‘We may never lose again’: Euphoric scenes as Roos win back-to-back AFLW flags, go undefeated

North Melbourne 9.2 (56) def Brisbane Lions 2.4 (16)

If grand finals are won in moments, then North Melbourne forward Kate Shierlaw will forever remember the unexpected gift that landed in her hands just three and a half minutes into the second term.

It was then that Shierlaw was awarded a 100-metre penalty that allowed her the easiest of goals, giving the undefeated Kangaroos an 11-point lead and the spark they needed to become the first-ever AFLW outfit to win back-to-back premierships.

They ran out 40-point winners – 9.2 (56) to 2.4 (16) – before a sellout crowd of 12,741 people, capping off a historic unbeaten season, becoming the first AFLW side to win back-to-back flags, and extending their winning streak to 27 games.

But until a second-quarter brain fade, the Lions had served up relentless pressure.
They put instant centre-bounce heat on the Kangaroos prime ball winners Jasmine Garner and Ash Riddell in a bid to stop North Melbourne’s drive.

Isabel Dawes stood Riddell, while Ally Anderson and Catherine Svarc took turns guarding Garner.

The tactic worked early with the Lions able to push into their forward 50 early and cause a Kangaroos error when defender Jasmine Ferguson was pinged for holding the ball. The tackler, Charlotte Mullins, confidently slotted the goal from 30 metres out to nail the game’s first major in the opening two minutes.

But the Kangaroos were able to quickly regroup.

Emma Kearney started providing drive off half-back and laid a number of bone-crunching tackles.
With the Lions focussing on Garner and Riddell, Eilish Sheerin broke free to rack up 10 first-term disposals and a goal.

The Kangaroos’ second came from a fine passage of play. Tess Craven hammered a long ball forward, allowing Emma King to pluck a big grab at half-forward. She then hit-up Bella Eddey who converted a 20-metre shot at goal.

Unstoppable: Jasmine Garner and North Melbourne capped off the perfect season in 2025.Credit: AFL Photos

The game was up for grabs at the first break, with North a goal in front. But at the start of the second term, the Lions handed North Melbourne an easy and unnecessary goal.

This was the turning point.

Shierlaw marked at half-back as the Kangaroos were moving the ball out of defence, but she was shoved in the back by veteran Lion Shannon Campbell as she attempted to get to her feet and was awarded a 50-metre penalty.

If that was not bad enough, Campbell then failed to clear a path for Shierlaw and copped another 50.

This led Shierlaw straight to the goal square for the easiest of kicks and North’s third major.

It was a deflating moment for the Lions and they conceded a fourth straight goal minutes later after a Garner pass found Jenna Bruton in front of the big sticks.

“You can’t help that feel that that massive penalty has flattened the Lions. It has,” AFLW expert commentator Kate McCarthy said on Seven.

“[It] basically give away a goal. Since that moment, they haven’t quite had the energy that we’ve seen early in the first term.

“In the desperate moments, North had the greater composure.”

Heavy tackles were laid from both sides, but North were able to flick the ball back to a free teammate and clear the ball to gain extra territory.

League medallist Riddell became the busiest player on the ground, burrowing under packs, finding space and playing wide of Dawes.

Blaithin Bogue and Emma Kearney celebrate their side’s thumping win.Credit: Getty Images

By the end of the game she had set a record for grand final possessions, racking up 39 disposals.

It was this constant surge that saw the ball pushed deep into the forward line just before half-time for North’s fifth straight goal.

This time the ball was flicked out to Sheerin, who snapped her second for the night on her trusty left boot.

At half-time, the Lions led the inside-50 count 24 to 13. But that was clearly misleading because the Kangaroos defence, led by Kearney and Libby Birch, dominated.

The Kangaroos turned the third term into an arm wrestle.

Tahlia Randall put an early second-half nail in the Lions’ coffin by marking and goaling to give North a 28-point lead just minutes into the third quarter.

But the Lions at least showed they had a pulse.

