BEST of three?

Amid a season of uncertainty, of upsets and teams rising and falling, once again, North Melbourne and Brisbane have emerged as the premier sides of the NAB AFLW competition.

Saturday night will mark the decider, with the two having one win apiece from the past two Grand Finals they've played against each other.

This time, maybe Brisbane really is the underdog.

It's a long-running, affectionate eye roll among the AFLW industry that the Lions constantly declare themselves the outsiders, the also-rans, the forgotten and disrespected, when in reality, they've qualified for their seventh Grand Final in 10 efforts.

It works – they enjoy playing with a chip on their shoulder, and there's no doubting it gets results. It also had its foundation in truth, with few having believed in Brisbane ahead of the introduction of the AFLW, unaware of or dismissing the surprisingly strong non-traditional football state.

North Melbourne awaits, last year's premier currently on a scarcely believable 26-game winning streak. The longest club song in football has the longest victory run to go with it.

No AFLW side has gone back-to-back. No club has held both men's and women's trophies within a calendar year.

We know how some of Saturday night's blockbuster will play out.

Emma Kearney will get under someone's skin, probably Dakota Davidson, and draw a free kick with a shoulder shrug.

'Daks' herself will try to rile Kearney up in return, or maybe turn her attention to Libby Birch.

Courtney Hodder will bob and weave and chase and hassle and generally try to ensure North Melbourne players and fans alike have their hearts in their mouths when she's in the vicinity of the ball.

Vikki Wall will burst through an array of players and bomb the ball 50m, breaking the game right open.

Shannon Campbell will defend with such ferocity, she'll come within centimetres of colliding with a goalpost.

Belle Dawes will widen her eyes, pump her arms, slap her chest, yell something unintelligible and charge through a pack of players double her size, emerging with the footy.

Jasmine Garner will have big, game-turning moments – a mark, a glide, a snap – and time will stop for a moment as she seizes control.

Ash Riddell will run her heart out, stop, rest, and go again. And again. And again.

Bre Koenen will play across multiple lines, filling gaps and adding stability and calmness wherever she goes.

Tahlia Randall will crash a pack, Charlie Mullins will alternate between pestering and poise, Taylor Smith's arms will reach above everyone, Tess Craven will switch across the field with a bullet and Erika O'Shea and Orla O'Dwyer will burn up the grass with their express pace.

But we don't know the order, the importance of the moments, or their influence.

In a predictable top two, we still don't know just how the phrases will connect, who will seize the baton and conduct the orchestra playing out below us, and who will finish with a flourish.

There is still mystery and excitement and possibilities.

Best of three?