Round 8 for the 2025 AFL Premiership season will get underway this Thursday night with a a clash at Marvel Stadium between Essendon and North Melbourne. This is likely a clash that is more exciting for daily fantasy players than football fans given the Bombers are currently sitting 12th on the ladder and North are 17th. The Bombers are just one win out of the top eight in a total log jam, so if they have any aspirations for a successful season they will need to get a big win against North this week.
As always this is all about the daily fantasy and this massive Thursday night game draws another massive $60,000 prize pool at Draftstars in their main contest. In addition, there are a variety of alternate contests:
AFL $60,000+ Bombers vs Kangaroos
AFL $5,000+ Bombers vs Kangaroos High Roller ($150 Entry)
AFL $3,000+ Bombers vs Kangaroos Mini ($2 Entry)
The AFL Star contest is back again for 2025 and Draftstars are once again offering the biggest prize pool in Australian DFS history with a $1 million guaranteed final with $250,000 top prize! There are qualifiers and satellites running for every AFL match.
Betting Markets
Essendon ($1.45) vs North Melbourne ($2.78)
Points: 183.5
Line: Essendon -16.5
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Additionally, we have a full Essendon vs North Melbourne Betting Preview where we provide our best bet for the game as well as a great value Same Game Multi!
Weather
Forget about the weather, this is at Marvel under the roof. Let’s play!
Where to Attack?
North Melbourne have been getting killed by forwards this season, giving up over 10 points per game above league average to key forwards over the last five weeks (the most in the league during that time). With general forwards they have been giving up the third most in the league. Now, this should come as no shock given they are sitting second last on the ladder and given Essendon are 16 point favourites in this game, a Bombers forward stack will be an obvious play.
Essendon have been relatively stingy in fantasy points given their position but have been giving up above average points to general defenders and attacking half backs, which makes for a nice structure of game stacks if you are expecting a Bombers win.
Game Script – Essendon forwards, North Melbourne backs
VALUE PLAYS
Charlie Comben ($7,100)… as noted above North Merlboune back stacks look the play here. Comben has shown big scoring potential in the past and has seen his price dip down towards to minimum range. There is huge ceiling potential in this matchup for large tournaments and I would be looking to pair him with one of Norths more premium backs in Caleb Daniel or Harry Sheezel who has returned to his original role in the half back line in past weeks.
Jade Gresham ($7,790) has already shown us his scoring potential with a 75 and 95 point game this season. As we noted above, North have been giving up some of the biggest scores in the league to opposition forwards this season and Essendon are favourites in this game. Also given it is a single game slate and often value is hard to pinpoint stacking up Bombers forwards in this game looks a solid play.
MID PRICED PLAYS
Elijah Tsatas ($10,060) comes back into the side after getting heavy opportunities as an inside midfield in the first two games of the season. Dylan Shiel will make way and we can expect Tsatas to fill that role noting that Shiel had been attending over 55% of the Bombers centre bounces over the last four games. Tsatas has been a point per minute monster with this role and if this TOG can grow into the 70% range he should pay off this salary no problem.
PREMIUM PLAYS
Tristan Xerri ($17,220) has been the in-form ruckman of the competition through the early stages of the year. His price is right up there after back to back scores of 122 and 116, so it will really come down to a decision on where you can get your most per dollar on this single game slate, but I can't see any scenario where he doesn’t dominate this game given his opponent will be a one foot in the grave Todd Goldstein.
Luke Davies-Uniacke ($14,090) hasn’t developed into the fantasy scoring midfielder that many expected, however his price has dipped down nicely and he has shown 120 point upside in past seasons. I love this matchup at Marvel where he has scored well in the past and the Bombers have been giving up above average scores to inside midfielders this season.
Suggested Draftstars Team
