Coming into the 2022 season, the North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos' midfield was, rightly, perceived as its strongest line.
With the likes of established stars like Jas Garner and Ash Riddell attending stoppages, and future prospects Bella Eddey and Amy Smith lighting up the wings, the quality and depth North possessed in the middle of the ground was crucial in its charge towards a finals place.
With the Kangaroos’ AFLW season now finished, North Media looks at every player on the list and how they performed this season - this is the midfield's season in review.
3 - Bella Eddey
Bella Eddey’s 2022 season is the perfect example of what can happen when a player is afforded opportunity to develop in their first season before making a huge impact in their second.
Moving into a more wing-heavy role in 2022, there was a marked improvement on Eddey’s output from her debut campaign.
A strong runner who possesses X-factor when moving the ball forward the most impressive part of Eddey’s development across this season past was her ability to impact the defensive side of the game, with her uncanny ability to know whether to attack the contest or sag off and cut out the next pass improving as the year progressed.
She earned a NAB AFLW Rising Star nomination for her performance in Round 7 for a 16-disposal, four-mark, three-clearance masterclass against the Magpies.
Season stats:
9.7 disposals (83.2 per cent disposals efficiency, 3.2 contested), 1.3 clearances, 2.5 marks, 1.5 tackles, 1.9 intercepts per game. 1 goal.
5 - Tess Craven
North Melbourne’s highest draft pick in the 2021 NAB AFLW Draft, Tess Craven is a young player who absolutely oozes class and composure.
Her pre-season was interrupted by a foot injury, but she showed enough quality to earn a place in the Round 1 side to face Geelong, however she was primarily playing as a forward.
A natural midfielder, Craven’s biggest area of improvement over this campaign has been her versatility and she now possesses the ability to be a genuine threat ahead of the ball.
She’s shown her quality in the VFLW so far this season, with a 19-disposal, two-goal display against Williamstown being the pick of the bunch so far.
Transitioning from playing against fellow underage players into an open age competition sometimes takes time, and although her 2022 season didn’t result in much senior action, Craven has used her first season at senior level to set herself up well for a big future in royal blue and white.
Season stats:
Three disposals, one mark, 87.4 metres gained per game
7 - Ash Riddell
What can you say about Ash Riddell’s 2022 campaign other than ‘wow’? The Kangaroos’ midfield maestro took her game to a new level this season and was one of the most damaging midfield presences in the competition.
She tied the record for disposals in a game in Round 1 with 35, and then smashed it in Round 10 after gathering 42 touches against West Coast. She also shattered the record for disposals in a season, finishing the home and away campaign with 299.
Equally as adept getting possessions at the coalface as she is on the outside, Riddell’s ability to consistently launch her side forward was one of the greatest weapons in North's arsenal this season, however her offensive quality didn’t come at the expense of her defensive duties.
Finishing the season tied-second for the AFLCA Champion Player of the Year Award, Riddell’s strong season was recognised by all at the highest level of the game.
Season stats:
29.3 disposals (65.2 per cent efficiency, 12.4 contested possessions), 5.1 clearances, 3.7 marks, 3.9 tackles, 4.3 intercepts, 3.7 score involvements per game.
10 - Kaitlyn Ashmore
After making her name as a forward, Kaitlyn Ashmore transitioned onto the wing in 2021, and it was another productive season out wide for the AFLW veteran.
She was in line to be amongst the first batch of players, and the first Kangaroo, to reach 50 AFLW games, but an unfortunate three-week absence due to a hamstring injury saw her stranded on 49 career games heading into next season.
Generally the most attacking of North’s wingers, Ashmore’s ability to hold her width in the middle third of the ground and then surge forward not only helped create space for herself and her fellow midfielders, but it often left defenders trailing in her wake.
In Round 3 against GWS, the best of Kaitlyn Ashmore was on display. The only this missing was a goal. Her 16-disposal effort was crucial in pulling the Kangaroos over the line in Pride Round.
