AFLW champions North Melbourne put the AFL to shame
It’s a ceremony their male counterparts can’t get right, with this year’s first-time AFLW premiers showing them how it’s done.
The AFLW competition has once again shown how it should be done during a grand final presentation.
What should be a relatively simple process has been mired in controversy for AFL players in recent years, with a number shunning the young kids handing them their winner’s medal to soak up their moment in the sun.
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Brisbane Lion Charlie Cameron, Collingwood’s Beau McCreery and veteran Cat Tom Stewart have all been guilty of post-match snubs after winning the premiership.
All they need to do to learn how simple and heartwarming it can be is to tune into the victorious women’s players, with North Melbourne all class following their 30-point drubbing of Brisbane at a packed Ikon Park on Saturday night.
Watch Libby Birch’s heartwarming moment in the video player above
It all started with event host Nat Edwards introducing the youngsters before their big moment.
“Well it is every young footballer’s dream to be on the grand final stage,” Edwards said.
“Today these young players can now make this dream a reality.
“It is with much pleasure that we welcome 21 participants from the Aberfeldie Auskick Centre, who will now present medallions to each player of the winning team.”
It kicked off with triumphant Kangaroo Libby Birch, who knelt down to receive her medal, put a cap on the youngster’s head and then offered her a hug, which was accepted.
The crowd let out a collective “awww” to the cute moment, with the little girl saying “that’s three Libby” as key defender Birch celebrated her third flag, added to efforts with the Bulldogs and Demons.
That set the tone as the winning players all gave their little counterpart their moment.
Star veteran and North captain Emma Kearney had one of the better exchanges as she received her medal.
“Hello, how are you going?” she asked the little girl, Chloe.
“Good,” came the standard reply.
“Great job. What’s your name? Chloe? Great to meet you.
“I want to give you my scrunchie and then put the hat on. Good job, well done.”
It’s really that simple.
It was all capped by 11-year-old Imogen Mulgrew, a huge North fan who celebrated her recovery from leukaemia just last month, presenting the premiership cup.
Described by Edwards as a “young Roos fan and also an absolute inspiration”, Mulgrew lifted the cup with Kearney and North Melbourne coach Darren Crocker.
Classy stuff.
It was a similar story last year when Lions star Ally Anderson warmed hearts around the footy world following her team’s epic win over North Melbourne.
A young hearing-impaired Auskicker, who was identified as “Teddy” from the South Melbourne Districts Auskick Centre, was all smiles as he lifted the premiership medal over Anderson’s head.
She knelt to the ground and was seen showing the “thank you” sign in Auslan in a moment that melted the hearts of fans.
It’s all a stark contrast to a series of blunders from their male counterparts.
In September, Cameron was the latest player to be torn to shreds online after appearing to snub a young Auskicker after his side’s thrashing of the Swans.
With emotions running high, the club used a staffer to remind its players to shake the Auskickers’ hands as they handed over a cap and received their medals.
It was all going swimmingly until Cameron put a hat on a young girl’s head as she put the medal around his neck before snubbing her attempted handshake.
One fan tweeted: “The Lions were doing so well then Charlie Cameron brushed the girl.”
A second posted: “Charlie!!! How hard is it to shake the kids hand???”
Another added: “Good they have a bloke sternly telling the players to make sure they shake the kids hand, only Charlie Cameron to not do it lol.”
McCreery was also slammed over his awkward moment in front of millions, as he also appeared to snub a young fan handing him his medal after the Pies downed Brisbane in a thriller.
Fans tore into McCreery as he bolted away from the young boy holding his hand out for a shake.
The scene was a contrast to Nick Daicos’ moment with a young boy in a wheelchair, James Nguyen, who presented him his medal.
The Collingwood fan told him he “should be very proud” as he handed him his silverware.
“Thank you so much, I appreciate it,” Daicos said as he patted the youngster on the head.
In the 2022 grand final, defender Stewart also copped backlash for botching the exchange after Geelong’s 81-point victory over Sydney.
After a young girl draped the medal around Stewart’s neck, the four-time All-Australian ignored her handshake offer and triumphantly raised his arms in the air.
To make matters worse, Stewart accidentally knocked the young girl’s hat off her head before hustling off the podium.
Speaking on Channel 9’s Sports Sunday the following morning, Stewart apologised for his mistake and declared that he’d like to give the Auskicker a gift.
“I just want to reach out to the young girl who gave me my premiership medal yesterday,” he said.
“I got a bit overwhelmed and bit excited and ended up knocking her hat off her head.”
So, prospective 2025 AFL premiers, please take note.
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