The ink should be drying on the North Melbourne gamers’ premiership tattoos, however the membership just isn’t resting on its laurels after claiming its first AFLW flag final month.
The Kangaroos pulled off the most important coup of the commerce interval in its ultimate 24 hours, including Richmond star defender Eilish Sheerin in trade for decide No.18 in subsequent week’s draft.
Additionally they added 25-year-old Ariana Hetherington from Fremantle as one other tall and ruck or key ahead possibility.
Eilish Sheerin will add stress and power to North Melbourne’s midfield. (Quinn Rooney/Getty Photographs)
This rightly aroused some fear in opposition golf equipment and their followers.
The very last thing anybody would need bolstering the Kangaroos after an undefeated and dominant season was a confirmed versatile and dependable participant with star energy in Sheerin.
After being held to only one aim within the grand ultimate, Brisbane coach Craig Starcevich conceded they have been “pressured into submission” by North Melbourne.
Throughout the season, the Kangaroos led the sort out depend with a median of 80.2 and within the decider, had 14 completely different gamers lay at the very least one 1 / 4.
Sheerin is simply going to make these numbers go up.
Whereas she earned back-to-back All Australian honours as a defender, this 12 months she moved up the bottom as a high-pressured midfielder. She averaged 7.4 tackles a sport and was ready to make use of her power and athleticism to burst away from stoppages.
Sheerin will seemingly be a useful addition to the Roos’ midfield — significantly as veteran participant Jenna Bruton was on managed video games in direction of the again finish of the season — however will extra importantly give Darren Crocker additional choices to maneuver round magnets.
For a hypothetical, let’s put her again in defence.
North Melbourne’s well-layered and structurally sound defence was a key element of their premiership 12 months.
Opposition sides struggled to discover a manner by way of skipper Emma Kearney, Erika O’Shea and Nicole Bresnehan patrolling half again. And in the event that they did, Jasmine Ferguson, Sarah Wright and Libby Birch have been there ready because the deepest trio.
Within the grand ultimate, the Kangaroos’ defence held Brisbane, a two-time premiership aspect and the then-reigning premiers, to simply 9 factors.
Bella Eddey, Alice O’Loughlin, Jenna Bruton and Kate Shierlaw rejoice throughout the 2024 grand ultimate. (Getty Photographs: Michael Willson)
Regardless of having the season’s equal main goalscorer in Taylor Smith and scoring spearhead Dakota Davidson, Brisbane managed simply three pictures all sport from their 20 inside 50s. Smith and Davidson solely touched the ball twice every.
It was the fourth time in 9 seasons the Lions had been restricted to only one aim.
Sheerin might present depth to their layered system down again, even in spots right here and there to regulate inside video games. This might significantly be useful if a participant goes down, resembling Kearney did this 12 months with a hamstring damage.
Both manner, her addition makes the strongest aspect within the competitors even stronger.
Different key trades
In different commerce information, after trying initially more likely to be the story of the week, Melbourne’s Tayla Harris is staying put after the Demons and Hawthorn have been unable to finalise a deal. That is until the marking star delists herself and nominates for the draft.
Hawks followers might have used some excellent news after many have been left displeased in shedding rising high quality midfielder Mattea Breed to Collingwood. Hawthorn gave her up alongside decide No.26 in trade for picks No.22 and No.28 on this 12 months’s draft.
It might show an vital pick-up for the Magpies, who completed backside of the ladder after simply the one win.
One other aspect with important additions is St Kilda, after including youth in 20-year-old Charlotte Baskaran from Hawthorn and 19-year-old Amber Clarke from Essendon, together with the expertise of inaugural GWS participant Nicola Barr.
