45pm

Member Access: Scan in using your mobile membership via the NMFC app, or by using your barcoded membership card.

Find everything you need to know about getting to Marvel Stadium here ...

Parking | Public Transport | Travel Disruptions | Accessibility 

... or get straight to the game for less, thanks to our transport partner 13cabs!

Introducing the Intrepid Footy Passport! Thanks to our official membership partner, for every North Melbourne home game you attend at Marvel Stadium this season, you'll earn $100 towards an Intrepid Travel voucher* to go on your dream trip. *Minimum spend and T&Cs apply. Find out more!

Collect your Member Cap and Scarf
Visit the Gate 5 ticket windows to collect your 2026 member merchandise. Don’t forget to have your Member Choice Voucher ready!

Future Roos Passport Prize collection 
Collect your Passport Prize for Round 16! Your exclusive badge can be collected at Guest Services at Gate 5 by showing your Future Roos passport.

There is heaps of fun for the whole family, including a pre-match parade, and a scavenger hunt with lots of freebies starting outside Gate 5.

Plus, a halftime performance by Dorothy the Dinosaur, the Tree of Wisdom and Wags the Dog from The Wiggles!

At every Roos home game this year, one lucky fan will walk away with a FREE CHiQ TV! Be in your seat early for the chance to be randomly selected as our Round 16 winner!

HOKA are also giving you the chance to win a shopping spree, so keep an eye on the Big Screen before the bounce.

Head to Gate 7 for fun for the whole family! Roo Squad will have FREE face painting, colouring-in and sensory play, as well as some Kangaroos Crocs jibbitz to give away! Take part in CHIQ's handball target, and 13Cabs and Maccas will both have their inflatables too.

Visit the Fizz Kids zone on Level 2 (Gate 2/3) for rainbow arts and crafts.

Head to the Level 1 Kids Zone (inside Gate 7) for a Spidey and his Amazing Friends themed photo experience, thanks to Canon. Strike a pose and take home your printed keepsake, then get involved in a colouring activity, where the best artworks will win a Canon camera and printer! 

Don't miss out on complimentary popcorn and whole fruit giveaways at Gate 2/3 and roaming on Level 1, until they run out. And keep an eye out for Kanga and Ruby, our beloved team mascots who will be roaming the concourse pre-game.

Our venue partner The Pass have 200+ venues available in Australia. Find a location near you to watch with other Roos fans!

Exclusive to NMFC members, receive 15 per cent off all your food and bev purchases at The Wharf in Docklands, and 10 per cent off at all other venues, when you order with The Pass!

To join the NMFC list and receive your exclusive discount:

1. Download The Pass from the App Store or Google Play
2. Sign up, and add your preferred payment method
3. Head to More > Promo Code, and enter 'NMFC' followed by your membership number, e.g. NMFC123456
4. Order using The Pass to receive 15 per cent off at The Wharf, and 10 per cent off at all other venues

Watch on TV or stream on your phone

Saturday’s game will be broadcast on Channel 7, Fox Footy and Kayo.

Become a Digital Roo member and access the all the member benefits, and a discounted Premium Kayo subscription. Buy now! 

Stay connected on social media 

For behind-the-scenes access follow the @NMFCOfficial accounts on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and X.

North Melbourne hosts Essendon at Marvel Stadium on Sunday in search of a third straight win.

Having struggled to beat their old rival in recent years, the Roos have the opportunity to complete a season double over the Bombers, having already defeated them in Round 3.

Round 16, North Melbourne v Essendon
When: Sunday, June 28 at 3.15pm AEST
Where: Marvel Stadium, VIC
How to watch: Channel 7, Foxtel, Kayo Sports

The opposition

The Bombers will be fresh off their bye week and looking for a reset after a disappointing opening to their season.

Their 1-13 record has cost coach Brad Scott his job, and interim coach Dean Solomon is among the front-runners to permanently replace him amid speculation that the club may turn to Essendon legend James Hird. 

Captain Andy McGrath is among a handful of players expected to return from injury this weekend. Jye Caldwell, Darcy Parish and Isaac Kako are all likely to feature on Sunday, giving the Bombers hope that they can topple the Roos and climb off the bottom of the ladder.

Running hot

George Wardlaw has been quietly building the most consistent block of form in his four-year career.

North Melbourne's fearless midfielder celebrated his 50-game milestone in last week's win over Richmond with 15 influential touches, five tackles and three intercepts.

Wardlaw is also increasingly showing he can be damaging in the opposition's side of the ground, contributing two goals against the Tigers among five score involvements.

What the coach has said

North Melbourne senior coach Alastair Clarkson on Wednesday: 
"There's been a healthy rivalry between these clubs for a long time. Wherever we sit on the ladder it doesn't matter, it's usually a pretty good contest.

"We've just got to try to bank as many wins as we can. Our footy club hasn't been in a position in mid-season (for a while) where we still have our season alive.

"The quality of the game doesn't matter as much as defending the ground well and (restricting the opposition) ... that will continue to be a focus for us."