Season stats:
11.8 disposals (62.3 per cent efficiency, 3.2 contested possessions), 226.6 metres gained, 1.8 tackles, 2.1 intercepts, 3.4 inside 50s per game. Three goals.
12 - Nicole Bresnehan
A hard-nosed half-back flanker by trade, Nicole Bresnehan shifted up onto the wing in 2022. With one of the more attacking Kaitlyn Ashmore and Bella Eddey often lining up on the opposite wing, Bresnehan’s defensive mindset proved to be the perfect foil for the more offensive pair.
Elected into the leadership group ahead of the season the added responsibility of leadership saw Bresnehan thrive off the field, while the change in position saw her thrive on it.
Often drifting back to supplement the defence from her wing role, Bresnehan made a brief return to the back line late in the season, but returned to the wing ahead of the qualifying final against Fremantle.
One of the team’s quiet achievers in the last few years, the move higher up the ground saw ‘Flash’ finally receive some of the external praise she deserves.
Season stats:
8.6 disposals (64.2 per cent efficiency, 3.3 contested possessions), 91.8 metres gained, 1.3 marks, 2.6 tackles, 2.5 intercepts, 1.5 inside 50s per game
15 - Amy Smith
After a season of development in VFLW, the first father/daughter recruit in North Melbourne history finally made her senior debut this season, eventually playing in six games across the campaign.
One of the best runners at the club, Smith’s brilliant aerobic fitness lends itself well to the wing role that she’s made her own, and her 13-disposal, seven-tackle performance against Collingwood proved that she can certainly hack it at the top level.
The struggle to find consistent game time in the seniors would have been frustrating for Smith, but those six games will have allowed her to gain knowledge of the level and standard required to make it at AFLW.
Should Smith continue her development over the remainder of the VFLW season, she’s a player who looks primed to take her game to the next level next season.
Season stats:
8 disposals (72.9 per cent efficiency, 2.7 contested possessions), 1.8 marks, 3.2 tackles, 1.7 intercepts per game.
19 - Ella Maurer
North Melbourne’s final selection in the 2021 NAB AFLW Draft, Ella Maurer was unsighted at senior level this season but showed strong signs of development through training and VFLW this season.
Possessing natural power and dynamism out of the contest, Maurer’s contributions at VFLW level so far this season have shown her potential to make an impact at senior level should she be afforded the opportunity.
22 - Ellie Gavalas
A traditional midfielder who can drift forward, Ellie Gavalas spent more time than ever before in the middle of the ground this season, largely thanks to the hole left by Emma Kearney’s shift into the back line.
Gavalas has become a consistently strong performer at AFLW level for North Melbourne, and her ability to hit the scoreboard at key times is a rare ability that, at times, kept the Kangaroos in games this season.
While she often goes under the radar due to the star power that's possessed by some of her fellow midfielders, Gavalas' contribution to both the forward and midfield lines was a drastically understated asset to the team in 2022.
Season stats:
14.4 disposals (58.3 per cent efficiency, 5.6 contested possessions), 198 metres gained, 2.1 clearances, 3.1 tackles, 2.6 inside 50s per game. 4 goals.
23 - Mia King
The Kangaroos' breakout star from this campaign, Mia King started her 2022 season in style with a NAB AFLW Rising Star nomination against Geelong.
That 15 disposal, five-tackle, one-goal performance was her best career game to date, but she offered a true insight into her potential with her contributions against Carlton in Round 4 where she offered up a best on ground 25-disposal, four-clearance and five-tackle masterclass.
King's most consistent offering in the midfield this season was her defensive bite. Leading the team in tackles per game, her ability to not allow the opposition clean use of the ball in the contest was crucial to the Kangaroos' midfield coming out on top of their opposition.
Along with Ellie Gavalas, she thrived in the extra midfield time afforded to her through Emma Kearney's positional change. In a midfield full of players in their prime, King's presence offered a glimpse of the future of the Kangaroos' AFLW program.
