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Historical Triumph Marks Watershed Moment for Womens-AFL-Grand-Final Melbourne, Australia – The North Melbourne Kangaroos have secured the Australian Football League Women's (AFLW) premiership, defeating the reigning champions, the Brisbane Lions, in the 2024 Womens-AFL-Grand-Final at Ikon Park. The victory was historically significant, confirming North Melbourne as the first team in the modern era of the AFLW to complete a season undefeated, an achievement that underscores the growing maturity and high performance standard of the competition. The result, which saw the Kangaroos prevail in a low-scoring but fiercely contested match, was not just the conclusion of a remarkable season but a pivotal statement regarding the league’s trajectory. North Melbourne’s disciplined 6. 3 (39) to 1. 3 (9) victory against the previous year’s premiers signalled a generational shift in dominance and highlighted the competitive intensity now defining the women’s game. The event itself, played before a capacity crowd, reinforced the commercial and cultural appetite for elite women’s professional sport in Australia. Match Analysis: Pressure and Defence Define the Decider The Grand Final was defined less by attacking brilliance and more by relentless defensive pressure, particularly from the Kangaroos’ midfield unit. From the outset, North Melbourne established a suffocating defensive zone, denying Brisbane the uncontested possessions they rely upon to launch their counter-attacks. The pressure resulted in the Lions recording their lowest score in a finals match since the inaugural season, a testament to the structure and discipline deployed by coach Darren Crocker's side.
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Midfielder Jasmine Garner, a central figure in North Melbourne’s success throughout the season, delivered a performance marked by immense physicality and composure in possession, earning the Best on Ground medal. Her ability to break tackles and distribute cleanly in wet and slippery conditions was instrumental in turning momentum in the critical second and third quarters, when the margin was narrowest. “We took some deep learnings from last year’s Grand Final defeat, but we never spoke about it in terms of revenge; it was about refining our process and confirming our self-belief,” said Crocker in the post-match press conference. “The biggest change for us this season has been the calmness within the group. When the game was on the line, our players knew they had given themselves enough evidence through hard work to know they were rightfully back on this stage. ” Context of Growth and Professionalisation The 2024 decider arrives at a period of intense scrutiny and accelerated growth for the AFLW. Now in its ninth season, the league has expanded to 18 teams, reaching parity with the men's competition, a milestone cited by the league's hierarchy as crucial for future investment. The success of the Grand Final, both in terms of television viewership and attendance figures, provides powerful leverage as the league moves towards negotiating its next collective bargaining agreement (CBA). The AFL has publicly acknowledged the women’s competition as its most significant growth engine. Andrew Dillon, the Chief Executive Officer of the AFL, recently highlighted the strategic priority given to the women's game.
“I absolutely see the future for us, and how we’ll grow and be even bigger, is the AFLW competition,” Mr Dillon stated earlier this year. “The opportunity that’s there, while it’s not going to happen overnight, if we continue investing in that competition, I think the growth there is enormous. ” This investment ambition is vital, particularly in addressing the ongoing discussions surrounding equalisation. While the competitive nature of the final was high, systemic discrepancies remain in areas such as list sizes, player wages, and access to premium stadiums. The Underdog Narrative and Future Parity For the Brisbane Lions, the defeat marked a shift from being the reigning premier to the underdog, a position coach Craig Starcevich embraced in the build-up. Starcevich noted his side’s season had been a “journey of growth” but conceded that the Kangaroos deserved their billing as favourites. “We just happen to be underdogs this year, rightfully so obviously. The Kangaroos have had a fantastic season,” said Lions captain Breanna Koenen before the match. “We'll take that on board and we’ll fly with it. The challenge is immense, but it sharpens your focus.
” This acknowledgement of a 'benchmark' team—the nearly undefeated North Melbourne—highlights the tension within the league's development model. While the AFL uses mechanisms like the draft and salary cap to promote talent equalisation, the debate over season length and adequate facilities continues. Recent analysis has suggested that while interest and participation figures are high, attracting consistent, high-volume crowds requires ensuring the games are consistently played at centrally located, large-capacity venues, particularly for the Grand Final. The 2019 Grand Final, which drew a record 53,034 fans to Adelaide Oval, demonstrated the immense potential crowd base when the right teams meet at the right venue. As the league grows, ensuring every club has equal access to elite resources and maximising the scale of the culminating event will be critical to achieving long-term commercial sustainability and maintaining the current momentum. Outlook The 2024 AFL Women’s Grand Final successfully delivered a historic outcome that rewards consistency and investment. North Melbourne’s undefeated campaign provides a compelling narrative of athletic achievement, while the event as a whole underscores the commercial confidence now attached to women's Australian Rules Football. Looking ahead, the next challenge for the AFL and the Players’ Association will be to leverage this high-profile success into tangible gains for professionalism. The victory acts as a mandate for increased investment in player welfare, facilities, and remuneration, ensuring that the athletic quality showcased in the Grand Final is matched by sustainable career pathways. The triumph is not just a footnote in sporting history but a critical data point confirming the AFLW's central role in the future landscape of Australian sport.
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