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Roos thrash Suns to claim AFLW minor premiership

3 minute read

North Melbourne will enter the AFLW finals high on confidence after Alice O'Laughlin's career-high four goals lead her side to a 63-point win over Gold Coast.

North Melbourne have become the AFLW's first undefeated minor premiers since Brisbane in 2017 after thrashing Gold Coast by 63 points at Arden Street.

Kangaroos forward Alice O'Loughlin kicked a career-high four goals in Sunday's dominant 11.12 (78) to 2.3 (15) win.

The result means North Melbourne, with 10 wins and a draw to their name, join the 2017 Brisbane outfit (six wins, one draw) as the only AFLW teams to have claimed a minor premiership undefeated.

Fremantle were 6-0 in 2020 before the season was abandoned due to COVID-19.

North Melbourne's only 'slip-up' this season was the round-two draw with Geelong.

But North Melbourne's season-ending percentage of 315.4 showcased just how dominant they've been, no doubt fuelled by last year's grand final loss to Brisbane.

O'Loughlin was the star player on Saturday, kicking 4.0 from 14 disposals.

"I didn't even know I had that many," O'Loughlin told Fox Sports.

"We've got some good form heading into finals, which we're stoked about.

"All of this season we've been practising, been treating every game like it's finals.

"We're ready for it, we're excited for it. This is why we play footy."

The inside 50m count read 29-6 in favour of North Melbourne at half-time, with the Kangaroos entering the main break with a 39-12 lead.

Gold Coast kicked the first goal of the match when Ella Smith won a holding-the-ball free kick.

It would be the Suns' only possession inside forward 50m for the term as North Melbourne dominated field position.

Three goals in the space of five minutes to finish the term gave North Melbourne a 16-point lead.

Elise Barwick pegged one back from Gold Coast early in the second quarter when she intercepted a handball and raced into the open goal.

It was Gold Coast's last goal of the match, with North piling on the next eight.

Second-term goals to Jasmine Garner and O'Loughlin gave North Melbourne all the momentum at half-time.

Kate Shierlaw also kicked a ripper goal in the second term - a 47m snap - but the goal umpire deemed it was touched on the line despite even Gold Coast's players thinking it was a goal.

O'Loughlin kicked two goals in the third term as North Melbourne continued to pile on the pain, putting the result beyond doubt.

Ash Riddell finished with 32 disposals and 426m gained for North Melbourne, and she received excellent help from Mia King (25 disposals).

For Gold Coast, Charlie Rowbottom (27 disposals, seven clearances) and Claudia Whitfort (25 disposals, six clearances) led the way. 

Gold Coast's Niamh McLaughlin endured a tough game, injuring her left shoulder in a third-quarter marking contest before suffering a game-ending ankle complaint in the last term. 

North Melbourne's Sarah Wright came off late with what appeared to be a corked leg.