Game Day North Melbourne Football Club AFLW - Season 2024 Premiers - First EVER (AFLM/W) UNDEFEATED PREMIERSHIP SEASON - The Invincibles

[chubbspeterson]

I was reflecting on the list build of our Premiership 21. It’s a credit to Gowans and Crocker, as well as others like Rhys Harwood and Flynn Loft, how well we have done to incrementally piece the puzzle together, getting closer every season.

2019
Kearney, Garner, Bruton, Riddell, Randall, Em King, Bresnehan

2020
M King, Wright

2021
O’Loughlin, Eddey, Smith

2022A
Craven, Ferguson, Rennie

2022B
O’Shea, Wall, Gatt

2023:
Shierlaw, Tripodi

2024:
Birch

It also reminded me of the concern when Ashmore, Gilroy, Bannister and Bateman all left after 2022A. Fair to say that the eventual replacements were a significant upgrade.

Yep full credit to everybody involved. That's why I don't get too concerned when players leave, you can recover.

 

[shinboner magic]

I was reflecting on the list build of our Premiership 21. It’s a credit to Gowans and Crocker, as well as others like Rhys Harwood and Flynn Loft, how well we have done to incrementally piece the puzzle together, getting closer every season.

2019
Kearney, Garner, Bruton, Riddell, Randall, Em King, Bresnehan

2020
M King, Wright

2021
O’Loughlin, Eddey, Smith

2022A
Craven, Ferguson, Rennie

2022B
O’Shea, Wall, Gatt

2023:
Shierlaw, Tripodi

2024:
Birch

It also reminded me of the concern when Ashmore, Gilroy, Bannister and Bateman all left after 2022A. Fair to say that the eventual replacements were a significant upgrade.

Only player that’s really kicked on is gilly

 

[datakid]

It also reminded me of the concern when Ashmore, Gilroy, Bannister and Bateman all left after 2022A. Fair to say that the eventual replacements were a significant upgrade.

I don't know about Gilroy. Agree on the other three, but not in Gilroy. I don't think there was a like for like replacement anyway, and it's more about the sum of the parts than specific individuals, but I think we last some star power with Gilroy - her meters gained have always been excellent

 

[Liam Boy]

I genuinely don't think any of those players would get a game in our current side, at least not in their preferred positions.

 

[Hatchy1992]

I genuinely don't think any of those players would get a game in our current side, at least not in their preferred positions.

Gilly might get a run from the bench.

 

[Liam Boy]

I don't know about Gilroy. Agree on the other three, but not in Gilroy. I don't think there was a like for like replacement anyway, and it's more about the sum of the parts than specific individuals, but I think we last some star power with Gilroy - her meters gained have always been excellent

She had a great year for Hawthorn filling her boots against shit sides. The fact that she was named on the ground with Alice on the bench in the AA side is an absolute joke.

 

[Liam Boy]

Gilly might get a run from the bench.

Who does she push out though? Wall, O'Loughlin, or Eddey? My answer would be none. She's not as clean as Eddey, as tough as Wall, or as everything as Alice.

 

[Hatchy1992]

Who does she push out though? Wall, O'Loughlin, or Eddey? My answer would be none. She's not as clean as Eddey, as tough as Wall, or as everything as Alice.

She wouldn't push anyone out so emergency for her at best.
Our midfield mix is good, so can't mess with that, our defence is amazing so can't mess with that and our offensive mix is great.

 

[The Brady Bunch]

Who does she push out though? Wall, O'Loughlin, or Eddey? My answer would be none. She's not as clean as Eddey, as tough as Wall, or as everything as Alice.

She's really playing the same position as Vikki. Across the regular season, you'd have to give Aileen the points but in 3 finals, Vikki's star power and big game dominance came to the fore.

 

[Jasemon]

I was genuinely disappointed when we traded Kaitlyn Ashmore to the Hawks. Was a good player for us but as others have noted she hasn’t kicked on really. Sliding doors moment for her maybe. Would have been a better player under our system.

 

[Hearts to hearts]

I was genuinely disappointed when we traded Kaitlyn Ashmore to the Hawks. Was a good player for us but as others have noted she hasn’t kicked on really. Sliding doors moment for her maybe. Would have been a better player under our system.

I remember hearing at the time that we were hoping Gatt would fill that role with her speed and skills, and she really has come on faster than I expected. Love Kashy and it’s great to see her come to games but it’s all worked out ok for everyone.

 

[Teen Wolf]

rather her on a wing than Amy smith

That's dumb. We would've happily kept Ashmore if she was willing to be paid at Amy Smith's rate.

Who's getting more bang for buck: us or Hawthorn? It's not even close.

