AFLW grand final history beckons for North’s Birch
Roger Vaughan |
The AFLW premiership cup may as well be on another planet when Libby Birch sees it for the first time on Saturday night at Ikon Park.
She knows better than anyone that it’s after the grand final, not before, when it matters to be near the silverware.
If North Melbourne beat Brisbane, Birch will become the AFLW’s first four-time premiership player.
The defender has played in four grand finals – the Western Bulldogs’ 2018 flag, a win and a loss at Melbourne, and last year’s Kangaroos premiership.
“At this point in the week, you know that’s a possibility,” Birch told AAP on Tuesday about potentially making AFLW history.
“But it’s still so far away, and that’s the funny thing about grand final day.
“You run out (onto the ground) and you see the cup, it’s on the pedestal, and you think that you’ve worked so hard to get to this final day, yet it’s still so far away.
“It’s still four quarters of really good footy away. You can’t just turn up on grand final day and expect to win.”
Birch was lured from the Demons and she walked into Arden St the day after the Kangaroos lost the 2023 grand final to Brisbane.
Since then, the defender remarkably has not played in a losing team. The only near-blemish was last season’s round-two draw with Geelong.
The Kangaroos are on a record 26-game winning streak and will start strong favourites against their arch-rivals.
But after losing last year’s grand final to North, the Lions have reinvented their game and will not die wondering on Saturday night.
North also had a massive scare in last weekend’s preliminary final, conceding the first three goals to Melbourne before winning by 10 points.
“We’ve obviously had a really good season and we needed a team to challenge us,” Birch said of her old team.
“It’s perfect for us heading into this game. To sit with that feeling of not quite being on top of a team, like we usually are, that’s good for us … to work through.
“It’s great learning for us at this point of the season.”
Birch and fellow veteran Emma Kearney have spoken this week about how North’s team defence was found wanting against Melbourne. No doubt Brisbane took careful note.
But there is also a sense that it was exactly the test North needed. And preliminary finals are known as the hardest games to win.
It was certainly a fierce game for Birch, who clashed with former teammate Eden Zanker.
“It was entertaining, wasn’t it, a bit of theatre,” Birch said.
“Every time you play your old club, it’s very hard – you cross the white line and things happen that maybe shouldn’t happen.
“In the end, our team got it done and that’s all that matters. Credit to the Dees – they were amazing.”
For all she achieved at Melbourne, Birch is rapt she came to North.
“It feels like I’ve been here for five seasons,” she said.
“I was looking for a new challenge. I’d been at the Dees for five seasons and obviously had incredible success there.
“It’s been the best decision of my career, coming across to North Melbourne. I actually haven’t lost since being at the club.”
AAP
