Kangaroos make history in the books and on the field in flag defence

There is a well-known piece of commentary from the inaugural AFLW sport again in 2017, the place Kelli Underwood introduced on the published: “There’s the siren. Floor breakers, historical past makers.”

On Saturday night time, to open the grand ultimate between North Melbourne and Brisbane on the principle TV broadcaster, Underwood talked concerning the Kangaroos’ “history-making streak”, which is now 27 consecutive wins.

Ten seasons for the reason that AFLW started, arguably no facet has damaged extra floor for the competitors than North Melbourne and Brisbane, not less than in recent times, given Adelaide have three premierships as of 2022.

All of that was on present for the Kangaroos as they dominated the Lions with a complete 40-point thrashing at Princes Park below lights.

The victory was an actual crew effort, with the Finest on Floor medal voters the envy of few.

Amongst a number of contenders, the Kangaroos’ Eilish Sheerin got here out on high to say the person honour, ending six votes away from teammate Ash Riddell.

In entrance of a sold-out crowd of 12,741 — a sea blue and white, and simply speckled with maroon — North Melbourne continued to revolutionise the competitors.

Not simply within the historical past books — they’re now the primary AFLW facet to go back-to-back — however in how they play footy.

Kangaroos make AFLW historical past

North Melbourne outclasses the Brisbane Lions by 40 factors within the AFLW grand ultimate to seize a history-making second consecutive premiership.

As they closed out their second straight season undefeated, not was the discuss ‘inspiring the subsequent era’ — it was about momentum, territory dominance, zone defence, stress and how you can cease the almighty Jasmine Garner.

Garner, who kicked the primary objective in AFLW historical past again in 2017, completed with 28 touches and a objective.

It is arduous to marry the picture of fresh-faced Garner in a Collingwood guernsey in her early 20s with the 31-year-old who lifted North Melbourne’s second AFLW cup with coach Darren Crocker.

Her Kangaroos teammate Emma King additionally performed within the inaugural ladies’s sport.

By midway by means of the ultimate quarter, the Kangaroos’ arduous work for the yr had paid off with a robust lead they usually have been in a position to simply take pleasure in being out on the park.

Whereas some ladies’s sides nonetheless battle weekly criticism of low scores, fumble footy and dire win-loss ledgers, North Melbourne proceed to virtually say, “Yeah? Properly, watch this”, to the naysayers of the competitors.

Towards Brisbane, the Kangaroos performed their crew defence, led by eight-time All Australian Emma Kearney and four-time premiership participant Libby Birch. 

Newly topped league finest and fairest Riddell, who broke her personal report for probably the most disposals in a sport thrice this season, had 39 touches.

Jenna Bruton topped the goal-kickers checklist with three, whereas Sheerin had two.

What made the win extra spectacular is that Brisbane aren’t any straightforward beats. The Lions have been enjoying of their seventh grand ultimate out of a attainable 9, with two premierships to point out for it.

They got here into the grand ultimate having banked 9 wins on the trot. But many who feared a blowout have been confirmed proper.

After 21-year-old Lion Charlotte Mullins kicked the opening objective two minutes into the sport, Brisbane did not rating once more till seven minutes into the third quarter by means of Ruby Svarc.

The Lions had set the benchmark for a very long time within the AFLW’s brief historical past, however have been no match in the long run for the Kangaroos in 2025.

Earlier within the week, Kearney urged rival golf equipment to “get to our stage” — not simply to problem for the flag in coming years however to additional raise the entire competitors.

“What we’re doing at North Melbourne and Brisbane is setting the usual, and we want the opposite groups to come back as much as that normal,” Kearney mentioned to a press pack.

“I am comfortable being on the high for now. We’ll preserve attempting to get higher. It is now as much as the opposite groups to work out how they’ll get to our stage.”

After the grand ultimate exhibiting on Saturday night time, different sides are going to don’t have any selection however to raise in the event that they ever need to see a future cup of their cupboard, together with Brisbane.