North Melbourne AFLW champion Emma Kearney has thrown her support behind a massive grand final selection gamble, endorsing the potential return of teammate Mia King from a serious knee injury for Saturday night's premiership decider against arch-rivals Brisbane.
Contested Beast Pushing for Recall
King has missed five consecutive games after suffering a knee injury, but has been pushing hard at training for a dramatic recall in the season's biggest match. The selection dilemma mirrors Kearney's own experience from last season, when she returned during the finals series after recovering from a hamstring issue.
Speaking after Tuesday's training session, Kearney addressed the significant risk involved in recalling a player straight into a grand final after an extended layoff. "Mia is available for selection, so the coaches will select the side later tonight," Kearney confirmed.
While not privy to King's specific training loads, Kearney expressed strong confidence in what she's witnessed on the track. "She's been bringing a lot of energy, a lot of spark, and she's also one of those players that you want in finals, you want in big games, because she's such a contested beast."
Selection Heartbreak Looms
In her next breath, the veteran acknowledged the difficult decisions facing coach Darren Crocker and the match committee. "Look, there's going to be a heartbreak, pretty much every season... in grand final week," she said philosophically.
Kearney pointed to the squad's impressive depth as both a blessing and a curse during selection. "But what we've been able to show is the great depth in our squad... whoever has had their opportunity has made the most of it."
The Kangaroos enter the grand final as red-hot favourites, having dominated the competition since their heartbreaking loss to the Lions in the 2023 decider. Their only blemish across that dominant period was an early-season draw with Geelong last year.
Learning from Past Battles
Kearney revealed the team has carefully studied how Brisbane has evolved their game style since last year's grand final victory. "The last two seasons, we feel like our best footy is better than anyone's in the comp," she stated confidently.
The Lions have shifted towards a greater focus on ball possession rather than purely territory gain, a tactical adjustment North Melbourne has noted. Additionally, the Kangaroos have identified areas for improvement following their tight preliminary final win over Melbourne.
"Our overall team defence was quite poor against Melbourne, so we've looked at that," Kearney admitted, highlighting the team's commitment to rectifying weaknesses ahead of the ultimate test.
As a two-time premiership player, Kearney expressed her readiness for another grand final appearance. "Finals bring out the best in me, because I like the high-pressure games," she said, embodying the confidence running through the North Melbourne camp as they prepare for their shot at back-to-back glory.
