North Melbourne is just one win away from entering football history books. With a win against the red-hot Saints, they’d equal an AFL/VFL/AFLW twenty-three game winning streak set by the Geelong Football Club, spanning over the 1952 and 1953 seasons.
The Cats won the 1952 then-VFL premiership, falling on the last day in September against Collingwood in 1953. North Melbourne won the 2024 AFLW premiership and hoping to do one better on the historical Cats, with eyes on back-to-back premierships.
It’s not just the wins, but the way in which North has found itself on the brink of history. On their current twenty-two game win streak, the Kangaroos have won by a combined 1001 points, at a whopping 45.5 point average. Only two sides have managed to get within ten points of the reigning premiers in that span, while their best day on the park was a 100-point thumping on the road against Fremantle.
Not only has North Melbourne blown Melbourne’s previous 15 game AFLW winning streak out of the water, but the ‘Roos also managed the highest score in AFLW history in Round 3 of this season.
Standing in North’s way of equalling history, are the Saints. The same Saints that are in the midst of their own six-game winning streak, including the greatest fourth-quarter comeback in AFLW history.
You’d think a team riding their own streak would be considered a chance, but with betting markets having the ‘Roos at $1.005 favourites (St Kilda at $26), “heavy favourites” doesn’t quite do them justice.
While the streak has captured headlines, the numbers behind it tell the real story. North Melbourne leads the competition in disposals, inside 50s and scoring, while its defensive record is just as imposing, conceding just 3.4 per match this season.
With stars like Jasmine Garner and Ash Riddell driving the midfield and coach Darren Crocker’s disciplined system leaving little to chance, the Kangaroos have become the AFLW’s benchmark.
A win over St Kilda on Sunday would see North equal Geelong’s 72-year-old record for consecutive victories. Another the following week, and the Kangaroos would stand alone in football history.
Photo: is available here and used under a Creative Commons licence. The image has not been modified.
