How North Melbourne built their list on way to AFLW premiership glory

When North Melbourne entered the AFLW, they didn’t pull their punches in the recruiting space. JOSH BARNES looks at how the Roos planted the seeds for an undefeated premiership season.

Jenna Bruton, Ash Riddell and Jasmine Garner of the Kangaroos celebrate. Picture: Getty Images

The seeds for North Melbourne’s long-awaited premiership success were sown at the very start.

A little peeved they didn’t make the cut for the inaugural AFLW seasons, the Roos pulled no punches when they hopped into the competition in 2019.

In a signing spree, the new team lured reigning league best-and-fairest winner Emma Kearney from the Western Bulldogs, the first player to kick an AFLW goal in Jasmine Garner from Collingwood, defender turned forward Tahlia Randall from Brisbane, Collingwood ruck Emma King and speedy Bulldog Jenna Bruton.

List manager then and now bumped up to the title of head of performance, Rhys Harwood hit the nail on the head with the recruits when the list was finalised in late 2018.

Emma Kearney is now a premiership captain. Picture: Getty Images

He said captain Kearney would “add tremendous leadership and experience to our club both on and off the field”.

Tick.

Jasmine Garner then was “one of the brightest young talents in the AFLW and will play a key role in the front half”.

Garner is now seen by many as the best player in the league and won the award for best on ground in the grand final – a big tick there.

Jasmine Garner with her medallions. Picture: Getty Images

Randall was “one of the most promising young key position players in the AFLW”.

Give that a tick.

Bruton was to be a “long-term midfielder” and King would “play a big role for us structurally”.

Tick and tick.

Those were just a handful of signings – others who have since departed included Moana Hope, Jess Duffin, Georgia Nanscawen and Kaitlyn Ashmore – at the top line that made the Roos an instant team to watch.

But other signatures with smaller CVs would help create a perennial premiership contender, that finally broke through on Saturday night against Brisbane.

Billed as a “ready-made midfielder” by Harwood, Ash Riddell came out of the VFLW to the Roos list in time for that first season.

She would run a close second in the league best-and-fairest on Monday night and win her fourth All-Australian blazer, forming an unstoppable midfield pairing with Garner this season.

Nicole Bresnehan was drawn from Tasmanian side Clarence and has been a solid presence in the backline ever since.

Those names signed in 2018 stuck firm and eventually walked to the dais on Saturday night as each of Kearney, Garner, Randall, King, Bruton, Riddell and Bresnehan finally got their premiership medal.

That’s seven members of a core that some may argue deserve more than their single premiership medal.

While some moved on, holding a group of that quality from the start has been the clear key to North Melbourne’s ascent to the top.

Libby Birch and Tahlia Randall kiss the cup. Picture: Getty Images

North kept going as it searched for that elusive flag, luring Libby Birch from Melbourne this off-season, added to other recruits like Eliza Shannon (Hawthorn), Kim Rennie (Western Bulldogs), Kate Shierlaw (St Kilda).

Rennie asked for a trade from the Whitten Oval to Arden Street in 2021 but a deal didn’t come together.

So the ruck blanked a Dogs contract offer and walked across town in the draft, forming a formidable ruck pairing with Emma King.

And Birch was well courted by Victorian rivals when she indicated she was ready to leave Melbourne but the Roos came late and came strong to add her to their defence.

For a team that was so strong offensively that had fallen just short of a flag, adding a defensive stalwart and a dual-club premiership winner was some cream on coach Darren Crocker’s cake.

“Being able to slot her in as a key defender, we felt that was an area we needed to bolster and where we could get better and she has been able to come in an fill that need for us,” Crocker said this week.

Darren Crocker with Alastair Clarkson sharing a drink after the grand final win. Picture: Getty Images

Where Brisbane built its brilliant side around Queensland talent, Ted Whitten would be proud of the Roos for largely staying in Victoria.

As the AFLW draft branches wider than ever later this year when clubs are free to pick players from any state, don’t tell Graham Cornes that this may end up being the closest to a Victorian flag we ever see again.

Of those on Ikon Park on Saturday night, Emma King (West Australia), Tasmanian pair Mia King and Bresnehan, Randall (Queensland) and Irish duo Vicki Wall and Erika O’Shea are the sole non-Victorians.

The Roos were the last Victorian team left once Hawthorn was run over by Port Adelaide and Crocker’s side struck one win for football’s home state.