Premiership celebrations in full force after North Melbourne’s dominant AFLW GF win
The tattoo gun came out on Sunday after a long night of partying for North Melbourne - but it was a taxi driver who stole the show. Here’s how the Roos partied — plus see the pictures from Arden Street celebrations.
The tattoo gun was the centrepiece of North Melbourne’s grand final celebrations on Sunday as the Roos committed their historic AFLW premiership down in ink.
The first AFLW side to go back-to-back made the most of a second flag celebration amid what promises to be another long week to remember.
Bleary-eyed Roos players arrived at Arden St from 10am on Sunday and were greeted by a pop up from Savink Tattoo, with many flag winners opting for a kangaroo paw.
Even self-described “straighty-180” veteran Libby Birch – who has more experience than any other AFLW player in flag celebrations given her record four premiership medals – sat down for ink.
“I don’t drink too much and have clean skin and I thought, you know what, the club is all about expressing yourself and having fun and growing as a person,” she told this masthead between hot chips at North Melbourne pub The Limerick Castle.
“I have really grown here at North Melbourne and learned to have a lot of fun and enjoy the moments so that is why I decided to get some ink on the skin today.
“It is a faint little line but it is quite beautiful. I think nearly everyone got a tatt today. There is a lot of us who got kangaroos done last year, this year there have been a few back-to-backs written out on the forearm and things like that.”
Once the new stickers were drawn on, the North Melbourne players were presented to about 1500 rusted on faithful at Arden St, who braved heavy showers to soak in the moment.
A little wiser on their second flag celebration, a few key Roos made sure to include the sponsors in the moment, but not the usual bigwigs who commonly involve themselves in premiership celebrations.
In an Instagram story posted by Jenna Bruton the morning after the dominant win over the Lions, Roos royalty including Bruton, skipper Jasmine Garner and league best-and-fairest superstar Ash Riddell posed with a 13 Cabs driver in a maxicab.
The driver in the photo proudly wore the premiership medal of one of the winning Roos, with the players still seemingly in their game jumpers.
North Melbourne announced in late October that 13 Cabs would join the club as its platinum transport partner and the benefits have come in quick early.
It wasn’t quite at the level of Geelong star Jeremy Cameron famously putting his medal on a runway cow, but the celebrations were only ramping up for the Roos.
Given the late finish to the night grand final, the victorious North Melbourne players didn’t get out of Ikon Park until about midnight and were bussed into the city to party on at Fed Square bar Beer De Luxe.
The greatest win streak in footy had to be paused at 4am on Sunday when Beer De Luxe turned the lights on and the Roos dispersed.
Best-on-ground medallist Eilish Sheerin continued to deliver, putting her hand up to host kick-ons until the early hours.
There was still some hard work to be done, with some Roos players still on their match jumper, posted to defender Eliza Shannon’s Instagram collecting speakers from Beer Deluxe on Sunday afternoon, no doubt carrying the noise on to the next party.
Birch put her sleep level at “about one hour” and immediately put fellow defender Jasmine Ferguson down as ‘best on’ during the celebrations.
“Jaz has been planning the off-season celebrations, probably since the last off-season celebrations,” Birch laughed.
Ferguson was careful not to jinx any result, but she circulated the itinerary to players before Saturday’s season decider.
After the family day at Arden St and Sunday sesh at Limerick Castle, Mad Monday will be hosted at the house of a player.
Then the coach will step up with Darren Crocker and his wife Marcia to have everybody around on Tuesday for a barbecue.
“That was probably my favourite part of the celebrations last year,” Birch said.
“We put some funny music on Crock’s Bluetooth and he is left saying, ‘Who is playing this music?’.”
Wednesday is a much-needed day off, before the club best-and-fairest on Thursday.
Last year the Queensland footy trip landed on the weekend after the grand final, but a few veteran Roos are thankful it is a week later this year.
The celebrations quickly spread beyond Melbourne across the globe on Saturday night, with Irish star Blaithin Bogue sharing a post showing the scoreboard at her home Gaelic Association Club Tempo Maguires proudly reading: “North Melbourne Premiers”.
A stream was organised in Tempo to soak in Bogue’s big day, with the game start at 8.45am local time.
Birch not only made history with her fourth premiership but also became the first player, man or woman, to hand out an extra gift on the premiership dais beyond a standard cap, giving over a copy of her book Libby’s Footy Adventures to the Auskicker who gave her a medal.
“I just thought the Auskickers are giving us something special and I would love to give something back to them,” she said.
“It was beautiful because the little girl came up with her family afterwards and we got a photo and I was able to sign the book for her.”
While the smiling faces in blue and white will carry on, spare a thought for the vanquished Brisbane side.
Coach Craig Starcevich was one of the last people to step out of Ikon Park about 11pm on Saturday after his post-match media commitments, forcing the Lions squad to wait for the mentor in the bus on Royal Pde.
The defeated Lions stayed the night in Melbourne and flew back on Sunday afternoon, with a potential family day pushed to the side after the loss.
Originally published as Premiership celebrations in full force after North Melbourne’s dominant AFLW GF win
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