The Anzac Day clash at MCG this Friday sees Collingwood Magpies face off against the Essendon Bombers in Round 7 of the 2025 AFL season.
Collingwood are ladder-toppers with a 5-1 record, with their only defeat coming against the GWS Giants in the Opening Round. The Magpies toppled the Brisbane Lions 105-53 on the road last week, while also putting an end to their unbeaten run.
In a major boost, Collingwood will welcome back Dan Houston, who returns from a two-game suspension. However, Lachie Schulz remains a doubt as he continues to recover from a hamstring niggle.
Meanwhile, Essendon survived a late scare in their narrow 77-75 win over Gold Coast, which was also their third straight win. However, the win came at a cost as ruckman Sam Draper suffered a ruptured Achilles and could potentially be ruled out for the entire 2025 season.
The Sporting News looks at the key details ahead of this game, including how to watch the match, kickoff times, and the latest lineup news.
Collingwood vs. Essendon free live stream, free-to-air channel
- Live Stream: Kayo, Foxtel
- TV Channel: Fox Footy, 7plus
- Free-to-air: 7mate
Kayo Sports and Foxtel are providing both live and catch-up coverage of Friday's match. The clash will also be available on TV via Fox Footy and a free-to-air channel on 7mate.
Fans can stream Collingwood vs. Essendon on Kayo, which is currently offering a free trial for new subscribers so you can essentially watch this game and others this week for free. The match will also be streamed on the AFL website.
Collingwood vs. Essendon start time
- Date: Friday, April 25, 2025
- Start Time: 3:20 p.m. AEST
- Venue & Location: MCG, Melbourne
The AFL Round 7 game between Melbourne vs. Richmond will be played on Friday, April 25, 2025, at 3:20 p.m. local time (AEST).
It will be played at the MCG in Melbourne, Victoria.
Here's how that kick-off time translates to the various Australian time zones:
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| Australian Eastern Standard Time | Friday, April 25 | 3:20 p.m. |
| Australian Central Standard Time | Friday, April 25 | 2:50 p.m. |
| Australian Western Standard Time | Friday, April 25 | 12:20 p.m. |
AFL 2025 fixture schedule this week
Thursday, April 24
| Fixture | Venue | Time (AEST) | TV/Livestream |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melbourne Demons vs. Richmond | MCG | 7:30 p.m. | Seven, Fox Footy/Kayo, Binge |
Friday, April 25
| Fixture | Venue | Time (AEST) | TV/Livestream |
|---|---|---|---|
| Collingwood vs. Essendon | MCG | 3:20 p.m. | Seven, Fox Footy/Kayo, Binge |
| Fremantle vs. Adelaide | Optus Stadium | 8:10 p.m. | Seven, Fox Footy/Kayo, Binge |
Saturday, April 26
| Fixture | Venue | Time (AEST) | TV/Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Kilda vs. Brisbane Lions | Marvel Stadium | 1:20 p.m. | Fox Footy/Kayo |
| Port Adelaide vs. North Melbourne | Adelaide Oval | 4:15 p.m. | Fox Footy/Kayo |
| GWS Giants vs. Bulldogs | Manuka Oval | 7:35 p.m. | Seven, Fox Footy/Kayo |
Sunday, April 27
| Fixture | Venue | Time (AEST) | TV/Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold Coast vs. Sydney Swans | People First Stadium | 1:15 p.m. | Seven, Fox Footy/Kayo |
| Carlton vs. Geelong | MCG | 3:20 p.m. | Fox Sports 3/Kayo, Binge |
| Hawthorn vs. West Coast | Marvel Stadium | 4:45 p.m. | Fox Footy/Kayo |