Collingwood’s VFL side have suffered their third loss of the 2025 season, going down to North Melbourne by 72 points at Victoria Park.

From the opening siren it was all North Melbourne, with the Kangaroos kicking the first goal of the game in just over a minute of play.

Collingwood quickly bounced back, with VFL recruit Riley Mason kicking the Magpies’ first thanks to a low and sharp kick from club debutant Ryan Eyre.

00:20

The levelled scores didn’t stay that way long, with the Kangaroos manufacturing another goal to go into quarter time with a seven-point lead.

It was all North Melbourne in the second quarter, with three quick consecutive goals kickstarting their term.

Forwards Charlie West and Liam Hude both had their own opportunities but were unable to capitalise despite their usual accuracy in front of goal.

Fielding 16 AFL-listed players compared to Collingwood’s eight, North Melbourne showed their experience, with the Magpies unable to match.

Finishing the second quarter without a goal, the Pies were uncharacteristically on the back foot to start the second half.

Collingwood defender Jakob Ryan was a shining light, finishing the half with 17 disposals and a shared game-high four intercepts along with ruckman Iliro Smit, while second-year midfielder Harry DeMattia (15 disposals, six tackles) continued to show his fight.

The Kangaroo midfield continued their relentless attack, with AFL-listed forward Brayden George kicking three quick goals to extend North’s lead before Cooper Harvey kicked another two of his own.

Staring down an 87-point deficit entering the final term, VFL head coach Andy Otten swung the magnets, sending captain Sam Glover forward. It was a move that paid off, with Glover kicking Collingwood’s second goal after 63 seconds.

VFL recruit Josh Browne followed suit with his own goal, while Oscar Steene and Harrison Kennedy each kicked two of their own, but it wasn’t enough as the final siren sounded leaving North Melbourne as 72-point winners over Collingwood.

MATCH CENTRE: COLLINGWOOD V NORTH MELBOURNE

06:00

The numbers:

Harry DeMattia continued his impressive form inside the midfield, finishing his day with 36 disposals (16 contested), eight inside 50s and eight tackles.

Under constant pressure all day, defender Jakob Ryan (25 disposals, 10 marks, nine intercept possessions) did what he could against a surging Kangaroo forward line.

Oscar Steene (two goals, four tackles) and Harrison Kennedy (two goals, 12 disposals) both made a scoreboard impact in the final term, while VFL captain Sam Glover (four intercept possessions, one goal) had his moments at both ends of the ground.

COLLINGWOOD            1.1      1.4     1.5      7.9    (51)
NORTH MELBOURNE    2.2      9.4    15.8   19.9   (123)

GOALS:
COLLINGWOOD:
Oscar Steene (2), Harrison Kennedy (2), Riley Mason, Sam Glover, Josh Browne
NORTH MELBOURNE:
Cooper Harvey (5), Brynn Teakle (3), Brayden George (3), Oliver Lowe (3), Luke Urquhart, River Stevens, Bailey Scott, Robert Hansen Jr., Callum Coleman-Jones

BEST:
COLLINGWOOD: 
Jakob Ryan, Harry DeMattia, Iliro Smit, Harry Mahoney, Oscar Steene, Ryan Eyre