AFLW qualifying final: North Melbourne survives Adelaide scare to earn preliminary final berth

A controversial free kick helped North Melbourne overcome a shaky start to keep its unbeaten AFLW campaign alive and book a home preliminary final with a gutsy win over Adelaide. WATCH IT HERE.

North Melbourne was staring down the barrel of its first loss all season at halftime, but came back with the right answers to secure a home preliminary final for a second straight year.

Adelaide was left to rue its inability to hit the scoreboard during a dominant second term as the minor premiers kicked clear in the following quarter and held their nerve to deliver a seven-point win at Ikon Park on Friday night.

The week off will bring important extra preparation time for Kangaroos skipper Emma Kearney, who coach Darren Crocker said was close to playing on Friday night after training strongly during the week.

The eight-time All-Australian has been missing from the Roos’ backline since she badly tore her hamstring against Richmond during the controversial condensed fixture period.

Bella Eddey and Kate Shierlaw celebrate a North Melbourne goal. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

Adelaide’s Hannah Munyard.

“(Kearney) ticked off a really good session during the week … but it just felt like we hadn’t got her loads up to where they needed to be to come into a high pressure final,” Crocker said after the win.

“She’ll be able to get two real good weeks of load into her hamstring, and we would think she would very much be available for the prelim.”

Crocker said he would have a selection headache to ponder for the next fortnight after the Roos found goals from unlikely sources to brush off the Crows after halftime.

Chelsea Randall (22 disposals and two goals) was sublime for the fourth-placed side and brought travelling Crows fans into the game with a brilliant chase-down tackle on Erika O’Shea which led to a goal in the second term.

Chelsea Randall fanpage rn ⭐#AFLWFinals | #AFLWRoosCrowspic.twitter.com/EEHY2QVQbl

— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) November 8, 2024

The set shot to Caitlin Gould was the only major the Crows managed despite handing the Roos their worst inside 50 differential for a quarter this season (4-14).

Adelaide coach Matthew Clarke was left feeling “flat” by their failure to capitalise as the vaunted double act of Jasmine Garner and Ash Riddell seized control after halftime.

“There’s a fair bit to like about the performance we can build off … but we have a few things to tidy up,” Clarke said.

The Crows will host the winner of Fremantle and Essendon in a semi-final at Norwood Oval next weekend.

Emma King climbs highest to mark for North Melbourne. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

The Roos get around Amy Smith after an absolute pearler! 🤩#AFLWFinals | #AFLWRoosCrowspic.twitter.com/MmrGX3PYcC

— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) November 8, 2024

FLAIR FROM NOWHERE

North Melbourne quiet achiever Amy Smith achieved very loudly at a crucial moment in the third term when she pounced on a ground ball at a stoppage inside 50 and delivered one of the best goals this season to give the Roos a 10-point buffer.

Smith veered away from traffic towards the boundary line after gathering the footy, but showed remarkable composure for a player with only two career goals to her name to get back onto her preferred right foot and sail a drop punt through the big sticks from 30m out.

🗣 "That's a massive call!"

A deliberate rushed behind hands Kate Shierlaw the easiest of goals...

What's your call? pic.twitter.com/EFHRZ0eLiJ

— 7AFL (@7AFL) November 8, 2024

HARSH CALL HELPS ROOS

Adelaide coach Matthew Clarke said the Crows would “probably ask the question” of the AFL after a contentious deliberate rushed behind free kick handed the Roos a goal late in the first term.

Defender Zoe Prowse was corralled over the line with two Kangaroos forwards in close proximity, but the umpire penalised her after she had doubled back towards the goal line.

There is a clause in the rule for a free kick to be paid if the player has been deemed to have had “time and space to dispose of the football”, but rarely has it been enforced at AFLW level.

“What did you think? We’ll just wait and see … we’ll probably ask the question,” Clarke said.

Munyard clashes with North Melbourne’s Jasmine Ferguson. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Caitlin Gould was a huge threat for the Crows throughout. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

GOULD STANDARD MITTS

Adelaide tall Caitlin Gould carried her career-best form up forward straight into the thick of finals football as she reeled in three contested marks in the first quarter alone.

Fellow key forwards Taylor Smith and Aishling Moloney have all but sewn up All-Australian spots after winning the league goalkicking, but the selectors better come up with a maiden blazer for Gould or there will be riots at West Lakes.

Bella Eddey kicks a ripper!#AFLWFinals | #AFLWRoosCrowspic.twitter.com/GpXRbrztbc

— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) November 8, 2024

SCOREBOARD

KANGAROOS 2.1, 2.1, 5.4, 5.8 (38)

CROWS 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.1 (31)

BEST Kangaroos: Garner, Riddell, Birch, Gatt, Eddey, Shierlaw. Crows: Marinoff, Gould, C Randall, Goodwin, Ponter, Prowse.

GOALS Kangaroos: Eddey 2, T Randall, Shierlaw, Smith. Crows: Gould 2, C Randall 2, Ponter.

UMPIRES Adams, Kerr, Pearson

INJURIES Kangaroos: nil. Crows: nil.

CROWD 3689 at Ikon Park

Originally published as AFLW qualifying final: North Melbourne survives Adelaide scare to earn preliminary final berth