North Melbourne's Grand Final Wins
North Melbourne's men's team has won 10 premierships in its history; six in the VFA (1903, 1904, 1910, 1914, 1915) and four in VFL/AFL history. It had to wait 50 years for its first VFL/AFL premiership, defeating Hawthorn in 1975 at the MCG.
It then defeated Collingwood in the 1977 Grand Final replay after the initial match ended in a draw.The two premierships in the 1990s came at the expense of Sydney (1996) and Carlton (1999).
In 2024, North Melbourne's women's team won its first AFLW premiership, avenging the previous year's Grand Final defeat against Brisbane.
1975
North Melbourne, with a second chance at Grand Final glory, made no mistake this time with a thumping 55-point win over Hawthorn – giving the Roos their first ever VFL flag. Supercoach Ron Barassi masterminded the win, with former Bomber Barry Davis captain. The club had completed a remarkable turnaround from its last-place finish just three years earlier.
North Melbourne 4.2 9.2 12.6 19.8 (122)
Hawthorn 2.2 5.6 7.7 9.13 (67)
Goals
North Melbourne: Briedis 5, Wade 4, Burns 4, Schimmelbusch 2, Blight, Kekovich, Crosswell, Feltham
Hawthorn: Martello 2, Moncrieff 2, Rowlings, K. Matthews, Trott, Meagher, Scott
Best
North Melbourne: Crosswell, Rantall, Greig, Burns, Dench, Nolan
Hawthorn: Knights, Martello, Jaworskyj, Bremner, Moore, Rowlings
Umpire: K. Smith
Attendance: 110,551 @ the MCG
NORTH MELBOURNE TEAM
B: R. Henshaw, D. Dench, F. Gumbleton
HB: B. Crosswell, M. Blight, J. Rantall
C: K. Greig, J. Burns, P. Chisnall
HF: W. Schimmelbusch, A. Briedis, S. Kekovich
F: G. Farrant, D. Wade, P. Feltham
R: M. Nolan, B. Davis (c), B. Cable
Reserves: B. Goodingham, G. Cowton
Coach: R. Barassi
1977
Not one but two classic Grand Finals. The first was drawn, with North edging its way to the front after overcoming a 27-point deficit at the last change. Then ‘Twiggy’ Dunne marked and levelled the scores with a minute to play. North was never going to lose the replay, but Phil Manassa provided the highlight with a running goal from the half-back flank that will never be forgotten.
Tied match
Collingwood 1.5 4.8 9.12 10.16 (76)
North Melbourne 4.4 4.10 4.15 9.22 (76)
Goals
North Melbourne: Baker 6, Dench 2, Sutton
Collingwood: Moore 4, Kink, 2, Dunne, Anderson, Shaw, Barham
Best
North Melbourne: Schimmelbusch, Baker, Alves, Dench, Keenan, Montgomery
Collingwood: Thompson, Magro, Ireland, Wearmouth, Picken, Moore
Umpires: I. Robinson, J. Sutcliffe
Attendance: 108,224 @ the MCG
NORTH MELBOURNE TEAM
B: R. Henshaw, D. Dench (c), F. Gumbleton
HB: G. Cowton, D. Sutton, K. Montgomery
C: S. Alves, X. Tanner, W. Schimmelbusch
HF: S. Icke, M. Blight, A. Briedis
F: B. Crosswell, P. Baker, J. Cassin
R: P. Keenan, J. Byrne, B. Cable
Reserves: S. McCann, W. Nettlefold
Coach: R. Barassi
Replay
Collingwood 3.4 8.7 12.7 19.10 (124)
North Melbourne 5.5 9.12 15.19 21.25 (151)
Goals
North Melbourne: Briedis 5, Baker 3, Blight 2, Byrne 2, Cable 2, Crosswell 2, Schimmelbusch 2, Cassin, Icke, Tanner
Collingwood: Moore 5, Manassa 3, Barham 2, Dunne 2, Gordon 2, Anderson, Kink, Ireland, Richardson, Wearmouth
Attendance: 98,366 @ the MCG
1996
The AFL’s Centenary Year was crowned by North Melbourne which made amends for the disappointment of three successive failed finals campaigns. The Roos won their third flag (and the only Gold Premiership Cup in history) despite a slow start against a side which was playing in its first Grand Final since 1945. The Sydney Swans might have been South Melbourne back then, but they added a new dimension and although overwhelmed in the finish, performed admirably. Led by the bullocking Glenn Archer and superstars Corey McKernan and Wayne Carey, the Roos were hellbent in their premiership quest.
