AFLW: North Melbourne’s Jasmine Garner cements incredible legacy with grand final triumph

by Pelican Press
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AFLW: North Melbourne’s Jasmine Garner cements incredible legacy with grand final triumph

Seven All Australians, four-time best and fairest but there’s no denying Jasmine Garner’s grand final triumph is her sweetest accolade of all.

A foundation player taken at pick 86 by Collingwood in the inaugural draft, Garner sits alongside AFLW titans like Daisy Pearce and Erin Phillips as one of the most impactful players in the competition’s fledgling history.

Now, like Pearce and Phillips, she can also hang a premiership medal around her neck having been named best on the ground in their 30-point triumph over the Lions.

As Brisbane were barely able to muster a shot all night, Garner was killing them at the source laying 13 tackles and collecting 10 clearances on her way to a game-high 35 disposals.

“It means a whole lot, a year ago today and just the journey this year, I’m so proud of everyone we had the belief and got the job done,” she said.

Having gone through the heartbreak of last year’s defeat to the Lions, Garner said the team have been chasing redemption all season.

“It started in the off-season we were hungry and everyone from the coaches to the players put in a whole lot of hard work,” she said.

Camera IconJasmine Garner breaks away form a tackle. Credit: AFL Photos

“This is just awesome I can’t believe it.”

Garner said Brisbane have set the standard for the competition for some time but said she and her team were prepared to fight fire with fire.

“We knew their pressure, their contests that’s what they’re great at but we’re good at that too,” she said.

“We wanted to match or beat them at it and that’s exactly what we did we felt like if we played our brand of footy we could break them open and it was nice to have those last moments at the end to be able to take it in.”

Despite her individual brilliance, Garner was quick to move praise on to the group saying she did nothing more than play her role.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 30: Jasmine Garner of the Kangaroos handballs during the AFLW Grand Final match between North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos and Brisbane Lions at Ikon Park, on November 30, 2024, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)Camera IconJasmine Garner handballs during the AFLW Grand Final. Credit: Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

“We have such an even spread we don’t rely on any individual I just come out and play our role and we get the job done.”

“To our girls, the club, we did it, let’s get our trophy come on!”

At 30 years old there are no indications Garner will be slowing down soon averaging more than 26 disposals, seven tackles and six clearances this season all well above her career average.

As North Melbourne set a new benchmark completing an undefeated season, Garner was doing plenty of the heavy lifting.

Jasmine Garner career snapshot

89 career games (=3rd all time)7x All Australian2x All Australian captain4x North Melbourne best and fairestAFLW grand final best on ground (2024)AFLW premiership player (2024)3rd for all time disposals (1,860)=3rd for all time goals (78)2nd for all time clearances (377)1st for all time goal assists (48)1st for all time score involvements (389)


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