Is this a new era?

Something in the air during today’s win by North Melbourne over the two-time and reigning champs seemed to signify a changing of the guard.  

Sure, there are a bunch of caveats – most of them injury-related – but for the league’s long-term high-water mark to go out not with a bang but a whimper should do plenty to turn the few heads that remain fixated on the past.

Eb Marinoff was again best afield for the South Australian side alongside Anne Hatchard, but both were relegated to almost coalface triers when compared to their opposite numbers.

Last year the gap between the queens of the league and the new kids on the block was summed up by Adelaide’s six-goal demolition of North Melbourne away, a result that set in motion the narrative of the flat-track Roos.

This season that gap has not only closed, but a chasm has opened up in the other direction. While still respectful of the competition, North Melbourne fears no opponent and nor should they.

Stars fire again, but support acts smoulder away

A triumvirate of tenacity and technique, Kearney, Garner and Riddell have dominated proceedings in a way that no other ball-winning unit has in 2020.

Their efforts at North Hobart Oval didn’t deviate from the script either, but it would be remiss to neglect some of the other key performers – especially those who have put their hand up on multiple occasions this season.

Jenna Bruton played lieutenant to Kearney’s general at times in the opening half, but as the game wore on, she increasingly imposed herself on contests and used her trademark speed and quick disposal abilities to nullify any semblance of complacency as the margin sat in the zone of “comfortable”.

Ellie Gavalas popped up like a whack-a-mole at the arcade, helping out around the ground with some deft touch and plenty of tackles. We’re used to seeing first-year players take on the game in the AFLW and Gavalas has a couple of years on most high profile draftees, but North have picked up an absolute gem in the Tassie-local code-swapper.

Kaitlyn Ashmore knows how to run, turn that foot-speed into prime real estate and kick accurately. Sporting the long sleeves like her former team-mates at the Brisbane Lions Kate McCarthy and Jess Wuetschner, Ashmore has been very good for a long time – but perhaps not in receipt of the same kudos as the others.

That ought to change – her four goal, four mark, four tackle and 11 touch game was top shelf and it also rocketed her to the top of the goal-kicking tally.

As much as the Kangaroos have their outstanding headliners to thank for the season to date, make no mistake it is the women next off the rank who galvanise this side.

Mia King homecoming the cherry on top in the Apple Isle

Ellie Gavalas was the pick of the players from our southernmost state, but she was just one of a handful of Tasmanians who took the field.

With a skirmish in play at the AFL’s men’s level surrounding the merits of Tasmanian footy and the prospect of a side playing out of Launceston and/or Hobart in the decade ahead, seeing the highly regarded teenager King ply her talents in her home state and acquit herself well couldn’t help but give a boost to Tassie footy.

While she only managed six possessions, a couple of times she showed her mettle in taking on bigger and more experienced players from the Crows – something avid observers had predicted she had the capacity to do in her debut season.

There is a long legacy of fine footballers from the state; Mia looks like she could be the latest – and arguably one of the most important – in the years ahead.