JASON BARRY | Victorian Leg Tennis | Contact
The North Melbourne Kangaroos will win the 2023 AFL Premiership, it has been confirmed.
The guarantee comes after the Roos, who were the wooden-spooners for the last two seasons, came out firing in Round 1 to beat the WCE on the weekend.
The stirring victory has tongues wagging, and big wigs within the club claim that the new look Kangaroos have the potential to go all the way this year.
“It was a finals-like atmosphere today,” Coach Alastair Clarkson said post match. “I’m proud of the boys for bringing the heat and playing 4 quarters of high-intensity, finals-like footy.”
The rivalry between WCE and the Roos is legendary. Last year they fought it out in a classic battle down at the bottom of the ladder to see who would finish last. With WCE just managing to stay above on percentage alone to finish second last.
And while most would have thought the mighty Eagles would have come out this weekend and wiped the floor with the blue and white wooden-spooners, the North Melbourne Shinboner spirit would not be denied.
The Roos beat WCE 12.15.87 to 12.10.82 in an enthralling tug-of-war contest that was enough proof for Clarkson and his support staff to make the decision to rest key players for the rest of the season so they’re fresh for Finals.
“Some of our better players pulled up sore today, so we’ll rest them until the prelims,” Clarkson said straight-faced. “So long as we keep winning, which after today’s performance is guaranteed. We’ll need our best players on the park fresh and ready to perform in The Big Dance.”
Clarkson told the Advocate he will rest up to 9 of his best players for the rest of the season, putting his faith in the younger players and some VFL journeymen to keep up the winning momentum through the year.
“Our VFL boys give us a bit of experience that the young ones are lacking, and that will see us finish Top 4 or even Top 2 this season,” he said in a tone of voice that made the Advocate think he was dead serious.
“We want that second chance in the finals. Even though we won’t need it.”
*Tickets to the 2023 AFL GF are not yet available. Kangaroos Tier 1 Members will have priority access when sales commence.
