ANOTHER season of the AFL Women’s competition is in the books, and with just four days between the grand final and the start of the Trade Period, we will quickly recap how each of the sides performed throughout the season. In the second of three articles, we review the middle six sides, what went right, what went wrong and where they can go from here.

PORT ADELAIDE

Finished: 7th
Won: 7
Lost: 4

Port Adelaide was the side brimming with talent that was always just a ‘when?’ rather than ‘if?’ in the AFL Women’s competition. After stockpiling youth last season with a mix of pre-selections and draft picks, the Power started to get bang for its buck in terms of wins and competition points. A competitive loss to Adelaide in Week 1 showed improvement, and while three consecutive losses between Weeks 3-5 to leave the Power at 1-4 to start the season looked grim, that would soon change.

A 35-point victory over Carlton started the Power’s run, with victories over West Coast and Gold Coast on the road, and then Collingwood, St Kilda and GWS all at home set them up for their maiden finals series. Most importantly, despite coming into the elimination final against Richmond as favourites, the first-time finalist was not overawed and got the job done, winning by four goals. An upset over Hawthorn by just a solitary point a week later really indicated the side was serious, and though blown away by North Melbourne, had come a long way in the last 12 months.

The youth combination of ruck Matilda Scholz, along with fellow teenagers Shineah Goody, Molly Brooksby and Piper Window all lead the charge, while Gemma Houghton and Julia Teakle provided a couple of key targets up forward among four players with nine or more goals. Given the Power still have young star Lauren Young to unleash, the team is scary good.

FREMANTLE

Finished: 5th (lost semi-final)
Won: 8
Lost: 3

Considering the Dockers lost Kiara Bowers prior to the season and dominant key forward Aine Tighe only managed the four games, the fact they made it to the second week of finals is a credit to the playing group and coaching staff. One gets the feeling that with a full and fit list, the Purple Army could do some serious damage in November. Even as is, they went 9-4 for the year including finals, only being halted by an impressive Adelaide outfit.

The Dockers started the season strongly with five wins in six matches, with a 33-point goalless defeat at the hands of the Crows in Week 2 the only blemish. A slight wobble mid-season with defeats at home to Hawthorn and Carlton threatened to see the Dockers slip away, but the West Australian side steadied with a victory in the Derby and then triumphs over bottom six sides, GWS and the Western Bulldogs.

Aisling McCarthy‘s inclusion to fill the shoes of Bowers was sensational, while fellow fresh face Gabrielle Newton also starred in her new colours. Without Tighe there was no individual standout goalkicker, but the Dockers found a way, with nine players kicking three goals or more – including Tighe – and 18 hitting the scoreboard at some point during the year.

ADELAIDE

Finished: 4th (lost preliminary final)
Won: 8
Lost: 3

There was a lot of anticipation coming into the new season for the Crows, and they showed early they would be around the mark yet again, knocking over their first four opponents before falling short of Brisbane by two points. It was their first of three straight games decided by less than a kick, defeating St Kilda then losing to Melbourne.

Massive wins over battlers GWS and Collingwood followed, before another couple of tight contests in the final fortnight with an eight point loss at the hands of North Melbourne, followed by a four-point win over Geelong to secure a top four spot. By the end of the season, the Crows’ heaviest loss was to Brisbane in the preliminary final – 18 points – with each of the other three being single digits.

Ebony Marinoff finally earned her plaudits with the league best and fairest, while partner-in-crime Anne Hatchard starred again and Chelsea Randall was sublime all season. Three players booted 10 or more goals for the year with Randall (10) assisting forwards Caitlin Gould (20) and Danielle Ponter (16).

BRISBANE

Finished: 3rd (lost grand final)
Won: 9
Lost: 2

The reigning premiers were always going to be thereabouts, and while going down to the unbeaten North, remained a side to be feared throughout the year. Brisbane lost to North in the opening game of the year by 44 points which brought about a few questions, but a win over Melbourne the following round had the Lions back on track. Thrashings of 45-point plus over Collingwood, Western Bulldogs and West Coast came next before a well-earned two-point victory over rivals Adelaide.

Only a 10-point defeat at the hands of Geelong in Week 8 stopped it being a memorable run home, with victories over Carlton, Gold Coast, Sydney and St Kilda to finish third overall. The Lions’ experience proved the difference against an inaccurate Hawthorn to get up by six points in the first final before seeing off the Crows, but ultimately being unable to compete with the Kangaroos for the full four quarters.

Yet again Ally Anderson took her game to another level, while the Queensland pathway continued to bear fruits with consistency of Isabel Dawes, Sophie Conway, Jade Ellenger and Natalie Grider all impressing. Key forward Taylor Smith had a career-best year of 22 goals to take out the goalkicking award, while Dakota Davidson finished with 14 majors.

HAWTHORN

Finished: 2nd (lost semi-final)
Won: 10
Lost: 1

Given it was the Hawks’ third season, a semi-final finish would have been taken in a heartbeat by those in the brown and gold. While no doubt there was plenty of ‘what ifs?’ about the end to the season – most commonly surrounding the goalkicking in finals – Hawthorn will assess the year as a massive success with Daniel Webster following on from the foundations built by Bec Goddard.

Incredibly the Hawks only lost one regular season game – to Adelaide in Week 3 by 26 points – as they went on to have 10 wins, of which five were by five goals or more, so the brown and gold were convincingly beaten their opponents. The six-point loss to Brisbane and one-point defeat to Port Adelaide in the finals will leave a little sour taste in the mouth, but will only make the playing group stronger and hungrier to go even further in 2025.

The inclusion of Eliza West proved a masterstroke for the Hawks, as the former Dee dominated throughout the year, slotting into the midfield and making those around her better. She, Emily Bates and Mattea Breed all averaged more than four clearances per game, while the luck of the Irish up forward saw Aine McDonagh and Aileen Gilroy boot 30 goals between them in 2024.

NORTH MELBOURNE

Finished: 1st (premiers)
Won: 10
Drew: 1
Lost: 0

It was the redemption story that lived out in real time, with North Melbourne completing the best AFL Women’s season on record. Aside from a Week 2 draw to Geelong, no side could get past the royal blue and white stripes with North showing it meant business following a 50-point thrashing of fellow successful side Melbourne in Week 3. Six wins of 50-plus points throughout the course of the year was sensational, but the Roos had to back it up in finals.

Back it up they did. While it was always going to be a step up against the Crows, the Roos saw them off by seven points in week one, then obliterated a comparably inexperienced Port by 57 points to book a second straight grand final against the Lions. Bringing the heat from the opening bounce, North Melbourne strangled the life out of the Sunshine State side and came away with the unforgettable 30-point premiership victory.

Once again the damaging duo of Ash Riddell and Jasmine Garner were outstanding, the latter of which earned the All-Australian captaincy. Defender Jasmine Ferguson was one of a number of players to take her game to another level with Ruby Tripodi and Tess Craven both fantastic, and the likes of Alice O’Loughlin and Vikki Wall among six players with double-figure goals alongside Garner, Kate Shierlaw, Tahlia Randall and Bella Eddey.