‘Best footy I’ve seen in AFLW’: Roos make it through undefeated, Birch makes history

The Roos held firm in the muggy conditions to win in front of 12,122 fans, sealing the club’s first premiership since the men’s team last won in 1999.

North players collapsed to the ground as the siren sounded, while others rushed to jump on top of their teammates in pure elation.

A triumphant Libby Birch ran along the boundary line with her third premiership cup in her hands – raising it above her head to the delight of a devoted group of North fans.

Birch etched her name in football history, becoming the first player – in either the men’s or women’s competition – to win three flags with three different clubs.

The visibly emotional Birch described the accomplishment as “absolutely surreal”.

“I just feel so privileged to be a part of tonight,” she said. “The girls are amazing and what a team effort [it was] to get that win.”

All eyes were on Roos superstar Jasmine Garner, with her dominant display – 35 touches including 22 contested possessions, to go along with 13 tackles and 459 metres gained – netting her the medal for best afield.

After missing out on the league’s best and fairest award for several years, an exceedingly humble Garner said, “Anyone could have won best on ground”.

Crocker said that only typified her nature.

“You listen to her, and you get an insight into her humility, her unflappable nature – she just gets on with it,” he said.

“She’s one of the easiest players I’ve coached, and a generational player. We’ll look back in 50 years’ time at this period of AFLW and Jas Garner will be right at the very, very top of the tree as one of the best players in the AFLW’s infancy. And she just keeps getting better. I love her as a player and I love her as a person.”

North defender Sarah Wright also had a stellar game, recording nine intercept possessions.

The 30-year-old defender was tempted to retire after North’s heartbreaking grand final defeat last year, but decided to give her premiership dream one last shot.

She rushed to embrace her teammates on field after the siren, and then ran over to high-five fans in the crowd.

Two-time Lions AFLW premiership coach Craig Starcevich – who was a premiership player with the Magpies in 1990 – reserved special praise for the Roos, who bounced back from last year’s crushing defeat to his side.

“I’m one of the coaches who has been here since [AFLW’s] inception, and what I saw in that first half was the best footy I’ve seen in AFLW,” he said.

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“We were on the receiving end, [just] trying to keep our heads above water. They were awesome, the Kangas – their pressure, their quick decisions, [and] their ball use was phenomenal.

“So it was very difficult to hang on.”

A gracious Starcevich also gave credit to Crocker, saying their biggest similarity was “we both love what we are doing.”

“The next evolution is to get the first female [premiership player and] winning coach, and I’d love that to be my friend Loz [Port Adelaide coach Lauren Arnell] because she played footy with us and has been a premiership player,” he said.

“Croc is a great guy. Our footy careers followed a very similar path, we are a similar age, and we enjoy what we are doing now, and our teams are pretty good.

“It’s been great to play against him in the last two grand finals, and what he said after the game [about us] was terrific and that’s the highlight of the night – the fact they made that acknowledgement, and we could speak equally in the same high regard for their program.”

Garner said it had taken her team “a lot of time and work” to get to where they are now.

“We’ve been competitive for a number of years, but didn’t have that polish. The club has gone to work in the trades and the draft and got some really good young girls, and hopefully this is just the start for us.”

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