 

[The Nostradamus]

That's dumb. We would've happily kept Ashmore if she was willing to be paid at Amy Smith's rate.

Who's getting more bang for buck: us or Hawthorn? It's not even close.

The point I’m making is she’s better

Not talking bang for buck

 

[Teen Wolf]

The point I’m making is she’s better

Not talking bang for buck

It's very insightful to point out a player on a Tier 2 contract is better than a player on a Tier 3 or 4 contract.

 

[The Nostradamus]

It's very insightful to point out a player on a Tier 2 contract is better than a player on a Tier 3 or 4 contract.

I don’t what tier every player is on

But sure thanks

 

[CURVE]

rather her on a wing than Amy smith

Amy Smith is a member of the greatest AFLW team in history and the first father/daughter premiership player. She will be a part of North Melbourne’s and the AFLW’s history forever.

The Nostradamus is a sad, grumpy old wannabe who will be forgotten by everyone before he even takes his final breath.

 

[Istanbul Roo]

rather her on a wing than Amy smith

After Amy Smith's performance in the finals, this appears a perverse assertion.

 

[shinboner magic]

The point I’m making is she’s better

Not talking bang for buck

Yeah she looked like a game changer when port overrun them in the finals.
It’s about having balance
Smith is more in the side for her defensive traits to cover for our attacking mids.

 

[The Nostradamus]

Yeah she looked like a game changer when port overrun them in the finals.
It’s about having balance
Smith is more in the side for her defensive traits to cover for our attacking mids.

She’s in cos she runs hard the other way is a nice way of saying she lacks talent but works hard

I reckon sheerin knocks smith out of the side next year

 

[shinboner magic]

She’s in cos she runs hard the other way is a nice way of saying she lacks talent but works hard

I reckon sheerin knocks smith out of the side next year

Yeah if someone better comes along that fair enough but that hasn’t happened for another position.
Or Sarah wrights
Or Bailey Scott’s

 

[MRoos]

Amy Smith is a member of the greatest AFLW team in history and the first father/daughter premiership player. She will be a part of North Melbourne’s and the AFLW’s history forever.

The Nostradamus is a sad, grumpy old wannabe who will be forgotten by everyone before he even takes his final breath.

And she also finished seventh in the best and fairest (the 33 year old Ashmore was 14th for a much weaker hawthorn team).

 

[CURVE]

A great Erika O'Shea interview. Apologies if this has been posted before.



MACROOM native Erika O’Shea was part of the North Melbourne Kangaroos side to win the Australian Football League Women’s title.
They beat Brisbane Lions 39-9 in the grand final and finished the season unbeaten, the only ever AFL team to do so.
Matthew Hurley caught up with O’Shea on this week’s podcast.

 

[CURVE]

And here is an article on Vikki Wall from the Irish Times.

From missing out on the Olympics to winning an AFLW title, nobody had a year like Vikki Wall

From missing out on the Olympics to winning an AFLW title, nobody had a year like Vikki Wall​

The Meath footballer came close to making the cut in rugby Sevens just nine months after taking up the sport but used her disappointment to go back to Australia intent on ending 2024 on a high

​

Vikki Wall celebrates scoring a goal for North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos against the the Brisbane Lions during the 2024 AFLW Grand Final at IKON Park in Melbourne. Photograph: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

A year ago, Vikki Wall was in Ireland camp, watching on her phone as her other life whirred away on the other side of the planet. Her North Melbourne team-mates were collapsing in the AFLW Grand Final, giving up a seven-point lead in the final quarter. She put her phone in her pocket when it was over and got on with the job in hand, which was to try and make the Ireland Olympic rugby Sevens squad.

That was who she was now, one of 19 players chasing the 12 spots for Paris. Australia went into a lockbox, stowed away on a shelf in another room. Twelve months on, she is sitting in her house in Melbourne, chatting away about everything that has happened since.

She didn’t make the squad for the Olympics. She went back to her roots for a week and played for Meath but made no impact. She returned to North Melbourne and ended the year kicking two goals in the Grand Final as the Roos picked up their first title. By any measurement, she had a year like nobody else in Irish sport.

A good one? A bad one? Where do you start?

 

[The Brady Bunch]

I was genuinely disappointed when we traded Kaitlyn Ashmore to the Hawks. Was a good player for us but as others have noted she hasn’t kicked on really. Sliding doors moment for her maybe. Would have been a better player under our system.

Kashy was finished by her last season with us. Credit to her for managing to eke out a couple more years but she had to be moved on.

 

[The Brady Bunch]

After Amy Smith's performance in the finals, this appears a perverse assertion.

It's laughable but you just have to ignore posters who have become a satire of themself.