AFL season 2025: West Coast Eagles fans will not like Jack Darling’s resurgence at North Melbourne Kangaroos

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AFL season 2025: West Coast Eagles fans will not like Jack Darling’s resurgence at North Melbourne Kangaroos

Former West Coast star Jack Darling could be just the tonic North Melbourne need to make their attack click in 2025, according to Channel Seven AFL expert Abbey Holmes.

Holmes will again host Seven’s Friday night football coverage alongside James Brayshaw and this year will also host Sunday afternoon games, some of which will feature legendary broadcaster Bruce McAvaney.

She said with the additions the Roos had made in the off-season, notably Luke Parker from Sydney and Darling from the Eagles, North Melbourne fans might finally have a season to cheer about.

“So excited to see North Melbourne and how far they’ve come. They’ve added some real experience in Darling,” she said.

“All of you West Coast people over there probably didn’t like it much seeing him in the blue and white, but I loved watching him in that community series game.

“Just the presence that he was able to have in that forward half and and to, I guess, help the likes of (Nick) Larkey, who’s had to shoulder a lot of the load over the last few years.”

The AFLW flag-winner said she was also hotly anticipating tonight’s match between “two of the most exciting clubs to watch in 2024” and said there was more pressure on the Hawks despite Sydney having to rebound from their nightmare grand final loss.

“Last year, the Hawks probably over delivered in terms of what was expected from them,” she told The Nightly.

“My biggest question on the Hawks this year, is now there is that pressure and that expectation of them to perform each and every week, can they back it up?

“They didn’t have that last year, everybody watched in awe of what these young players like Calsher Dear and Nick “Wizard” Watson were able to do. We all just applauded that.”

Camera IconAbbey Holmes says Jack Darling has been a great addition to North Melbourne’s squad. Credit: Seven Network/Seven Network

Holmes said she lived and breathed footy but it didn’t mean she was a great tipster.

The face of The Game tipping competition, along with Richmond legend and fellow Channel Seven colleague Matthew Richardson, joked picking the winners each week was “high stakes” within Seven’s AFL team.

“As long as I beat Matty Richardson, I’m a very happy girl. Being considered experts in the game is hard to live up. It’s high pressure, high stakes, but bring it on. We’re really looking forward to fans taking us on in The Game, so jump on and be a part of the competition,” she said.

Holmes said everybody at Seven was “just raring to go” with the first bounce just hours away.

“We got together a couple of weeks ago for our Seven AFL promo day, and it was the first time that we’ve all been together in the same room. And there’s just a real buzz,” she said.

“We’ve got some new faces on Seven AFL this year, which is very, very exciting. So I’m looking forward to getting stuck into it and to working alongside some new people this year as well.

“There’s nothing like prime time footy under lights, the fanfare and being there at boundary level amongst the players and the coaches.

“I’m a die-hard footy fan. I love the game. I know the game; I played the game. It really is a dream and a real privilege to be in the position to watch the action up close.”

Collingwood have the backing of most of The Nightly expert tipsters, including Holmes, in Sunday’s game against Greater Western Sydney.

To get involved and tip against Holmes and Richardson as well as your friends just click

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