Shannon Campbell concedes a costly 100m penalty to gift the Roos the goal that swing the momentum in a big way

By Kaitlyn Ferber at Ikon Park

Kate Shierlaw celebrates a goal during the 2025 NAB AFLW Grand Final between North Melbourne and Brisbane at Ikon Park. Picture: AFL Photos

YOU JUST can’t be making mistakes around the Roos. 

They’ll make you pay for it. 

It was one of the more bizarre moments from veteran Brisbane defender Shannon Campbell, but we know what a Grand Final is like. The emotions are high; there’s a sense of occasion. And when there’s yet to be goal scored from either side in the second quarter, frustrations hit boiling point. 

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North Melbourne was only ahead by four points – which later revealed itself to be its smallest margin of the game – but it was desperate to get the ball rolling. 

After turning over the ball in Brisbane’s forward 50, Eilish Sheerin craftily dodged the Lions traffic, handballed over the top to Ash Riddell who swiftly kicked the ball to veteran forward Kate Shierlaw. 

Shierlaw took the mark in a contest with Campbell, then slid her knees on the ground and fell over with the Lion’s hand in her back. But as Shierlaw tried to get back on her feet, Campbell pushed her over. 

Whistle blown. Instant 50. 

The crowd cheered and booed, depending which side you were on, but that’s when things got a bit wild. As Shierlaw began the 50m run to her new mark, Campbell did the unthinkable. 

Instead of running a step behind, she chased her. She bumped her and jostled her. She grabbed Shierlaw’s arm. 

The confused look on Campbell’s face could argue she may not have known that she had conceded the penalty. Maybe she thought Shierlaw had played on and she did what any defender would do. Maybe she didn’t mean to?

It was the heat of the moment. It was a mistake. But it was a costly one. 

Whistle blown. Another 50m penalty. 

The Roos fans roared as Shierlaw took the ball and ran another 50m. While Campbell pulled up stumps, the frustration and disappointment in having conceded 100m was etched upon her face. 

“As soon as you get a 50m penalty, I know if you sprint off and they try to cut you off – I was like ‘I’ll try to make the most of it’,” Shierlaw said post-match. 

“And she stayed with me, so I was lucky enough to get the 100m and get all the way to the goal square.

“I’m not sure [what Campbell was thinking] but maybe in the heat of the moment she just wanted to try to keep up with me, I’m not sure but I’ll take it.”

Call it dramatic, but the game was lost from there. 

Shierlaw ran into her team’s forward 50, set up her shot like she’s done many times before and slotted it through. 

The crowd erupted, the Roos sprinted to Shierlaw as the Lions did their best to console Campbell. But the damage was done.

It opened up the floodgates to a North Melbourne side that will take advantage of any inch you give them. The momentum was there, and there was nothing that Brisbane could do to slow down the invincible Kangaroos.Â