They managed their first goal since the opening two minutes of the game when Ruby Svarc was able to pounce on a loose ball out back and use her speed to break free and nail a major.

It brought Brisbane back to within 22 points. But they needed more than one goal.

Squaring the quarter a goal apiece meant North headed into the final term with a commanding 22-point lead.

They then showed why they were the competition’s best side, kicking three goals to none in the last term.

Sheerin and Garner played great support games to Riddell with 28 possessions each, while opportunist Jenna Bruton finished the game’s leading goalkicker with three.

For Brisbane, Dawes had 31 possessions.

Speaking after the final siren to Fox Footy, Kearney strongly hinted at playing on again next season.
“I’ve got a little bit to weigh up, but I’m pretty confident I’ll sign on the dotted line at some stage.”

That’s all we have for you tonight.

Thanks so much for joining us throughout the AFL and AFLW seasons – it’s been such a blast bringing the game and all the news and developments to our readers.

All our producers, editors and other staff deserve great praise for all their help throughout all these live blogs.

Please have a lovely summer and keep following our sports sites for more live blogs from the cricket and the Australian Open.

Bye for now.

The Kangaroos celebrate their 2025 premiership.Credit: AFL Photos

Roos coach Darren Crocker has thrown down the challenge to the rest of the AFLW to catch up to the leading clubs.

Crocker praised the Lions for their consistency and high standards and spoke glowingly of the efforts of his side in their 29-game unbeaten run, which will extend into next season.

Bella Eddey, Darren Crocker and Tahlia Randall of the Kangaroos celebrate.Credit: AFL Photos

But he said it was up to others to catch the Roos and their high-skill, high-pressure style of play.

“We will look at where the game is going and try to stay ahead of the curve,” Crocker said.

“The pleasing thing at the moment is we’re probably a little bit ahead of the curve, so there are a few teams that need to catch us with how we go about our football.

“It’s great to be the standard setters, and now it is for others to raise things from the bottom up.”

Crocker wouldn’t let his side talk about going back-to-back this season, and said any talk of a three-peat in 2026 would be banned.

“[There’s] no talking about a three-peat,” Crocker said when asked about next season.

“We joked on the dais at the end about how we weren’t allowed to mention the words back-to-back this season.

“Now we can.”

Lions coach Craig Starcevich is certain his players will bounce back again from the pain of another grand final defeat, and he’s also sure the Roos will eventually be chased down.

“Everyone is gettable,” Starcevich said.

Tahlia Hickey and Kim Rennie compete in the ruck.Credit: AFL Photos

“I thought our form line was on the rise and we were ready to challenge.

“You look at them tonight, and you say that is quite the level, but no one gets any younger, things happen, things change and sides catch up.”

The Lions coach also said he was keen to continue pushing his side forward after 10 seasons in charge of the team.

He also admitted some of his players were hurting after their individual errors.

“Watching the game back is going to be painful viewing for a couple of them because there were some monumental blunders along the way, with giving away 50-metre penalties,” Starcevich said.

“But that happens in a footy person’s career... Our people are great people, and they will absorb it… That’s just life as a footballer.”

The TV broadcasts have had good fun with the Roos fan who had been holding up a sign that says, “We may never lose again” during the post game celebrations.

The Roos have completed a 15-0 record for 2025 and an undefeated streak of 27 games dating back to their draw with Geelong early last season.

Their most recent loss was in the 2023 grand final to the Lions. That is but a distant memory now.

The Kangaroos gather around the 2025 premiership trophy.Credit: AFL Photos

Running defender Erika O’Shea put on yet another tireless display tonight, but she still had enough spring in her step to leap over the ropes and join her family and friends in the celebrations.

O’Shea is an infectious character and one of the Irish stars who have propelled the Roos into this era – her family are much-loved by the Roos as well, with coach Darren Crocker playfully re-telling a story from earlier in the finals.