North Melbourne 3.2 8.7 12.14 19.17 (131)
Sydney 6.2 8.5 9.7 13.10 (88)
Goals
North Melbourne: Freeborn 3, Crocker 3, A. Stevens 2, Roberts 2, C. Sholl 2, Allison 2, Rock, Fairley, Carey, Bell, Simpson
Sydney: Lockett 6, Luff 2, O’Loughlin 2, Cresswell, Mooney, Kickett
Best
North Melbourne: Archer, McKernan, Carey, A. Stevens, Schwass, Rock
Sydney: Roos, Cresswell, Stafford, Lewis, Luff, Heuskes
Umpires: G. Dore, B. Sheehan, M. Nash.
Attendance: 93,102 @ the MCG
Norm Smith Medal: Glenn Archer (NM)
NORTH MELBOURNE TEAM
B: R. Scott, M. Martyn, G. Archer
HB: W. Schwass, I. Fairley, J. Blakey
C: D. King, A. Simpson, D. Laidley
HF: G. Freeborn, W. Carey (c), B. Allison
F: C. Sholl, C. McKernan, D Crocker
R: M. Capuano, A. Rock, A. Stevens
Interchange: S. Anderson, M. Roberts, P. Bell
Coach: D. Pagan
1999
After wasting a wonderful opportunity in 1998, the Kangaroos were hellbent on not missing out again and finished too strongly for Carlton. The Blues were terrific in the second and third weeks of the finals after finishing the home and away season poorly and being destroyed by the Brisbane Lions in the qualifying final. Despite showing some early promise in the Grand Final, Carlton was no match for the powerful Roos after half-time. Peter Bell and Shannon Grant kicked four goals each and Grant won the Norm Smith Medal.
North Melbourne 3.3 9.4 15.6 19.10 (124)
Carlton 1.3 5.8 7.11 12.17 (89)
Goals
North Melbourne: Grant 4, Bell 4, McKernan 3, Abraham 2, Motlop 2, Carey 2, Sholl, Welsh
Carlton: Whitnall 2, Lappin 2, Camporeale 2, Ratten, Brown, Rice, Allan, Beaumont, Hamill
Best
North Melbourne: Grant, Bell, Martyn, McKernan, Pickett, Archer
Carlton: Silvagni, Camporeale, Ratten, Rice, Sexton, McKay
Umpires: B. Allen, S. McLaren, A. Coates
Attendance: 94,228 @ the MCG
Norm Smith Medal: Shannon Grant (NM)
NORTH MELBOURNE TEAM
B: B. Pickett, J. Blakey, M. Martyn
HB: W. Abraham, G. Archer, M. Pike
C: A. Simpson, P. Bell, S. Grant
HF: B. Allison, W. Carey (c), B. Harvey
F: C. Sholl, C. McKernan, C. Mooney
R: M. Capuano, D. King, A. Stevens
Interchange: S. Motlop, S. Clayton, J. Longmire, S. Welsh
Coach: D. Pagan
2024
After falling short in 2023's Grand Final against Brisbane, North Melbourne exacted revenge on the Lions to claim the club's maiden AFLW premiership. Under coach Darren Crocker, the Kangaroos became the first expansion club to win an AFLW flag, and the first team in VFL/AFL/AFLW history to go through a season undefeated, with a draw against Geelong in Week 2 their only blemish.
With their imposing defence, star-studded midfield and dangerous forward line, the Roos never looked like faltering under Ikon Park’s lights following a three-goal-to-one opening quarter. Alice O'Loughlin’s three goals were the most on the night, while a dominating performance from Jasmine Garner saw the onballer take home the Best on Ground medal.
North Melbourne 3.0 4.1 4.1 6.3 (39)
Brisbane 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.3 (9)
Goals
North Melbourne: O'Loughlin 3, Wall 2, Craven
Brisbane: Hampson
Best
North Melbourne: Garner, Riddell, Kearney, Craven, Wright
Brisbane: Dawes, Anderson, O'Dwyer, Dunne
Umpires: G. Simmonds, S. Whetton, M. Adams
Attendance: 12,122 @ Ikon Park
Best on Ground: Jasmine Garner (NM)
NORTH MELBOURNE TEAM
B: S. Wright, J. Ferguson
HB: L. Birch, E. Kearney (c), N. Bresnehan
C: T. Gatt, J. Garner, T. Craven
HF: V. Wall, B. Eddey, J. Bruton
F: T. Randall, K. Shierlaw
R: E. King, A. Riddell, M. King
Interchange: E. O'Shea, R. Tripodi, A. Smith, K. Rennie, A. O'Loughlin
Coach: D. Crocker
