North Melbourne is the AFLW premier for 2024, beating Brisbane in a Grand Final re-match.
NORTH Melbourne invested in women’s footy before it was the done thing.
Upon entering the competition in 2019, the Roos started with a bang, but year after year, never quite finished the job.
But seven seasons in, North Melbourne is finally AFLW premier, defeating nemesis Brisbane by 30 points at a sold-out Ikon Park, 6.3 (39) to 1.3 (9).
The Kangaroos are the first expansion club to win an AFLW flag and the first team in VFL/AFL/AFLW history to go through a season undefeated (a draw against Geelong back in September is the only blemish).
Superstar and league favourite, Jasmine Garner, finally has an individual medal, named best-afield for her 35-disposal, 10-clearance performance.
And coach Darren Crocker – a former premiership player for the proudly battler club in his own right – has finally brought some silverware back to Arden Street for the first time in 25 years.
It was a good old-fashioned slog of a game, with just one goal kicked between the two teams across in the second and third terms.
The deadlock was finally broken by a smart one-two between Jenna Bruton and Kate Shierlaw, with Bruton bursting through to hit up Vikki Wall.
The Irishwoman didn’t play in last year’s decider; she was in the middle of another brief rugby sojourn and watched the game on her phone on the other side of the world.
Alice O’Loughlin had a brace to her name before Brisbane hit the scoreboard in earnest, when Ellie Hampson fully capitalised on a down-field free kick after a slightly overzealous Emma King tackle.
The Roos had 30 more touches in the first term, simply denying Brisbane the footy – with eight Lions not touching the ball – but the visitors’ pressure was excellent in the clinches, stopping the Roos from fully running away with it.
North dominated the second term with the ball living in its half of the ground, but Jen Dunne, Shannon Campbell and Bre Koenen hung on grimly on the last line of defence and the Roos only added one additional goal for the term, taking a 17-point lead into half-time.
While Brisbane managed to right the ship somewhat in the third term when it came to ball ownership, North’s backline was incredibly disciplined, with Sarah Wright, Jas Ferguson and Libby Birch moving in unison to shut down forward forays.
Tahlia Hickie injured her left elbow in the opening minutes of the second half, with Mia King accidentally landing on it as the pair tussled for the footy. The Brisbane ruck had the joint strapped up and returned to play.
Having played very limited minutes last week on return from a long-term hamstring injury, Emma Kearney showed no signs of rust. The skipper was simply superb from the opening bounce, patrolling half-back and showing there’s plenty of life left in the 35-year-old.
As was the case in last year’s edition, Brisbane skipper Koenen was swung onto Garner, and in a separate incident, Ellenger’s ankle was caught under a North player, with her night done at the start of the fourth.
North Melbourne defender Libby Birch has also made history, becoming the first player – male or female – to win a premiership at three different clubs. Birch joined the Roos in a whirlwind trade last off-season after winning flags at Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs.
NORTH MELBOURNE 3.0 4.1 4.1 6.3 (39)
BRISBANE 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.3 (9)
GOALS
North Melbourne: O’Loughlin 3, Wall 2, Craven
Brisbane: Hampson
BEST
North Melbourne: Garner, Riddell, Kearney, Craven, Wright
Brisbane: Dawes, Anderson, O’Dwyer, Dunne
INJURIES
North Melbourne: Nil
Brisbane: Hickie (elbow), Ellenger (ankle)
Crowd: 12,122 at Ikon Park
