Here's everything you need to know for Saturday's season opener against Greater Western Sydney at ENGIE Stadium.

Where: ENGIE Stadium, NSW (formerly GIANTS Stadium)
When: Saturday, March 16 at 4.35pm AEDT
Gates open: 3.35pm. Check your ticket for your entry gate

Tickets

Grab your ticket for our clash with the Giants here!

>> Head here for more details on interstate memberships

Getting to the ground

Roos fans are encouraged to plan their trip and consider all available travel options ahead of Saturday’s match.

Due to the Easter Show preparations in Sydney Olympic Park, some road closures are impacting access to ENGIE Stadium and the P1 carpark, so please note that the entry point for ENGIE Stadium has changed.

Patrons now enter via Showground Road, off Murray Rose Avenue, directly next to Olympic Park Train Station, or through Grand Parade (P1 parking gate).

Dawn Fraser Avenue is the designated ride share/taxi drop-off zone for the ground.

Trains run regularly to Olympic Park and the stadium is a short walk from the station. Direct trains will run from Central Station to Sydney Olympic Park from 3.31pm on Saturday.

Please note that pre-booked parking at Sydney Olympic Park for this Saturday is sold out.

All travel options to ENGIE Stadium can be found here.

Watch on TV or stream on your phone

Saturday's game will be broadcast live for Foxtel and Kayo Sports subscribers.

>> Remember, you can grab a digital membership to get a discounted Kayo subscription! Find the membership package that suits you here

Calling all tipsters

It's not too late to enter our official tipping competition! 

You could win a trip for two on board Spirit of Tasmania and an accommodation package. Plus, over $1,500 of Roo Shop vouchers!

Stay connected on social media

For behind-the-scenes access and all the best highlights, photos, stats and stories, we’ve got you covered.
 
Follow the @NMFCOfficial accounts on Instagram, X, Facebook and TikTok to stay up to date with everything happening at the match and don't forget to use #Kangas.
 
Bring on Round 1! 

The wait is almost over.

North Melbourne heads to Sydney’s west on Saturday to launch its 2024 AFL season against a firing Greater Western Sydney outfit.

While 2023’s preliminary finalists are riding high after a big Opening Round win, Alastair Clarkson’s young Roos will hope to capitalise on their pre-season momentum as they unleash draftees Colby McKercher (pick No.2) and Zane (pick No.4) for their first AFL games.

Round 1, GWS Giants v North Melbourne 

Where: ENGIE Stadium, NSW (formerly GIANTS Stadium)
When: Saturday, March 16 at 4.35pm AEDT
How to watch: Foxtel, Kayo Sports

The opposition 

Greater Western Sydney got its season off to the perfect start as one of the four teams to triumph in Opening Round, downing reigning premiers Collingwood by 32 points in front of a home crowd.

The 'Orange Tsunami' was in full effect after half-time as Adam Kingsley's group surged to victory, spearheaded by forwards Jesse Hogan, Callum Brown, and Brent Daniels, who combined for 13 goals.

It's going to be a solid test for the Roos' new-look backline, but an opportunity for the contingent to make an early statement.

What the coaches have said

North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson on Tuesday: "What every team in the competition wants to have is potent weapons everywhere. For Toby Greene to have a lower impact (in Opening Round) than what he usually would have, yet they (GWS) still beat the reigning premier by five goals [is significant]. [Brayden] Maynard did a pretty good job keeping Toby out of the game, but then three or four others pop up and that's utopia for a coach and a footy club. So, our challenge is to make sure our defence is working well enough to cover all those options."

GWS coach Adam Kingsley post-game v Collingwood: "The fact that we didn't rely on one or two players [to kick goals was pleasing]. We had a real mixture of goalkickers, we spread the love. It was great to see Callum Brown capitalise on some of the opportunities he's been getting in front of goals ... [Brent Daniels] is a beautiful finisher, and the pressure he applied would have created a lot of goals too."

Bull on parade

After being left stranded on 99 League appearances in 2023 due to an ankle injury, Cam Zurhaar finally gets the chance to bring up the ton on Saturday afternoon.

A bruising forward who can hit the scoreboard and get involved higher up the ground, North Melbourne's No.44 has spent seven years on the list after being selected with the 11th pick of the 2016 Rookie Draft.

Clarkson said on Tuesday the 25-year-old can become a "special player" in the near future, and Roos fans will be hoping this is the year that 'Bull' can take his game to another level.

Greater Western Sydney has overcome a spirited challenge from a new-look North Melbourne to run away to a 39-point triumph on Saturday.

