North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos forward Blaithin Bogue will make her AFLW debut in the Round 1 clash against Geelong at GMHBA Stadium.

Senior coach Darren Crocker shared the news with the playing group on Thursday, following the 25-year-old's strong pre-season in her second year with the club. 

Bogue impressed during North Melbourne's practice match against Essendon, booting three goals and showcasing her impressive speed and athleticism.

Hailing from Fermanagh in Northern Ireland, Bogue has a strong background in Gaelic football, where she was named Player of the Match in the 2022 All-Ireland Junior Ladies’ final. 

She became the fourth international player on the club's list when she was signed under the Supplementary Selection Period rule following the 2023 season.

Bogue is the first Roo to make her AFLW debut since fellow Irish product Niamh Martin played her first game in Round 7, 2023.

New North Melbourne recruits Ariana Hetherington and Eilish Sheerin will also play their first game for the club on Saturday after settling in seamlessly at Arden Street.

Hetherington joined the Roos from Fremantle in the 2024 AFLW Trade Period after two seasons and 12 games at the Dockers, while two-time All-Australian Sheerin brings 32 games of experience to the club after being traded from Richmond.

The full team for the opening round will be announced at 6.20pm on Thursday.

The Kangaroos kick off their 2025 campaign against the Cats at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday, with the opening bounce at 3.35pm AEST.