PUTTING the clamps on an instrumental North Melbourne veteran could be the blueprint for stopping a red-hot Roos outfit in the final weeks of the season.
Darren Crocker’s team extended its winning streak to 21 games after a comprehensive 36-point victory over Richmond and while the likes of Jasmine Garner and Ash Riddell have drawn most of the plaudits this season, there’s another crucial figure in the set-up that is causing opposition coaches plenty of headaches.
Veteran Emma Kearney played a pivotal role against the Tigers, amassing 19 disposals, seven intercepts and 480 metres gained.
“You’ve got to stop Emma Kearney if you’re going to stop North Melbourne,” AFLW expert Gemma Bastiani said on The Wrap on AFL.com.au.
Co-host Sarah Olle highlighted how the Tigers tried to use youngster Mackenzie Ford in a negating role on Kearney, but that her influence was still so profound.
“Emma Kearney sets up so much, not only of the way they rebound the ball but the way they structure their defensive line. They’ve been the stingiest defence in the AFLW for three years now and a lot of it is because of the way she organises her teammates around her,” Bastiani continued.
“The two magnets I’d be circling are Jasmine Garner, we know how good she is, but the second one would be Emma Kearney because otherwise she just controls the game at will,” Olle replied.
“She does not stop yapping but she’s directing traffic the whole time.”
Kearney has been a stalwart of the AFLW competition since its inception and her shift to half-back in recent years has meant she has continued to thrive and be important to Crocker’s side.
“Her ability to balance the defensive stuff … plus her ability to rebound back out and set up the way they send the ball forward, it’s a perfect balance,” Bastiani said.
“If you stop that or you limit that then you go a little bit towards stopping their ball movement which is so dangerous.”
The Roos host Adelaide at Arden Street on Saturday afternoon as they look to extend their winning streak to 22 matches.