The Giants gradually wore down the sharp-shooting Kangaroos as Jesse Hogan dominated up forward for the second week running in the 17.19 (121) to 13.4 (82) victory at Engie Stadium.

Hogan booted six goals - on the back of four against Collingwood in Opening Round - while hauling in eight marks and gathering 18 disposals, while Jake Riccardi made a fast-start with three majors in the first quarter against the Kangaroos' undersized and inexperienced backline.

The Roos' already decimated defence was again hit by injury when young half-back Josh Goater ruptured his Achilles after an innocuous incident with no one else nearby in the dying stages.

Giants onballer Tom Green made his mark as much around the ground as at the stoppages to finish with 37 disposals, eight tackles, six clearances and a goal, while Josh Kelly had 24 touches and booted two majors in his 200th match.

Stephen Coniglio (30 disposals) and Lachie Whitfield (29) found plenty of the ball as the Giants looked to link up through the corridor, but captain Toby Greene paid the price for wayward kicking to finish with 0.4.

The Kangaroos made 12 changes from their Round 1 team last year including the addition of highly touted draftees Colby McKercher and Zane Duursma.

Ball-magnet McKercher made an immediate impact with nine disposals in the opening term while being trusted with kick-in duties on debut. The No.2 pick looked to create opportunities off half-back and regularly impressed with his slick kicking while gathering 22 disposals.

Duursma opened the scoring for the Kangaroos after streaming forward to leave his marker trailing behind and receiving a handball from Paul Curtis on the edge of the goalsquare in the first term. The No.4 pick added another major following a high-leaping mark in a promising debut.

The Roos booted eight goals straight in the first half to stay in touch with the Giants, even as the hosts held the sway around much of the ground with their rapid transitions. 

GIANTS v KANGAROOS Full match coverage and stats

Luke Davies-Uniacke (29 disposals, eight clearances) and Tom Powell (26, six) were keys to the Kangaroos getting on top around the stoppages (32-27), while reigning Rising Star winner Harry Sheezel (32) was critical to their better ball movement.

Nick Larkey edged an enthralling duel with Sam Taylor despite the Giants' gun defender winning the battle in the air, as the Roos' stand-in skipper found other ways to score to finish with three goals.

The Kangaroos will also be buoyed by the efforts of Tristan Xerri (18 disposals, eight clearances) following the departure of club stalwart Todd Goldstein. The first-choice ruck had the better of Giants big man Kieren Briggs (nine, four) and drifted forward to boot a late goal.

Roos recruits impress on club debut
While prized draftees Colby McKercher and Zane Duursma looked more than capable at the elite level, experienced recruits Zac Fisher and Dylan Stephens showed how they could boost the Roos this season. Fisher was a standout with his run and carry while gathering 21 disposals, while Stephens' versatility will be crucial when the Kangaroos need to plug holes. Toby Pink faced a tough task in his AFL debut with his second club, but battled hard while under siege in the Roos' injury-ravaged defence.

Home hoodoo smashed in temporary farewell
The Giants were yet to beat North Melbourne on home turf after losing their three previous clashes at Engie Stadium, and dropping their only encounter at Manuka Oval in 2014. But the Giants have now beaten every club as hosts after smashing their hoodoo against the Kangaroos. The Giants quickly looked more familiar with the windy conditions and eventually blew away the Roos to make it back-to-back victories at Engie Stadium. However the Giants won't return to the venue until Round 10, in part due to the Sydney Royal Easter Show.

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY      4.3     10.7     15.11    17.19 (121)
NORTH MELBOURNE                   2.0     8.0     10.4        13.4 (82)

GOALS
Greater Western Sydney: Hogan 6, Riccardi 3, Brown 2, Cadman 2, Kelly 2, Bedford, Green
North Melbourne: Larkey 3, Curtis 2, Duursma 2, Stephenson 2, Ford, Shiels, Xerri, Zurhaar

BEST 
Greater Western Sydney: Green, Hogan, Whitfield, Coniglio, Kelly, Callaghan, Riccardi
North Melbourne: Davies-Uniacke, Sheezel, Powell, Fisher, Larkey, McKercher

INJURIES
Greater Western Sydney: Nil 
North Melbourne: Goater (ruptured Achilles)

SUBSTITUTES
Greater Western Sydney: Nick Haynes (replaced Xavier O'Halloran in the third quarter)
North Melbourne: Liam Shiels (replaced Callum Coleman-Jones in the third quarter)

Crowd: 8,034 at Engie Stadium