On paper, the cross-conference matchup between the Dees (B) and North (A) could be a potential match of the Round. We take a look at Saturday (8/2/2020) AFLW 2020 match which is between the Melbourne and North Melbourne. View the odds and teams for both sides as well as our Tips and Bets for the match.
When: Saturday February 8, 3:10pm
Where: Casey Fields
Bet ?: Bet On This Match HERE
Preview:
North should have been playing in the finals last season and Melbourne have been unlucky in their recent AFLW seasons.
The Dees have been highly rated throughout their previous three AFLW campaigns but have missed out on qualifying for Grand Finals due to percentage and missed out on qualifying for the Group A finals after being thumped by the Crows in the final home and away round.
Superstar midfielder and two time All-Australian Daisy Pearce returns from sitting out last season after giving birth to twin boys (potential mother-son draftees for the Dees?).
She will most certainly be a welcome return to the Melbourne line up and reports suggest that Pearce is back to her best having dominated in the Dees practice match against Collingwood a couple of weeks ago.
Pearce will need to step up in the early part of the season with the likes of Lily Mithen and Tegan Cunningham missing through injury, leaving some gaps in their attack and a tough draw.
North Melbourne looks like one of the teams to beat and are second favorite in the betting to win the AFLW premiership this season at $5.
The Roos started their first season with four wins on the trot and looked unstoppable at stages only to go down to Adelaide and Freo in the later part of the season.
Had there been no conference system, or the Roos were in the B conference last year – they would have made finals, but thems the breaks.
North’s list remains solid but the delising of Mo Hope and defender Jess Duffin missing the season due to pregnancy shouldn’t have as much impact as you might think.
The Kangaroos are a very talented team and North Melbourne have not mucked around with their AFLW program.
Expect the Roos to make a statement in Round 1 with a solid win over the Dees.
Odds:
Tip: Melbourne at $2.18
Teams:
MELBOURNE
Libby Birch, Gabrielle Colvin, Harriet Cordner, Tegan Cunningham, Meg Downie, Maddison Gay, Madeleine Guerin, Tyla Hanks, Shelley Heath, Kate Hore, Bianca Jakobsson, Ainslie Kemp, Sarah Lampard, Lily Mithen, Aliesha Newman, Elise O’Dea, Jacqueline Parry, Karen Paxman, Daisy Pearce, Lauren Pearce, Krstel Petrevski, Shelley Scott, Casey Sherriff, Shae Sloane, Katherine Smith, Brenna Tarrant, Eden Zanker
Rookies: Chantel Emonson, Sinead Goldrick, Niamh McEvoy
NORTH MELBOURNE
Sophie Abbatangelo, Kaitlyn Ashmore, Daria Bannister, Daisy Bateman, Nicole Bresnehan, Jenna Bruton, Jess Duffin, Jasmine Garner, Ellie Gavalas, Britt Gibson, Kate Gillespie-Jones, Abbey Green, Jasmine Grierson, Chloe Haines, Libby Haines, Danielle Hardiman, Emma Humphries, Emma Kearney, Elisha King, Emma King, Mia King, Taylor Mesiti, Tahni Nestor, Tahlia Randall, Ash Riddell, Jess Trend, Sarah Wright
Rookies: Aileen Gilroy, Beth Lynch, Mairead Seoighe
*Odds correct at time of posting. Subject to change