NORTH Melbourne has secured a second consecutive minor premiership and equalled the V/AFL consecutive game winning streak, with a 46-point victory over St Kilda on Sunday the Roos’ 23rd win in a row.
But the record-equalling victory may have come at a cost, with bullocking forward Vikki Wall leaving the field in the fourth term with a left ankle injury.
North’s medical team is hopeful the injury is not serious, with some early positive signs and only minor swelling.
The Saints were spirited but ultimately outclassed at a sunny North Hobart Oval, with the Kangaroos dominating the outside ball in the 9.13 (67) to 3.3 (21) result.
North’s 23rd straight win, a record stretching back to round three last season, equals the mighty Geelong men’s side of 1952-53 as the longest winning run in VFL/AFL/AFLW history.
To claim the record for themselves, the Roos will have to overcome a five-day break and a tricky trip to Frankston to face second-placed Hawthorn on Friday night.
The much-improved Paige Trudgeon had some nice moments in defence, but was ultimately completely outsized by Emma King, with the Roos forward kicking 3.2 from five contested marks.
King relished the extra space afforded in attack after usual forward Kate Shierlaw was given a run in defence. It was a move that both covered for the rested Emma Kearney, and was also a trial for a potential switch during finals in the case a game is getting out of hand.
This match was essentially a free hit for St Kilda. A surprise win would make life a lot easier in the race for finals, but there weren’t any expectations the Saints would get the job done against the rampant Roos, despite coming in with six wins on the trot.
They worked hard on the inside in the first term, but continually fell into North Melbourne’s trap on the outside, with the mature Roos’ backline having set their structure up perfectly behind the footy.
St Kilda coach Nick Dal Santo’s message to his side at quarter-time was around reinforcing team structure, and the players immediately responded, locking the ball well into their forward half.
Aided by a breeze, St Kilda got its first major on the board after a strong contested mark from Jesse Wardlaw – who traded niggling blows with Libby Birch during the entire game – and Hannah Priest kicked a second, but North Melbourne piled on three quick goals late to set up a game-winning break.
Ash Riddell (42 disposals, six clearances) and Jasmine Garner (30 and 10) once again drove the engine room for North Melbourne, well and truly outplaying Ty Smith and Georgia Patrikios, who had a few bright moments but ultimately struggled against the best in the league.
Garner’s quest to be the first AFLW player to reach the 100-goal milestone will have to wait for next week at least, with the superstar recording two posters (three behinds total) as she remained stranded on 97 career majors.
LONGEST VFL/AFL/AFLW WINNING STREAKS
23 – North Melbourne (R3, 2024 to R11, 2025)*
23 – Geelong (R12, 1952 to R13, 1953)
20 – Essendon (R1, 2000 to R20, 2000)
20 – Collingwood (SF, 1928 to R18, 1929)
20 – Brisbane (R10, 2001 to R4, 2002)
19 – St Kilda (R1, 2009 to R19, 2009)
19 – Melbourne (R15, 1955 to R13, 1956)
18 – Carlton (R10, 1995 to R2, 1996)
17 – Collingwood (R5, 1903 to R2, 1904)
17 – Melbourne (R20, 2021 to R10, 2022)
16 – Geelong (R10, 2022 to GF, 2022)
16 – Essendon (R7, 1950 to R2, 1951)
16 – Essendon (R12, 1949 to R5, 1950)
North Melbourne rest watch
With both Kearney and Jenna Bruton rested for the trip to Tasmania, and with a five-day break to come ahead of a game in Frankston against second-place Hawthorn, the Roos also gave in-game breaks to players. With the result well and truly sewn up by three-quarter time, Ash Riddell started the fourth term on the bench (a very rare move), with Bella Eddey and Ruby Tripodi starting on the ball. Jas Ferguson and Libby Birch also got a few rare minutes on the pine, with Kim Rennie, Tahlia Randall and Amy Smith also getting a good rest late in the game.
St Kilda’s percentage blow
The Saints have put together their best season to date since joining the AFLW in 2020, but a comparatively low percentage may cost them dearly in the quest for a finals berth. They came into the game in fifth spot with a percentage of 109.1, but the 46-point loss saw that drop to 96.3, well and truly below that of the other teams in the top eight. While still four points clear, a loss next week to the Western Bulldogs could see the Saints miss finals on percentage.
NORTH MELBOURNE 2.5 6.5 7.9 9.13 (67)
ST KILDA 0.0 2.1 2.3 3.3 (21)
GOALS
North Melbourne: E.King 3, Bogue 2, Randall, O’Loughlin, Wall, Craven
St Kilda: Wardlaw, Priest, Lambert
BEST
North Melbourne: Riddell, Garner, E.King, Craven, Eddey, Tripodi
St Kilda: Watson, Patrikios, Trudgeon, Smith
INJURIES
North Melbourne: Wall (left ankle)
St Kilda: None
Crowd: TBC at North Hobart Oval
