IN a new approach to the AFL Women’s end of season reviews, Rookie Me Central casts both a glass half full and half empty lens over each side’s campaigns.

Today’s team is North Melbourne, who had their best ever result in a season, knocked out in the Preliminary Final.

GLASS HALF FULL

Best ever result for a season

This season saw North Melbourne go further in a season then they ever have before, making it all the way to a Preliminary Final before losing to eventual premiers Melbourne.

Although the team will be frustrated they fell so close to making their inaugural decider, to get as far as they did is still a huge achievement.

The Irish pair

This season saw North Melbourne have Irish players on their list, and they did not just have one, they had two.

Both Vikki Wall and Erika O’Shea came in and made an impact straight away, debuting in Round 1 and having an influence from the get go.

Wall ended up playing every game this season, while a very unfortunate eye injury kept O’Shea from doing the same.

All Australian captain Jas Garner

One Roo that had a particularly strong season was Jasmine Garner.

Transitioning into more of a permanent midfield role, she proved to be quite the headache for opponents on a number of occasions.

She was justly rewarded with another All Australian nod, and was also rewarded with captaincy of that team.

Blooding so many debutants

After losing a far bit of experience after Season 6, Season 7 saw the Kangaroos blood a whopping eight debutants.

Alongside Wall and O’Shea, Charli Granville, Sophia McCarthy, Taylah Gatt, Ella Maurer and Zoe Savarirayan all made their debuts in Season 7, and although they did not all play every game and had wildly different impacts, the experience and head start on their development will pay off in the long run.

GLASS HALF EMPTY

They should be going further with the talent they have

Making a Prelim Final this year is a huge achievement, but the fact that this was the first year they have managed to do it with a list as talented as theirs is concerning.

With the likes of Garner, Ash Riddell, Emma Kearney, Emma King and Jenna Bruton on their list, this should be the bare minimum that North reaches every season.

Close losses come back to haunt them?

North Melbourne suffered only three losses this year, but in a short and tight season that’s quite a number.

However, two of those losses were around a goal or less, and the third was 14 points after North made a good start, so did those losses haunt them when it came to finals and they finished eighth and had to go the long way to get as far as they did?

CONCLUSION

Overall, Season 7 was a pretty successful one for the Kangaroos.

They made the finals again, and despite finishing in eighth defied the odds to make it all the way to a Preliminary Final.

But they certainly will not be satisfied with that, and will be keen to go all the way in 2023.