GEORGIE PARKER: AFLW North Melbourne champion Jasmine Garner and Marcus Bontempelli share similar career path

She may have been robbed of the AFLW equivalent of the Brownlow Medal, but Jasmine Garner proved on Saturday why she is the best player in the league with a stand-out performance in North Melbourne’s historic grand final win.

While the Kangaroos’ defence suffocated Brisbane’s attack in the 39-9 victory, Garner was unstoppable as she racked up 35 touches to not only take home the flag alongside her teammates, but best on ground honours as well.

North’s team is littered with unassuming role players, but also has the perfect number of stars. None more so than Garner. The best way I can describe Jazzy Garner is as a female version of Marcus Bontempelli.

Countless All-Australian jumpers, yet always overlooked at the best and fairest, just like the Bont is at the Brownlow.

She is easily the most respected player in the league amongst her peers, to the point that when Garner received her first votes in last week’s AFLW best and fairest awards vote count, the entire room, every club and every player, cheered.

It took Garner five rounds to collect her first votes, which is ludicrous, and like Bontempelli, who barely received any votes in this year’s Brownlow, it begs the question whether umpires should be the ones voting.

Regardless, the best on ground in the grand final was awarded to the clear best on ground, Garner, which went alongside the medal she will treasure more anyway — the premiership medal.

I was lucky enough to play with her at Collingwood and if you’re a doubter of the AFLW, players like Garner are the ones to watch.

She is silkily smooth, by both hand and foot, and can kick goals, but still notch up 30 disposals. She can take an overhead mark yet can still play like a small forward when the ball is on the ground. She is a player every single club would want to have in their side not just because of the player she is, but the person she is.

So, while I am happy for the Kangaroos and their fans to see some success, I am absolutely thrilled for Garner and for North Melbourne who capped their fairytale season with a deserving win.

They were the first team to go through the season undefeated. Geelong did take some points away from them with a draw in round two, but the last time they lost a game was in the grand final last year against Brisbane.

The match was high quality from both sides, but North Melbourne were too good and Brisbane’s coach Craig Starcevich labelled the first half by North Melbourne as “the best footy” he has ever seen in AFLW.

He would know. He has been there since the inception, taken his side to six grand finals, two of which they have won, as well as being a premiership player himself. When you look at North Melbourne, you see an All-Australian midfield and forward line, but it was their defence which has been the unsung heroes of season 2024.

It’s pretty easy to win a game when the defence doesn’t let any goals in, and just like during the season, where they only conceded 19 points a match, North Melbourne’s defence stood strong by only allowing one first-quarter goal from the Lions.

If you didn’t watch the match and just saw the scoreline, you may think only scoring one goal meant Brisbane were very poor.

If you watched, however, you would have been witness to the perfect team defence that made it near impossible to break through for Brisbane.

Defence, when done clinically, is its own form of attack. When you have the confidence in your defensive structure to intercept and carry and play through your midfielders and wings you can create havoc.

The Kangaroos’ defenders were outstanding, and although the likes of Sarah Wright and Erika O’Shea won’t get their names in headlines, it is their contributions that allow stars like Emma Kearney to run from half-back with such freedom.

It was a terrific atmosphere at Ikon Park as more than 12,000 fans packed in to watch the sold-out finale.

The enthusiasm of the big crowd, who enjoyed North Melbourne’s first flag in more than a generation, showed that the AFLW isn’t a fad and is here to stay.