Roos Secure AFLW Preliminary Final Spot, Extend Winning Streak to 25
North Melbourne are now just two wins away from completing an undefeated season after overcoming Hawthorn in an AFLW qualifying final on Friday night. Despite struggling in attack, the Roos demonstrated superior skills across the ground against an injury-hit Hawks side in front of 4,392 fans at Ikon Park in Carlton.
Their winning streak, carried over from last season, has reached 25 consecutive games with a 5.12 (42) to 0.3 (3) victory. North Melbourne will take a week off before their next match, while the Hawks face concerns about injuries ahead of their elimination semi-final.
Coach Darren Crocker Reflects on Performance
“That’s probably be one area that we’ll look at,” Crocker said. “Their ability to not just defend inside the defensive 50m [arc], but also put pressure on the ball carrier - sometimes the ball carrier was under pressure and they couldn’t get the ball in the areas they wanted to. We could have been a little bit better with where we put the ball at times.”
Standout Players and Injury Updates
- North’s top performers included Libby Birch, Jasmine Garner, Ash Riddell, and Erika O’Shea, who showed strong impact throughout the intense match.
- Hawthorn’s best efforts came from Eliza West, Laura Stone, Tilly Lucas-Rodd, and Aileen Gilroy.
- Kaitlyn Ashmore suffered a calf injury and did not return in the final term.
- Aine McDonagh continued to play despite a painful knee injury.
This win highlights North Melbourne’s dominance and resilience, though improvements in forward delivery will be a focus as they prepare for the next stage of the finals.
Author’s summary: North Melbourne extended their unbeaten AFLW streak to 25 games with a dominant win over Hawthorn but will work on forward play before the preliminary final.