The biggest game of the year is upon us with the Roos and Lions set to go head-to-head in what promises to be a thrilling contest in this year\u2019s 2025 AFLW Grand Final.<\/p>\n
For the Roos, history awaits. A win for Darren Crocker\u2019s side would cement their status as the best AFLW team we\u2019ve ever seen. The Roos have already won 26 consecutive matches, breaking the AFL\/VFL\/AFLW record. Now, they\u2019ve got the chance to become the first team in history to win back-to-back premierships.<\/p>\n
Craig Starcevich\u2019s Lions have been arguably the most consistently successful side in the League\u2019s history. Not only can they be the side to break the Roos\u2019 record run, but they can also win their second premiership in three seasons, having defeated the Kangas back in the 2023 decider.<\/p>\n
Foxfooty.com.au takes a look at where the game will be won and lost on Saturday night.<\/p>\n
WHAT’S GAMBLING REALLY COSTING YOU? Set a deposit limit. For Free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.<\/p>\n
SEIZING THE BIG MOMENTS<\/p>\n
Grand finals can be won and lost and legacies cemented in big moments and whichever side seizes those moments best on Saturday night will likely prevail. <\/p>\n
In North Melbourne\u2019s preliminary final against Melbourne last week, their premiership defence was seriously under threat at the final change. Trailing by a goal at three-quarter-time, the Roos needed their star power to stand tall. And they did just that. <\/p>\n
Captain Jasmine Garner put together a final quarter for the ages, tearing the game apart in a blistering fourth term. The gun Roo amassed 12 disposals, four clearances and four score involvements alone in the last stanza, kicking a crucial goal from a stoppage late to seal the deal for the Roos. AFLW Best and Fairest Ash Riddell was also instrumental in the fourth with nine touches, while the likes of Alice O\u2019Loughlin and Blaithin Bogue also stood tall in important moments. <\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s unbelievable, she\u2019s been a stalwart of the competition\u2026 she\u2019s an icon,\u201d retiring Geelong champion Meg McDonald said of Garner on Fox Footy.<\/p>\n
“Business as usual” as Lions prep for GF | 00:55<\/p>\n
Garner hailed her side\u2019s ability to stand up in the clinches. <\/p>\n
\u201cMelbourne threw it all at us and it was a great game of footy. That was finals footy. We dug deep in that last quarter, it\u2019s a pretty special win,\u201d Garner said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt wasn\u2019t easy, we really embraced the challenge. Crock loves turning challenges into opportunities and that\u2019s exactly what we did.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Lions cruised past the Blues in their preliminary final, but they\u2019ve certainly got their fair share of big game performers as well. <\/p>\n
Captain Bre Koenen won the Best on Ground Medal in the 2023 decider and is built for the big stage, while midfielder Belle Dawes thrives on stepping up in key moments. Then there\u2019s midfield jet Ally Anderson, forward duo Courtney Hodder and Dakota Davidson and winger Sophie Conway. <\/p>\n
It doesn\u2019t have to be your day, but it can be your moment.<\/p>\n
Hosking claims AFLW Mark of the Year | 02:28<\/p>\n
CAN LIONS STOP STAR-STUDDED ROOS FORWARD LINE?<\/p>\n
North Melbourne\u2019s forward line is genuinely the envy of the rest of the competition. Unlike some teams where you can double-team or focus on one or two players, every single North Melbourne forward can break the game open on their day.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s start with their tall timber. Tahlia Randall has had an All-Australian calibre season and is a force to be reckoned with in the air, but she is also more than adept when the ball hits the deck. Veteran Kate Shierlaw plays with a presence alongside her, while Emma King\u2019s height is a nightmare for opposition defenders. The three of them form a fearsome three-headed monster.<\/p>\n
Then there\u2019s the smalls. Alice O\u2019Loughlin was an All-Australian last year and has incredible footy IQ and nous around goal and often plays well against the Lions as a tricky opponent. Don\u2019t forget about the Irish duo of Blaithin Bogue and Vikki Wall, either. Wall is a human wrecking ball, who loves the bash and crash of the Aussie game. She\u2019s fast, agile and her defensive pressure is A plus. Bogue is arguably the story of the AFLW season. After failing to play a game last year, Bogue had an enormous breakout year, becoming an All-Australian for the first time. It\u2019s been an incredible year for the Irish import who\u2019s somehow made this forward line even better. <\/p>\n
