North Melbourne star Jasmine Garner and Brisbane tyro Courtney Hodder were both honoured by their peers this week.

GRAND FINAL
NORTH MELBOURNE (9-3) v BRISBANE (9-3) (IKON Park, Sunday 2.30 pm local time)

Critical mass has been reached. With both these clubs going into the season decider feeling like they have a major point to prove, something has to give.

Brisbane will be keen to shed the “always the bridesmaid, never the bride” label. In the competition’s eight seasons, this will be the Lions’ fifth grand final, more than any other AFLW club, but only once, in 2021, have they hoisted the cup.

Even more bitterly, each of their three grand final losses have been by less than a kick, including last year, on their home deck.

Despite three major off-season defections — All-Australians Greta Bodey and Jess Wardlaw, and four-time club best and fairest winner Emily Bates — the Lions in their success this year have shown how deep they bat.

North Melbourne, preparing for its maiden AFLW grand final has silenced critics who said it couldn’t beat other top-tier clubs, Melbourne and Adelaide, rolling both in their match to the premiership playoff.

But to be crowned queens of the league and take out the flag, North Melbourne must do something it has never done since the competition’s 2017 launch — defeat the Lions. The closest the Roos have ever come was in round four, when they frittered away an 18-point half time lead, kicking just 1.2 in the second half, and ultimately losing by two points.

But of course, one side’s blown advantage is another side’s heroic fightback, and from a Brisbane perspective in that game, captain Breanna Koenen inspired the Lions with her goal just over a minute into the third term, and stalwart Shannon Campbell capped it off in the last quarter with a sensational snap.

Campbell last weekend played hero for the Lions in the preliminary final, kicking the match-winner against Geelong while pinch-hitting up forward for spearhead Dakota Davidson, who injured her knee on the three-quarter time siren.

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Brisbane coach Craig Starcevich made a savvy move in the second half of the round four contest, tasking Koenen with the job of limiting the influence of North Melbourne superstar Jasmine Garner — this week formally named by her peers as the AFLW’s Most Valuable Player.

While Brisbane kept Kangaroos tall forward Tahlia Randall goalless in that game, it had no answer for North Melbourne ruck-forward Emma King, who kicked two majors.

Ally Anderson, last season’s AFLW best and fairest winner, and Courtney Hodder — voted by her peers as this season’s Most Courageous Player — came up big for the Lions, Anderson tallying 28 touches and Hodder laying seven of her match-high 13 tackles inside 50.

This return bout promises to be an absolute cracker, featuring All-Australians Davidson, Garner, and Anderson, plus North Melbourne defender Emma Kearney and midfielder Ash Riddell, and Brisbane winger Sophie Conway. But the Roos have several advantages and should triumph.

North Melbourne’s defence is by far the competition’s most miserly — it allowed the Crows just one scoring shot in the last quarter of the preliminary final and can counter the Lions’ offence, which, in four grand finals, has averaged just seven shots at goal.

North Melbourne’s form is also a touch stronger than Brisbane’s and its forward structure more threatening, evidenced by its 16 marks inside 50 last week compared to Brisbane’s three in its win over Geelong.

The Roos are riding a euphoric wave of momentum, have been spared from travel, have no injury clouds over key players, and have a golden chance to make history. They are overdue for a win against the Lions, their nemesis. And in this most important occasion of all, they might finally get it.

GIL TIPS: NORTH MELBOURNE