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North Melbourne are AFLW premiers for the first time, after the league’s best defence strangled reigning champions Brisbane in a comprehensive overturning of last season’s grand final result, winning 6.3 (39) to 1.3 (9).
In a rematch of the 2023 decider, the Roos kicked three quick goals to set the tone from the outset, before tightening the screws in front of over 12,000 supporters at Ikon Park, many of them lifelong North Melbourne fans who have waited since 1999 to see their club claim a premiership.
The Lions’ score of 9 is comfortably the lowest in an AFLW grand final, with the Roos’ miserly defence, which conceded just 20 points per game across the home-and-away season and two lead-in finals, restricting the Lions to just one opening quarter goal.
The win also completes the Roos’ AFLW-first undefeated season, with a Round 2 draw to Geelong their only points dropped.
They weren’t the only firsts, either: having joined the competition in 2019, the Kangaroos are the first expansion club to claim an AFLW premiership, while coach Darren Crocker adds to his 1996 premiership medal as a men’s player to marshal the women’s team to glory.
Leading the way was superstar midfielder and All-Australian captain Jasmine Garner (35 disposals, 10 clearances), who shook a tag from Breanna Koenen with aplomb to claim the best-afield medal, while Ash Riddell (30 disposals), Alice O’Louglin (three goals) and captain Emma Kearney (23 disposals), playing just her second game back from a serious hamstring injury, also stood up.
57-year-old Crocker cut a relieved figure after the siren, admitting he felt the weight of expectation during the build-up.
“To go through a season undefeated to this point and to have made a grand final last year and been in front at three-quarter-time and get overrun, I must admit I felt like there was a little bit of pressure,” Crocker said.
“So for me it’s just a sense of relief.”
Kearney was influential across half-back in her second game back from a serious hamstring injury, later revealing she feared she wouldn’t return this season after suffering setbacks during her rehabilitation.
“I’m super proud. It’s been a challenging year for me and I actually didn’t know if I was going to get back or not,” Kearney told the Seven Network.
“I had a few little other tears of muscles when I was trying to rehab, so I was a bit touch-and-go at points in the season.
“I’m just so happy to be playing, and playing with this group. We love each other.”
Brisbane’s loss was their fourth from six AFLW grand final appearances under long-time coach Craig Starcevich.
“We’re pretty disappointed, obviously, but full of admiration for the opposition, to be honest, because they pressured us into submission the way we normally do to opponents,” Starcevich said.
“All the little things with how quick and pannicky our disposals were, our loss of structure at times and their quick ball movement to get themselves into good scoring positions were terrific.
“That was the tale of the night really. They were just too good.”
(with AAP)
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