It also reinforces North Melbourne\u2019s commitment to resourcing and developing its players. There is no club quite like the Roos when it comes to giving their all to its AFLW program to ensure the players perform to the best of their ability. <\/p>\n
But it isn\u2019t just the forwards that hit the scoreboard. North Melbourne\u2019s midfield regularly contribute, headlined by Garner, who has booted a whopping 20 goals this season, ranked eighth competition wide. A pretty handy return for a player who plays mainly as a midfielder. <\/p>\n
Brisbane\u2019s All-Australian squad members Jen Dunne and Jade Ellenger will certainly have their hands full, as will veteran Shannon Campbell and gun back Nat Grider.<\/p>\n
It was the Pub!’ Riddell reveals return | 05:15<\/p>\n
CURBING THE INFLUENCE OF LIONS LIVEWIRE<\/p>\n
If anyone can put this Lions side on her back to claim the ultimate prize, then it\u2019s Courtney Hodder. In truth, there aren\u2019t too many players in the League who can run with her in full flight.<\/p>\n
Hodder\u2019s skillset is incredible. She\u2019s got breathtaking pace, plenty of courage and is an incredibly smart footballer. This year she\u2019s taken her game to another level, spending more time through the midfield, adding to her constant creativity in the front half. <\/p>\n
In 2025, Hodder has averaged a career-high 16.1 disposals and five score involvements in addition to 6.5 tackles and 1.1 goals per game. She doesn\u2019t shirk a contest defensively and her speed and ability to break the lines have given the Lions a new dimension to their midfield group this year. In this year\u2019s AFLW Best and Fairest count, Hodder polled eight votes, ranked equal second at the club. <\/p>\n
Hodder is a dynamic player whose agility and acceleration mean she is a nightmarish match-up. She\u2019s box office and could legitimately break this game open. How North Melbourne can stop her remains a point of intrigue and something that will no doubt be on Darren Crocker\u2019s mind throughout the week.<\/p>\n
Lions roar towards Grand Final rematch | 03:41<\/p>\n
BATTLE OF THE MIDFIELD HEATS UP<\/p>\n
If you haven\u2019t watched a lot of AFLW before, then you should absolutely tune in on Saturday night as the best of the best strut their stuff. The clash of the titans in the midfield will be worth the price of admission alone. <\/p>\n
Let\u2019s take a look at the Roos first. Jasmine Garner is arguably the greatest player to ever do it. An eight-time All-Australian with three AFLPA MVP\u2019s and three AFLCA Champion Player of the Year awards to her name, there isn\u2019t much Garner hasn\u2019t achieved. She also stands up on the big stage, having claimed last year\u2019s Best on Ground Medal in the decider and polling 20 votes in the past two grand finals. <\/p>\n
Alongside teammate Ash Riddell, the duo are one of the most feared one-two punches in the League. Riddell claimed this year\u2019s AFLW Best and Fairest award, after an unbelievable campaign that saw her shatter records. The star on-baller has averaged 35.3 disposals a game, 4.7 clearances, 4.1 tackles and 5.1 inside 50s a game. <\/p>\n
But don\u2019t sleep on the other Roos midfielders either. Mia King has been sidelined with a knee injury for several weeks but thrives in the contest, where her tackling and clean hands make her a key player. Then there\u2019s ex-Tiger Eilish Sheerin and exciting midfielder\/forward Bella Eddey, who have added plenty to Crocker\u2019s on-ball mix this season.<\/p>\n
Ruby Tripodi is also underrated throughout the competition but her supporting role is crucial, while North Melbourne\u2019s wingers in Tess Craven and Taylah Gatt are also guns in their own right. <\/p>\n
Underestimate Craig Starcevich\u2019s Lions are your peril, though. Ally Anderson is a proven contributor, having previously won an AFLW Best and Fairest herself, while Belle Dawes is already an All-Australian, but you just get the feeling she\u2019s got another gear to go to. <\/p>\n
Hodder\u2019s importance has been discussed at length, but Koenen\u2019s ability to roll through the guts as well is a weapon in Starcevich\u2019s arsenal. Then there\u2019s the Lions\u2019 wingers who are so important to their success. Irishwoman Orla O\u2019Dwyer is one of the premier outside players in the competition, while Sophie Conway has rediscovered her spark after a sluggish start to the year by her lofty standards. Midfield beast Cathy Svarc might not put up the same disposal numbers as some of the others in the side, but her presence and intensity around the ball will be crucial if the Lions are to get up.<\/p>\n
AFL wildcard finals round confirmed | 03:26<\/p>\n
UNDERESTIMATE THE LIONS AT YOUR PERIL<\/p>\n
The Roos have undoubtedly been the best side over the past few seasons \u2014 and are raging $1.16 favourites over the $5 Lions \u2014 but don\u2019t underestimate Brisbane\u2019s familiarity with big games.<\/p>\n
