By Jon Pierik and Roy Ward
LDU puts contract talks on hold for now
Jon Pierik
North Melbourne star Luke Davies-Uniacke wants to see on-field improvement under coach Alastair Clarkson, and will wait until the new year before discussing a contract extension with the club.
Davies-Uniacke, 25, shapes as one of the hottest prospective restricted free agents next year, and has indicated he wants to remain at Arden Street.
Blue-chip star: North Melbourne can expect rival offers for Luke Davies-Uniacke.Credit: AFL Photos
While the Kangaroos are keen to broker a new deal, Davies-Uniacke’s manager, Robbie D’Orazio of Connors Sports Management, said discussions were temporarily on hold.
“Luke loves the North Melbourne footy club, especially his teammates. He wants nothing more than to see improvement in 2025 and, of course, winning games is a big part of that,” D’Orazio told this masthead.
“There is no timeline on his contract. It’s something we will look at in the new season.”
A Kangaroos spokesman said the club was comfortable with Davies-Uniacke’s decision.
“There is no timeframe on it from our perspective. We’re really comfortable with that approach,” he said.
Should Davies-Uniacke explore free agency, the robust midfielder would be one of the most coveted signings by rival clubs next season.
Davies-Uniacke claimed his maiden Syd Barker Medal in September, having enjoyed a dominant year when he played in every game for the first time in his seven seasons at the club, averaging 27.7 disposals and 6.3 clearances per game, and shone against several finals-bound opponents.
However, Davies-Uniacke craves on-field success, the Kangaroos having finished no higher than ninth – that being in his rookie season in Brad Scott’s final full season in charge – since he was taken with the fourth-overall selection in the 2017 national draft. The Kangaroos won only three games in 2024, finishing second last.
Despite the club’s on-field battles, Davies-Uniacke polled 18 Brownlow votes this season, having had 27 career votes before this year’s count – highlighting that he catches the eye of umpires for his bullish work and skills with ball in hand.
He is a cornerstone of what the Kangaroos hope will be their next premiership side, given they now boast a deep midfield that includes young stars George Wardlaw and Harry Sheezel, co-captain Jy Simpkin, and veteran ex-Swan Luke Parker.
They have added to their fleet of runners by taking the versatile Finn O’Sullivan from the Oakleigh Chargers with the No.2 pick in the national draft, adding to fellow top-10 picks Colby McKercher, Zane Duursma, Wardlaw and Sheezel taken in the past two years.
Midfield gun: Harry Sheezel (picured) and Davies-Uniacke are two men the Kangaroos hope to build a premiership side around.Credit: AFL Photos
The Kangaroos also made a surprise decision to trade next year’s first-round pick to Richmond in exchange for the final pick of this year’s first round, a selection they used to snare versatile tall Matt Whitlock to bolster their key position stocks. As part of this deal, they also received the Tigers’ future second-round pick.
In a busy off-season, the Kangaroos also signed veteran West Coast premiership forward Jack Darling through the trade period to provide marking support for key forward Nick Larkey, while former Western Bulldog Caleb Daniel will provide dash and creativity from half-back.
Kangaroos recruiting boss Will Thursfield said his club understood its improvement needed to show on-field in the win/loss column.
“We’ve got enough kids in now, and we’ve hit the trade period and got some mature boys in, so it’s time to get moving,” Thursfield said.
“You’d hope we’d improve quite a bit, given the cattle we’ve brought in and [with] another year in these young kids, but it’s hard to say. At the end of the day, we’ve got to back ourselves in a bit.”
Swingman Charlie Comben is on the mend from post-season shoulder surgery, while the Kangaroos hope speedy forward Brayden George can still have an impact after he ruptured his ACL for the second time in June.
He had missed the entire 2023 campaign, having initially hurt himself not long after being taken with pick No.26 in the 2022 national draft. He is yet to make his senior debut but the Kangaroos awarded him a two-year contract extension in July.
Ruthless Roos storm into grand final
Roy Ward
North Melbourne 12.6 (78) d Port Adelaide 2.9 (21)
North Melbourne will take an unbeaten record this season into the grand final, but the Kangaroos don’t believe their favouritism will hinder them as they chase their first AFLW flag .
