The North Melbourne Kangaroos have booked their place in a historic third consecutive AFLW grand final, but not before surviving a massive scare from a defiant Melbourne Demons in a gripping preliminary final at Ikon Park.
Kangaroos Weather the Storm
In a tense affair on Saturday, the Kangaroos' record-breaking 25-match winning streak looked to be in serious jeopardy. After a scoreless third quarter, North Melbourne found themselves trailing by six points at the final break, putting their premiership defence on the line.
The comeback was ignited by Irish star Blaithin Bogue, who answered coach Darren Crocker's call for a hero by kicking the crucial first goal of the final term. This sparked the Roos into action, leading them to a hard-fought 6.10 (46) to 5.6 (36) victory.
Midfield Mastery and Defiant Resistance
The Kangaroos' engine room was immense, led by captain Jasmine Garner who delivered a masterclass with 32 disposals, seven clearances, and a goal. She was brilliantly supported by fellow midfield star Ash Riddell (24 disposals, three clearances, one goal), while Emma Kearney marshalled a resilient defence.
For the Demons, the effort was Herculean. Captain Kate Hore was sensational, booting two goals from 18 disposals in a commanding individual performance. She was ably assisted by Maeve Chaplin (22 disposals), Eliza McNamara (21 disposals), and veteran Paxy Paxman (15 disposals, one goal).
A Rollercoaster Contest
Melbourne stunned the defending champions from the opening bounce, kicking the first two goals within five minutes while restricting North to a mere two team disposals. Eliza McNamara set the tone with a textbook tackle, leading to Paxman's opening major.
The Demons raced to a 19-point lead before Bogue's two-goal haul in the first quarter dragged North back into the contest. The Kangaroos' two-point deficit at halftime marked the first time they had trailed at the main break all season.
A desperate, tight third quarter saw the Roos held scoreless, setting up a grandstand finish. However, the experience and class of the reigning premiers ultimately shone through in the final term to secure their spot in the decider.
The Kangaroos now await the winner of the Brisbane-Carlton preliminary final, with the chance to become the first team in AFLW history to win back-to-back premierships.