Last time we met

Zane Duursma kicked three goals as the Kangaroos defeated the Bombers by 12 points in a heated Saturday night clash in Round 3.

A five-goal third quarter proved decisive for the Roos, who led at every change as they finally ended a 10-year hoodoo against their old rivals.

Veteran Luke Parker turned back the clock with 33 disposals and 13 marks off half-back, while Harry Sheezel showed his class with 33 touches.

Ruck Tristan Xerri would later be suspended for his part in an incident which saw tempers boil over in the second quarter, while first-year forward Lachy Dovaston showed his passion after a goal by showing his jumper to a baying Bomber crowd.

For the first time since 2019, North Melbourne has won three consecutive games as Essendon's horror season only gets worse.

Sunday's 14-point victory under the Marvel Stadium roof is North's eighth win of the season – another first in seven years – as they enjoyed an inaccurate 10.19 (79) to 9.11 (65) victory.

As they have so often done this year, the Bombers came to life in the last quarter to vaguely threaten, but it was simply too little, too late.

It was laborious, as skill errors made a mess of sure opportunities in front of goal for both sides.
 
But where others struggled to hit targets, North Melbourne young gun Harry Sheezel remained elite with ball in hand, finishing with 43 disposals and eight tackles as the most consistent performer across the afternoon.

The Roos got busy on transition, opening up a somewhat disorganised Essendon defensive unit with end-to-end play, but then totally broke down once inside 50. Missed kicks, dropped marks, and players lacking confidence to take the shot meant they simply couldn't punish the Bombers once close to goal.

Once they gathered some composure in that part of the ground, however, things went from bad to worse for Essendon. The transition was still at play, and suddenly the Roos were making the most of it on the scoreboard.

Hitting up targets on the lead inside 50 and shuffling the ball around the attacking arc to create holes for those targets generated calm, high percentage opportunities at goal early in the third term.

They racked up the marks inside 50 – particularly in the third term where the Roos took nine in the arc to Essendon's one – as the Bombers became decreasingly accountable to those Roos sliding into holes in attack.

It was a backline under immense pressure all afternoon, however, given Essendon's poor defensive efforts higher up the ground, with the Bombers unable and potentially unwilling to slow that ball movement. They recorded just seven tackles in the third quarter, and conceded 14 inside 50s for the term.

The eventual tackle count was 51-35 North Melbourne's way, with Sheezel and Caleb Daniel each racking up more disposals than Essendon did tackles.

KANGAROOS v BOMBERS Full match coverage and stats

Sam Durham (25 disposals, two goals) was a bright spot for Essendon on an otherwise dour day. His attack on the footy was one thing, but more important was his capacity to press forward and kick team-lifting goals just when it seemed that all hope was lost.

And in the front half, Nate Caddy (four marks, two goals) worked especially hard to both provide a link going inside 50, and remain a target close to goal, running direct opponent Aidan Corr up and back all afternoon.

Essendon leant heavily on switching the ball in defence, but often those switches forced them very deep, giving up a lot of territory, and as the Roos became more proactive in attack and brought the pressure, it started to create opportunities for the home side to score.

Despite carrying some soreness through the game with an ongoing left knee concern, veteran Mason Redman (29 disposals, 563 metres gained) continued to stand tall, working to lift his side where possible, but without enough of his teammates joining his efforts.

The Bombers have now won just once in their past 28 outings.

Harvey's role change working wonders
In his four seasons at North Melbourne, Cooper Harvey has struggled to earn consistent AFL opportunities as a midfielder/forward. This year, a change was made. Through the VFL, Harvey has earned his stripes as a dashing half-back, using his neat kick to set up play higher up the field, and balancing that with genuine defensive efforts. Harvey finished Sunday's match with 24 disposals and six score involvements, showing exactly what has made him an ideal half-back option.

Review underway
The opening half of Sunday's clash featured four ARC interventions for goal line incidents. Two were to check the legality of marks from Cooper Trembath following inaccurate shots on goal from teammates, one a similar marking attempt from former Essendon captain Zach Merrett, and the fourth an overturned Dylan Stephens goal after the Bombers managed to get a touch on the ball. None of the reviews resulted in a major, but all earned groans from the crowd.

NORTH MELBOURNE     2.6    5.9    8.15   10.19 (79)
ESSENDON         2.2    4.6    5.8   9.11 (65)

GOALS 
North Melbourne: Konstanty 2, Darling 2, Spargo 2, Davies-Uniacke, Simpkin, Trembath, Larkey
Essendon: Durham 2, El Achkar 2, Caddy 2, McKay, Robey, Merrett

BEST 
North Melbourne: Sheezel, Davies-Uniacke, McKercher, Trembath, Harvey
Essendon: Durham, Reid, Robey, Redman, Caddy

INJURIES 
North Melbourne: Wardlaw (right knee)
Essendon: Redman (left knee soreness)

Crowd: 37,054 at Marvel Stadium