NORTHING TO LOSE by Meggs

Breaking the Streak

The AFLW’s best four teams of 2025 — North Melbourne, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Carlton — are here for the preliminaries. And this one’s a blockbuster.

First versus Second.  A place in the Grand Final on the line.

North Melbourne hasn’t lost since the 2023 Grand Final — a staggering 25-game winning streak. Their average winning margin this season? 49 points. Closest challenger? Brisbane, still 29 points short. They even smashed Fremantle by 100 points in Round 3. Pure dominance.

 Melbourne enters as the underdog, but confidence is high after producing their best half of footy last week. With Eden Zanker and Maeve Chaplin set to return, and superstars Kate Hore and Tyla Hanks, the Dees have the weapons to test the Roos. Saturday isn’t just a prelim — it’s a chance to make history and break the streak.

Weather: Cloudy, 23 degrees, light breeze. Perfect conditions for skill and speed.

Match Ups

• Kate Hore v North’s Irish Wall – Expect O’Shea or Wall to go to Hore. Kate’s at the peak of her powers and her leadership and finishing will be vital.

• Tyla Hanks v the Tag – Hanksy looked gassed last week but she’s rested and primed.  She’ll need to be as will likely cop a hard tag from Amy Smith or Ruby Tripodi.

• Zanker v North’s Backline –Zanker’s return stretches North’s defence. Kearney and Ferguson are elite, but Shannon and Birch can be exposed.  Let’s face it, North’s backline has been in cruise mode all year.  They haven’t been tested like this all season.

• Midfield Battle – Garner and Riddell are the heartbeat of North. Heater has gone to both before—will Mick roll that dice again?  Fitzsimon will be important.

• Tall Targets – Emma King and Shierlaw loom large, with goal threats Alice O’Loughlin, Bella Eddey, and Irish duo Bogue and Wall buzzing around. Saraid Taylor and Tahlia Gillard take the talls; Lampard and D Taylor mind the smalls. Huge challenge for our defensive group.

 The key to victory for Melbourne will be:

• Win contested ball early — deny Riddell and Garner clean supply.

• Apply relentless forward pressure — force North’s defenders into mistakes.

• Eden Zanker’s impact — stretch their defensive structures and create scoring chances.

• Keep ball movement fast — avoid stoppage grind where North dominates.

• Team defence — limit their tall targets

 The Dees have certainly evolved since their 2024 Round 3 trouncing at Casey. The recent tough run of games has provided the team with precise knowledge about what is required to win.  

The battle of wits in the coach’s boxes between Mick Stinear and Darren Crocker will be fascinating.  

Selection This Week

No new injuries from last week, so the full 21 plus squad options are available: Zanker, Colvin, Rigoni, Beasley, Pisano, Dethridge, Johnson, Chaplin (fingers crossed).

• Ins: Zanker, almost certainly. Chaplin in, if fit, Ebert out.

• If Zanker comes in, Meggs thinks for team balance a tall should go out—Gall, Campbell, or maybe Bannan (goalless in 6 of last 10 but offers speed). Big call.

• North will test Mia King’s knee; Eilish Sheerin possible return.  

Meggs’ musings

Northing to lose, right? The bookies have Melbourne at $9.50, North $1.05. Nobody expects us to win.

But pressure builds — even on the unbeaten. We have the weapons and confidence from last week. Once they’ve been poisoned by Demon doubt, anything can happen.

Bring the pressure, bring the Demon dare, don’t be too friendly to Libby, and bring the noise #DeeArmy.

Don’t let this be our last week — make it ours.

Tip: Melbourne by 2 points in a boilover. Heart over head.

Meggs will be there — see you cheering on the Mighty Dees to a momentous win.

THE GAME

Preliminary Final: Melbourne v North Melbourne

Saturday 22 November 2025 at 3:05pm (AEDT) at IKON Stadium, Melbourne | Wurundjeri

HEAD TO HEAD

Overall: Melbourne 6 wins | North Melbourne 3 wins

At Princes Park: Melbourne 2 wins | North Melbourne 1 win (all finals matches)

Coaches: Stinear 5 wins | Crocker 2 wins

MEDIA COVERAGE

Seven, 7 Plus, Foxtel, Kayo, Binge AFL Live Official Listen App

THE LAST TIME THEY MET

Season 9, Round 3 – 15 September 2024 at Casey Fields

MELBOURNE 2.1.13  2.1.13 2.2.14 3.3.21

NORTH MELBOURNE 2.1.13 6.1.37 8.2.50 11.5.71

GOALS

MELBOURNE Beasley, Fitzsimon, McNamara

NORTH MELBOURNE Shierlaw 5 Bruton, O'Loughlin, Riddell 2

BEST

MELBOURNE Paxman, Mithen, Goldrick, Fitzsimon

NORTH MELBOURNE Riddell, Shierlaw, M.King, Garner, E.King, Kearney 

CROWD 2,023 at Casey Fields

The Kangaroos dominated contested ball and clearances, forcing turnovers that led to a record 71-point score against the Demons.

The 50-point defeat was Melbourne’s fifth in six games, casting doubt on their status among the AFLW elite and Mick Stinear’s ability to revive the season.

North’s midfield trio of Riddell, Garner, and Kearney were outstanding, while Kate Shierlaw booted five goals and Mia King laid 12 tackles. Emma King dominated the ruck with 31 hit-outs.

For Melbourne, Paxy Paxman playing her 75th AFLW game was best afield in defence, supported by Eliza McNamara’s 21 disposals and 10 tackles, plus a goal. Kate Hore, Blaithin Mackin and Sinead Goldrick stood out, but constant pressure led to costly errors and missed opportunities.

The challenge was clear: bounce back and prove we belong among the elite.

THIS WEEK’S TEAMS

MELBOURNE

B T. Gillard, S. Taylor

HB L. Ebert, S. Lampard, S. Goldrick

C P. Paxman, T. Hanks, E. McNamara

HF T. Harris, M. Fitzsimon, A. Bannan

F R. Wotherspoon E. Zanker

FOLL L. Pearce, S. Heath, K. Hore

I/C G. Campbell, M. Chaplin, B. Mackin, M. Mahony, M. O’Hehir

EMG G. Gall, L. Johnson, D. Taylor

IN M. Chaplin, E. Zanker

OUT G. Gall (omitted), D. Taylor (omitted)

NORTH MELBOURNE

B L. Birch, J. Ferguson

HB E. Kearney, E. Shannon, E. O'Shea

C A. Smith, R. Tripodi, T. Gatt

HF A. O'Loughlin, B. Bogue, J. Bruton

F T. Randall, E. King

FOLL K. Rennie, A. Riddell, J. Garner

I/C T. Craven, B. Eddey, E. Sheerin, K. Shierlaw, V. Wall

EMG T. Boyd, A. Gavin Mangan, A. Hetherington

IN E. Sheerin

OUT T. Boyd (omitted)

Injury List: Preliminary Final

Melbourne

Eden Zanker — concussion / Test

Maeve Chaplin — hamstring /  TBC

Olivia Purcell — knee / Season

Jacinta Hose — knee / Inactive

Aimee Mackin — knee / Inactive

North Melbourne

Nicole Bresnehan — knee / Season

Mia King — knee / Season

Sarah Wright — personal / TBC