Hawthorn vs North Melbourne AFL betting tips – Round 1, 2022

Two of the youngest teams in the competition will kickstart Sunday’s AFL action as the Hawthorn Hawks host the North Melbourne Kangaroos at the MCG.

The expectations are not very high for either side heading into this season, especially the Kangaroos after they finished 18th in 2021 and took home the wooden spoon.

Sam Mitchell will coach an AFL game for the first time this weekend after taking over from Alastair Clarkson at the end of last season, but it will not be an easy start for his Hawks.

One thing AFL clubs need to navigate this season is ongoing COVID-19 cases and close contacts, and this week it is the Hawks’ turn to carefully manage their list.

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Ben McEvoy was set to captain Hawthorn for this round one battle, but he and the experienced Luke Breust will sit out this game after entering isolation earlier in the week.

David Noble has plenty of fresh assets to play with this year, as the Roos acquired Callum Coleman-Jones and Hugh Greenwood during the offseason, but the former Tiger forward has not been named for this contest.

The Roos have elected for a similar forward six to their 2021 squad, including Cam Zurhaar, Nick Larkey and the elusive Jaidyn Stephenson, who could be primed for a breakout season.

Plenty of debutants have been given the green night for this match, and there are two very talented young men in particular we want to highlight.

Key matchup: Josh Ward vs Jason Horne-Francis

North Melbourne took Jason Horne-Francis with the first pick in the 2021 AFL draft and the young man already looks the goods. Horne-Francis is a threat forward of centre and already knows how to throw his weight around in the middle, as he played against grown men in the SANFL before joining the Roos.

Josh Ward was Hawthorn’s first pick in 2021 and he has also impressed during the pre-season warm-up matches. Ward collected a team-high 29 disposals against the Tigers in their most recent practice game, showcasing his ability to rack up touches around the ground.

These two kids are both worth a look in the disposal betting markets at BetOnline, while Horne-Francis also provides great value to kick a goal for the Roos.

Hawthorn vs North Melbourne match prediction

We like the Roos as outsiders for this match because there will be less pressure on their young squad to perform well. The Hawks are missing two very important players and should take a while to adapt to Sam Mitchell’s coaching methods, whilst the Roos are ready to start their climb up the ladder. We have taken North Melbourne by 1-39 to increase our odds slightly, as the visitors should not win by much.

Hawthorn vs North Melbourne goalkicker tips

Jaidyn Stephenson was a terrific pickup for North Melbourne last season, but now is the time for him to have a breakout season. We think Stephenson is ready to dominate the league despite a controversial offseason, as the electric forward has all the assets to take over the game. He may not have a strong record against the Hawks, but we think his speed will cause lots of issues on the wide MCG pitch.

Hawthorn vs North Melbourne AFL same-game multi

Jaidyn Stephenson will kick a pair of goals and lead North Melbourne to a tight victory over the Hawks. Josh Ward may be on debut, but we think the young midfielder can easily collect over 20 touches.

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