Erika O’Shea and Ruby Svarc compete for possession.Credit: AFL Photos

As Crocker told it, last year O’Shea’s parents came to Melbourne for the finals and the Melbourne Cup carnival, and when her dad won a sizable bet on Irish jockey Robbie Dolan (who saluted in the Melbourne Cup on outside chance Knight’s Choice), the family extended their holiday by two weeks.

O’Shea was hugging her parents and several other family and friends as several of them had timed a Melbourne visit to coincide with the finals as well.

She was also dancing with several of them and had an Irish flag draped over her shoulders. What great scenes!

As the North Melbourne players hug family and friends, take pictures and do interviews on the confetti-covered turf at Ikon Park, fans are also making the most of their chance on the ground.

Some are kicking the footy, others are running and tackling each other, playfully – plenty of those people are young girls too.

Kangaroos superstar Ash Riddell celebrates the moment with her family.Credit: Getty Images

Plenty of Roos fans are just standing against the ropes and watching their team celebrate.

Club officials are helping shepherd proud parents and partners over those ropes and into the celebrations, too.

There are smiles across the ground, even from the Lions fans.

As I type this, several Roos fans are running along the ropes, high-fiving fans.

Roos coach Darren Crocker has paid tribute to both North Melbourne and the Brisbane Lions, while also drawing attention to the skills of the top sides in the AFLW competition.

Much is made of the underperforming clubs and the areas people want improved, but Crocker drew attention to “the top of the competition” – namely his side and the Lions.

“Firstly to Starc [Lions coach Craig Starcevich], [what an] unbelievable program you have got. Seven grand finals in 10 seasons is just testament to the way you go about your program. You obviously invest in women’s football, which is fantastic. So I know you will be there again some time next year as well,” said Crocker, who won a premiership as a player with North Melbourne’s 1996 men’s side.

North Melbourne club president, Dr Sonja Hood celebrates with the players.Credit: Getty Images

“To the AFL... I think the [AFLW] product just keeps getting better and better. We will slowly bring the bottom up, but I think the top is pretty good at the moment. So well done to you guys.

“I spoke about last year, but we really are a one-club mentality and that’s led by [club president] Sonja [Hood] and Jen [club CEO Jen Watt], our board, our exec and just the broader club, the way you get behind our women’s program is so special.

“Thank you to all the staff. And to the whole squad, the whole squad mentality... well done, girls. I’m so proud of you. It has been so special.

“The last two years have been pretty special, and I have just been absolutely privileged to be able to stand up in front of you and coach you. And to all our supporters, I have got three words for you – back-to-back.”

North Melbourne players celebrate after the siren.Credit: Getty Images

Here’s how the voting went for the best-on-ground medal, won by Eilish Sheerin (with 28 touches, two goals, nine clearances and eight tackles).

12 votes – Eilish Sheerin, North Melbourne – 3,3,3,3

6 votes – Ash Riddell, North Melbourne – 2,2,1,1

5 votes – Jasmine Garner, North Melbourne – 2,2,1

1 vote – Isabel Dawes, Brisbane Lions – 1

Judges voting (in a 3, 2, 1 system):

Abbey Holmes (Seven Network) (chair) – Eilish Sheerin, Ash Riddell, Isabel Dawes

Gemma Bastiani (AFL Media) – Eilish Sheerin, Jasmine Garner, Ash Riddell

Laura Spurway (3AW) – Eilish Sheerin, Ash Riddell, Jasmine Garner

Lauren Wood (Herald Sun) – Eilish Sheerin, Jasmine Garner, Ash Riddell

Lions captain Bre Koenen is always a classy speaker and she did well to speak despite her heartache during the presentations.

“To North, you guys, 27 wins in a row – that is absolutely unreal. Congratulations. You guys have been the better team all year, and you were just too good today,” Koenen said.

Breanna Koenen of the Lions leads the team out.Credit: Getty Images

“And lastly, to my crew, honestly, I’ve have had the absolute best week: so many memories and laughs. Honestly, I wouldn’t want to do it with anyone else. I’m so proud of this whole group.

“To be in our seventh grand final as a club is just incredible. So, well done to everybody. Well done.”