AS THE dust settles on the season that was, the review process begins in earnest - and that includes from our AFL.com.au experts, too.
We look at what worked, what didn't, season highlights, and what your club needs to do ahead of next season.
Check it out.
Where they finished
First (10 wins, one draw, zero losses, 315.4 per cent)
What worked
Put simply, everything. North Melbourne was impenetrable this year, resulting in the first undefeated season to end with a premiership. The balance of each line was unparalleled, combining brute force and physicality with neat skill and run, while the development of the next tier of Roos was arguably the difference in a 2023 Grand Final loss, and this year's breakthrough victory. A high, well-structured defensive unit meant they conceded just 19.2 points per game, while at the other end of the ground a devastating attack generated nearly 10 goals each week. They were the best team in the League at scoring from all three sources – stoppage, intercept, and kick-ins – while the combination of height (Kate Shierlaw, Tahlia Randall, Emma King), strength (Vikki Wall, Alice O'Loughlin) and finesse (Bella Eddey, Tess Craven) made them near-on impossible to defend.
What didn't work
Very, very little. The one blemish on the Roos' season was a week two draw with Geelong. Played in wet conditions, North Melbourne worked hard to get out to a three-goal lead at half-time, before the Cats worked their way back into the game. While North held on for the split points – thanks to a Libby Birch touch on the goal line – Geelong's 36 points was the highest score conceded for the season. That experience, however, prepared the Roos for a long stretch of games in tricky conditions, all of which they come out on top.
Season highlight
It's hard to go past the club's maiden AFLW premiership. It was almost the perfect game, to cap off an almost perfect season. The game itself was an encapsulation of the club's season. Young gun Tess Craven was a star, kicking the first goal of the game, before taking some crucial defensive marks in the back half. Unheralded defender Sarah Wright battled it out against Sophie Conway and had a career-best game. Star midfield duo Jasmine Garner and Ash Riddell took control around the contest. And captain Emma Kearney's rebounding run was simply devastating. The way the side was able to score quickly early, and hold control over the game, then defend with strength when the Lions threatened to attack, was impressive.
Targets in the player movement period/draft
The priority for North Melbourne this off-season will be finding long-term development prospects, given the strength and depth of the list across the park. With such a strong, deep draft pool this year, and other teams targeting some fringe Roos, it is likely the side will remain relatively quiet in terms of incoming players, and focus heavily on the draft on December 16.