Season stats:
14.5 disposals (67.9 per cent efficiency, 6.6 contested possessions), 1.5 clearances, 6.2 tackles, 2.5 intercepts, 2.3 score involvements per game. 3 goals.
24 - Perri King
A bona fide inside midfielder, Perri King failed to break into the Kangaroos' stacked midfield group this season but her development bodes well for the future.
Often the leading tackler in VFLW games so far this year, King's mentality to attack the contest and put her body on the line is alarmingly strong. Should she elevate the rest of her game, she shows potential to be one of the most dynamic and hard-hitting defensive presences in the Kangaroos midfield.
25 - Jas Garner
Jas Garner was, once again, one of North Melbourne's top performers in 2022. After a slow start to the season by her lofty standards, she caught fire at the right time to help push the Kangaroos into finals.
Much like last season, Garner spent almost all of her time in the midfield, but her uncanny ability to pull the ball out of the stoppage and snap for goal, coupled with her laser focused set shot, saw her finish on top of the team's goalkicking charts with 11 majors for the year.
The AFLW world is running out of superlatives to describe Garner's game. On her day she's one of the most dangerous and complete players in the competition, and 2022 only proved to help cement her legacy as quite possibly the most influential player North's AFLW program has ever had.
Season stats:
20.9 disposals (64.8 per cent disposal efficiency, 10.4 contested possessions), 3.7 clearances, 3.8 tackles, 3.7 intercepts per game. 11 goals.
26 - Kim Rennie
North Melbourne's most high-profile off-season recruit, former Western Bulldogs premiership player Kim Rennie made her way to Arden Street through the NAB AFLW Draft after drawn-out trade negotiations.
Splitting her time between the ruck and the forward line, Rennie was at her best when she was taking ruck contests in the middle of the ground or providing a marking target long up the line.
The Kangaroos have struggled to find the right ruck partner for Emma King since the first days of the AFLW program, but Rennie provides the strong tap-work and good ball-use to be effective in the middle, but strong hands to be a dangerous forward.
Her quality in the forward half of the ground didn't show on the scoreboard this year, but she should take her contributions up a level next season after having 2022 to learn the patterns of her midfield and work in tandem with King.
Season stats:
6.6 disposals (65.3 per cent efficiency, 4.3 contested possessions), 1.3 clearances, 1.9 tackles, 10.5 hitouts per game.
35 - Jenna Bruton
After spending a high proportion of her time on the wing in the last two seasons, Jenna Bruton moved back to her favoured inside midfield position in 2022 to great effect.
She found much more of the ball this season, and her experience and game intelligence allowed her to use it well more often than not.
Able to still be an effective influence on the wing when required, Bruton's versatility often offered a matchup headache for opposition teams, and the attention afforded to Ash Riddell and Jas Garner allowed her to often fly under the radar to great effect.
Season stats:
18.3 disposals (66.2 per cent disposal efficiency, 7.4 contested possessions), 2.6 clearances, 4.5 tackles, 2.5 intercepts per game. 1 goal.
60 - Emma King
Due to Emma Kearney missing the first game of the season, Emma King's 2022 campaign started with her leading the team out in Round 1 as just the second captain in North's AFLW history.
Working in tandem with Kim Rennie, King split her time quite evenly between the ruck and the forward line. In the middle of the ground she was, once again, one of the top tap rucks in the competition, but she also provided one of the team's most efficient marking targets across the season.
King is a known quantity at AFLW level, but that doesn't make her any easier to stop. Her absence was sorely felt against Brisbane in Round 9 and she had one of her best games of the season on her return in Round 10, kicking two goals against West Coast.
Season stats:
9 disposals (55.6 per cent disposal efficiency, 4.7 contested possessions), 1.5 contested marks, 2.9 tackles, 1.9 intercepts, 2.3 score involvements, 11.3 hitouts per game. 2 goals.