The Roos booked their place in the grand final at Ikon Park on November 30 with a commanding showing against Port Adelaide in sweltering conditions on Saturday, pouncing on the Power from the opening bounce, kicking four goals in the first eight minutes, taking a 50-point lead into half-time, and going on to win by 57 points.
Jasmine Garner again starred for North Melbourne.Credit: AFL Photos
Roos superstar Jasmine Garner was at her untouchable best, finding the footy in all parts of the ground, recording 25 disposals and kicking the opening goal, while her side also defended ruthlessly and punished the Power at the other end – keeping the visitors goalless across the first three quarters.
Power star Gemma Houghton snapped a goal in the last term to avoid her side becoming the first team to go goalless in a final, and that also took them past the lowest score in AFLW finals history.
Garner lapped up the adulation of more than 4000 Roos fans post-game. She’s certain her team will rise to the occasion after the bitter disappointment of last year’s grand final loss to the Lions.
North Melbourne will take on the Brisbane Lions in the AFLW grand final at Ikon Park next Saturday from 7.45pm AEDT.
“It’s awesome,” Garner said of the excitement of the preliminary-final win.
“[It’s] a bit of a different feeling this year, we could enjoy it a little bit more in that last quarter.
“But [there’s] one more to go – [the] job’s not done yet.”
While some teams struggle with the burden of favouritism or a long undefeated streak, Roos coach Darren Crocker said his group was ready to take this year’s flag.
“The lessons learnt from last year will hold us in good stead,” Crocker said.
“[With] the season that we’ve had, [and] the growth in the group, I just feel we are better placed this year, a better team both physically – as we are hardened – and mentally the players are in a really good headspace to go into our last game of the season, and we will look forward to the opportunity that it presents.”
Power coach Lauren Arnell was proud of her team’s season, but she wants her group to embrace the challenge of making up the gap between them and clubs like North Melbourne.
“We have a really clear understanding of where the gap is now,” Arnell said.
Roos skipper Emma Kearney was all smiles after the preliminary final win.Credit: AFL Photos
“We don’t want to be a side who just plays in prelims – we want to push for future success and I think this is the perfect scenario for us after three seasons.”
Arnell added that it was clear to see the Roos had taken previous disappointments and used them to improve .
“That cohesiveness as a team – that takes time,” Arnell said.
“What I did say to our group is that North have lost a semi, lost a prelim and lost a grand final. We’ve just played in our first finals series, so the attitude check for us will be important but the attitude of the group this season has been exceptional and allowed us to get to this point.”
Vikki Wall kicked three goals for the Roos who had winners in all parts of the ground.
North will host the AFLW grand final at Ikon Park next Saturday, likely at 7.45pm AEDT.
The Roos fell short in last year’s grand final but that only seems to have spurred them on this year in a show of utter dominance, which continued on Saturday as they stood tall in defence, were connected through the midfield, and showed real precision with their foot skills forward of centre.
Star skipper Emma Kearney made a successful return from a hamstring injury, playing limited minutes but performing well before being withdrawn from the game early in the last term as a precaution.
Crocker said Kearney would be able to play her full load of minutes in the grand final.
A crowd of 4387 attended the match despite the extreme heat, which passed 36 degrees in the city.
The Roos will next Saturday face the winner of the Brisbane Lions v Adelaide preliminary final.
Lions mow down Crows, storm back to AFLW grand final
Steve Barrett
Brisbane Lions 7.8 (50) d Adelaide 4.8 (32)
Reigning premiers the Brisbane Lions have advanced to a record-extending sixth AFLW grand final after absorbing an early buffeting to beat Adelaide by 18 points at Brighton Homes Arena on Saturday night.
Dakota Davidson and her teammates are heading back to the grand final.Credit: AFL Photos
The Lions were dictated to in the first half before turning the tables after the long break, booting five goals in a row to prevail 7.8 (50) to 4.8 (32).
Orla O’Dwyer and Ally Anderson had 24 disposals apiece for the Lions, while powerhouse spearhead Dakota Davidson kicked 2.3 from her 14 touches.
Brisbane will take on North Melbourne in next Saturday night’s decider in a rematch of the 2023 grand final, which the Lions won by 17 points.
Usual suspects Ebony Marinoff (30 disposals), Anne Hatchard (25) and Chelsea Randall (18 touches, two goals) were prolific for the Crows, who were fast out of the blocks.
AAP
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