Another premiership has kept the fire burning in Emma Kearney’s belly as she weighs up possible retirement

Emma Kearney after the AFLW Grand Final between North Melbourne and Brisbane at Ikon Park, November 29, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

VETERAN Roo Emma Kearney says that Saturday night’s Grand Final win won’t play a role in her upcoming decision on whether to play on in 2026.
 
At an Arden St press conference earlier this week, the now three-time premiership player acknowledged that she had a one-year contract in front of her from North Melbourne.

AFLW GRAND FINAL Full match coverage and stats
 
Speaking to AFL.com.au after the win, Kearney conceded “you’re a long time retired”, and that she’ll make a decision in the coming weeks.
 
“Hopefully I’ll sign on,” she said.

“I love playing footy, I just feel like I can contribute at the level, and I love doing it.”

Darren Crocker and Emma Kearney after the AFLW Grand Final between North Melbourne and Brisbane at Ikon Park, November 29, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

The lead-in to this decider was a little different for the former captain in her fourth Grand Final, relinquishing the role (now held by star Jasmine Garner) before the season.
 
“There’s less things I have to do – I don’t have to do the coaches press conference and things like that, so I felt a little bit more relaxed with that sort of stuff,” she said.

“Just go about my business and lead by how I play.”
 
In a match she described as “tough … high transition”, the 36-year-old defender finished up with 17 disposals, 10 of those intercepts, and had more than a few sparks flying in her characteristically assertive on-field style.

Emma Kearney makes contact with Isabel Dawes during the AFLW Grand Final between North Melbourne and Brisbane at Ikon Park, November 29, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

And the fierce contest, played out in front of 12,741 passionate fans, only reiterated her comments earlier this week, encouraging the competition to invest in their women’s programs and compete with the grand finalists for the past three seasons.
 
“Just shows you that if you invest in your women’s program you can achieve this stuff,” Kearney said post-match.
 
“You saw Carlton using 100 percent of their soft cap and they make a prelim.

“Seven out of 10 Grand Finals from Brisbane, and they’ve always really cared about their women’s program. Like we have so much respect for them as a football club – the men’s and the women’s.”
 
“We do the same here – we use up a lot of our soft cap, we’ve great coaches, we’ve got great high performance.
 
“So the rest of the competition need to start doing that, because we want the comp to grow.”