AFL WOMEN’S finals action is in the air and it all kicks off tonight from 7:15pm AEDT at Ikon Park in what will be the first of three post-season matches at the venue. The all-conquering North Melbourne will look to repeat the dose against the fourth placed Hawks who learnt a valuable lesson in the way of a 49-point beating just last week.

IN A NUTSHELL

Date: Friday, November 7
Venue: Ikon Park
Time: 7:15pm AEDT
Result: Winner goes to home preliminary final, loser goes to home semi-final

SEASON DETAILS

LAST TIME THEY MET

2025 | Round 12 | Hawthorn 2.6 (18) def. by North Melbourne 10.7 (67)

North Melbourne flicked a powerful switch in the final round of the AFL Women’s season, booting five goals to nil in the third term – and seven goals to one across quarters two and three – to come away with the comfortable 49-point win to make it a record-breaking 24 straight wins and relegate the brown and gold to fourth, and force a rematch.

TEAM HEAD-TO-HEAD STATS

CHANGES

North Melbourne has recalled Kate Shierlaw for the match with Ariana Hetherington the unlucky omission, while also making an Irish switch as Vikki Wall comers in for Amy Gavin Mangan. Hawthorn on the other hand has replaced the injured Elli Symonds with fellow athletic tall Jess Vukic for the big game.

KEY PLAYERS

Midfield stars Ash Riddell and Jasmine Garner are two vital players to the North gameplan out of the middle, but such is the quality of the reigning premiers that even if they can be quelled for a short period of time, others stand up. It also means if the Hawks watch them too much, then they lose out on their own drive, with Jasmine Fleming and Eliza West crucial in that way. Unfortunately an injury crisis at the Hawks means they are down one of their biggest weapons in Lucy Wales, which makes Vukic such a big inclusion.

An important inclusion to the side has been Daisy Flockart who can play both forward and around the ball, applying plenty of pressure and using her bigger frame. Potentially the biggest threat to North Melbourne grabbing a win is that of Aine McDonagh who has been sensational in 2025. Out of defence, both Jenna Richardson and Emily Everist are massive for the Hawks given they have to contain last week’s four-goal talent Tahlia Randall as well as Shierlaw. Jasmine Ferguson and Libby Birch have the same responsibility up the other end with McDonagh and Greta Bodey.

PREDICTION

The elephant in the room that everyone can see and is now being pointed out is that it is near-impossible to see how North Melbourne loses a game this season. Last week’s top of the table clash was quite literally a 49-point game, and even against in-form sides at different points with five-plus win streaks such as Carlton and St Kilda, the Roos have dismissed rather easily. North by six goals and onto another preliminary final. If the Hawks get up it would be their greatest ever win given the injury list and opponent.