The North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos will be hunting a maiden Grand Final berth when they meet Adelaide in a preliminary final at Ikon Park on Sunday afternoon.

Fresh from their week off, the Kangas will enter the do-or-die match-up on a high following a resounding 41-point qualifying final win over the Demons, while the Crows are coming off a commanding semi-final victory over Sydney.

Everything is set up for this to be a blockbuster.

Set your matchday reminders

Sunday, November 26
North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos v Adelaide at Ikon Park, 3.05pm AEDT

So you don't miss it, or any other games this season, make sure to sync the fixture to your calendar.

The opposition

The Crows flexed their muscles in last weekend’s semi-final, triumphing convincingly over elimination-final winners Sydney by 67 points at Norwood Oval.

Anne Hatchard was unstoppable for the home side, finishing with 36 disposals, 10 marks and two goals, while midfielder Ebony Marinoff continued her impressive individual campaign by recording 26 touches and 14 tackles.

Adelaide is 1-0 at Ikon Park this season and, more notably, hasn’t fallen to North Melbourne in the past three meetings between the clubs.

The in-form Roo

Jasmine Garner

After her influence was quelled against the Demons back in Round 8, Garner wasn’t going to be shut down again in the qualifying final.

The No.25 dictated terms in midfield with and without the ball, gaining a game-high 26 disposals and 12 tackles to help lead her side to a ground-breaking win.

She received the maximum AFLCA Champion Player of the Year votes for her efforts last time out against the Crows, and will be out to have a similar impact this weekend.

Last time we met

Adelaide 6.5 (41) def. North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos 5.8 (38), Round 9, 2023

If the last clash between these two clubs is anything to go by, then expect an absolute nail-biter of a contest on Sunday.

Looking to respond to a disappointing Round 8 loss to Melbourne, the Roos headed to South Australia for another top-four test against the Crows.

A well-executed game plan had Darren Crocker’s side up on the scoreboard with time ticking away in the fourth term, but a last-gasp goal for Adelaide winger Niamh Kelly broke the visitors’ hearts.

Garner (27 disposals, two goals) and Ash Riddell (31 disposals, six clearances) were immense in midfield, as was Mia King, who tallied 26 touches and eight tackles.

Injury update

Besides Zoe Savariryan's ongoing recovery from an ACL injury, the Roos have a clean bill of health heading into selection.

Forward Ailish Considine (hamstring) and defender Cassidy Mailer (thigh) have both proven their fitness and will enter consideration.

>> VIEW THE AFLW INJURY LIST

Ticketing

Want to join the finals festivities? Grab your tickets for the game here!

Membership

The Kangaroos' journey rolls on as Darren Crocker's group continues its path towards silverware.

If you haven't already, become a 2023 AFLW North Melbourne member.

Joining up as a member will give you priority access to AFLW finals tickets!

Watch on TV or stream on your phone

Sunday's game will be broadcast live on Channel 7 and for Foxtel and Kayo Sports subscribers.

Team selection

North Melbourne will name its extended squad on Thursday at 6.20pm before revealing its final 21-player team on Friday at 5pm.

Stay connected on social media

For behind-the-scenes access and all the best highlights, photos, stats and stories, we’ve got you covered.
 
Follow the @NMFCWomens accounts on Instagram, Facebook and X to stay up to date with everything happening at the match.

Bring on the Crows!

The North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos have broken through for their maiden NAB AFLW Grand Final, clinging on tough in the final minutes to defeat Adelaide by just one point in a nail-biting preliminary final.

It was a see-sawing affair, with an outrageous screamer and goal by Anne Hatchard cutting the margin to one point with around 2.30 left on the clock, but the Roos held on for dear life in the 4.8 (32) to 4.7 (31) triumph.

North Melbourne took a three-point lead into the final break and attacked the goals for the first 10 minutes of the last quarter, kicking four straight behinds, to the agony of their raucous fans.

Roos fans had seen this film before, and they didn't like the previous viewing's ending.

But this version of North women is made of sterner stuff, locking the ball up forward for the final few minutes – Emma King even launching a torp from 50m after a vicious tackle on Sarah Allan.

North Melbourne had the better of the opening term, two of its three tall forwards in Tahlia Randall and Kate Shierlaw kicking truly after the ball spent much of the term in the Roos' half.

Jasmine Garner found a rare bit of space 20m from goal on the tightest of angles in a defensive lapse from Adelaide, booting another major to build out to a two-goal buffer.

KANGAROOS v CROWS Full match coverage and stats

Adelaide peppered for the remainder of the quarter, but were unable to work their way past the final line of the Roos' defence, with Jasmine Ferguson and Sarah Wright standing tall as the Crows went to the break with 1.5 in the books.

Ponter's second came minutes after the half-time break, cutting the margin to just three points, and her third – five minutes later – gave Adelaide the lead for the first time since the opening minute.

While in the first half North Melbourne had applied plenty of that scintillating pressure it produced in its qualifying final against Melbourne, Adelaide began to tighten the screws as the Roos faltered, unable to maintain the rage.

Ultimately, inaccuracy cost Adelaide, but it was a brave performance and another fine season from the minor premier and perennial powerhouse of the AFLW.

Stevie-Lee Thompson found a stack of footy on the wing, with 16 touches to the main break (but only one in the final term), Ebony Marinoff worked her guts out in the midfield with 12 tackles and Chelsea Biddell was composed in defence.

Barnstorming Bruton saves the day
Garner, Ash Riddell and to a lesser extent, Mia King, have won all the midfield plaudits this year, but it was the ever-unheralded Jenna Bruton who starred in the third term. The diminutive midfielder dragged North Melbourne back into the game after Adelaide had taken control, recording 13 disposals and four inside 50s for the 20-minute term, her hard work leading directly to Randall's second major.

Up next
North Melbourne will face Brisbane in the Grand Final, to be held at 2.30pm on Sunday, December 3 at Ikon Park, while it's season over for Adelaide.

NORTH MELBOURNE       2.1    3.2    4.4   4.8 (32)
ADELAIDE                        1.2    1.5    3.7   4.7 (31) 

GOALS
North Melbourne: Randall 2, Shierlaw, Garner
Adelaide: Ponter 3

BEST
North Melbourne: Bruton, Garner, Riddell, Pullar, Wright
Adelaide: Marinoff, Ponter, Thompson, Biddell, Hatchard

INJURIES
North Melbourne: Nil
Adelaide: Nil

Crowd: 5,163 at Ikon Park