The Lions thrive on being written off, and team that excels in adversity. When they prevailed in the 2023 decider, it was off the back of the exits of Emily Bates and Greta Bodey to Hawthorn. People had written off Starcevich\u2019s troops, who didn\u2019t fold despite losing key players, they just knuckled down and used it as even more motivation to work harder. <\/p>\n
Bre Koenen, Shannon Campbell and Ally Anderson will all make history on Saturday night when they play their seventh grand final, that\u2019s an incredible achievement when you consider this competition has only been running for a decade. <\/p>\n
For the Lions to win on Saturday night, they\u2019re going to need to bring the heat and bring it early. The Dees gave the preliminary final against the Roos a red-hot shake and that was off the back of a fierce first term, where they booted four majors. The Lions certainly brought the heat against the Blues.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey had to bash them around the ball and they did it. They did it all night,\u201d former Carlton AFLW coach Daniel Harford said on Fox Footy.<\/p>\n
Forward Dakota Davidson said: \u201cWe pride ourselves on pressure, we just kept peppering and peppering.\u201d<\/p>\n
So, for the Lions to get up, you\u2019d think they have to bring extreme pressure to the contest and be ready to go from the first bounce. Taking away North Melbourne\u2019s uncontested mark game that gives them so much control will also be important, as will ensuring the Roos\u2019 defence is accountable, rather than being able to drift off and intercept. <\/p>\n
When asked post-match by Fox Footy\u2019s Hannah Davies if Davidson had a message for the Roos, the star forward opted not to reply.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe didn\u2019t say it, but she was saying \u2018we\u2019ll let our footy do the talking\u2019,\u201d Harford said.<\/p>\n
It was perhaps a glimpse into what Brisbane\u2019s mentality will be heading into the decider. They mean business. And the Dees showed the Roos are beatable if you bring the heat for long enough. <\/p>\n
\u201cYes the Lions can (win), if they play like they did tonight, they absolutely can,\u201d Harford said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis should now be an absolute all-timer.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The biggest game of the year is upon us with the Roos and Lions set to go head-to-head…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":316175,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[560],"tags":[178599,638,38563,64,43336,63,55,639,120952,178616,136460,3237,178607,156567,176784,129948,124761,178598,178618,178611,3444,178600,134625,178609,178615,43054,12117,12090,61783,178603,11288,178610,47999,178602,178605,52766,178619,3512,106655,176171,178612,117772,7804,148183,178601,178606,3421,15624,19095,178608,52768,72831,178613,176162,1820,143409,178617,143421,85,161601,178614,66574,178604,159951],"class_list":["post-316174","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-afl","tag-absolute-all-timer","tag-afl","tag-ally-anderson","tag-au","tag-aussie","tag-australia","tag-australian-football-league","tag-australianfootballleague","tag-back-to-back-premierships","tag-bella-eddey","tag-bre-koenen","tag-brisbane-lions","tag-calibre-season","tag-cathy-svarc","tag-controversial-vote-count","tag-courtney-hodder","tag-craig-starcevich","tag-crock-loves","tag-crucial-goal","tag-daniel-harford","tag-defensive-pressure","tag-disposal-numbers","tag-dynamic-player","tag-emma-king","tag-epic-grab","tag-extreme-pressure","tag-final-change","tag-final-quarter","tag-finals-footy","tag-game-performers","tag-grand-final","tag-grand-final-preview","tag-grand-finals","tag-hannah-davies","tag-human-wrecking-ball","tag-jasmine-garner","tag-jen-dunne","tag-knee-injury","tag-lions-roar","tag-losing-key-players","tag-loves-turning-challenges","tag-meg-mcdonald","tag-melbourne-demons","tag-midfield-beast","tag-on-ball-mix","tag-one-two-punches","tag-opposition-defenders","tag-player","tag-preliminary-final","tag-premier-outside-players","tag-premiership-defence","tag-pretty-special-win","tag-roos-ampampampampamp-lions","tag-sarah-hosking","tag-score-involvements","tag-shannon-campbell","tag-shatter-records","tag-sophie-conway","tag-sports","tag-squad-members","tag-star-on-baller","tag-thrilling-contest","tag-uncontested-mark-game","tag-wildcard-finals"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/316174","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=316174"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/316174\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/316175"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=316174"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=316174"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=316174"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}