Melbourne hoping for chance to face undefeated North Melbourne in AFLW finals

While North Melbourne have gone undefeated in the home and away season for the second year in a row, the side hasn't been challenged by everyone yet, says Melbourne defender Saraid Taylor.

"North are playing such a solid brand of football and they've proven themselves over and over, but they haven't proven themselves against every team," Taylor told ABC Sport.

"So I think that's probably a big, big thing."

The Demons finished second on the ladder without coming up against the Kangaroos in the short 12-round season.

A big narrative of this year's season is that no-one can get close to North Melbourne, with many pundits all but handing them the premiership.

Asked if there was a desire within Melbourne to "give us a crack" at them because of this, Taylor said it was "probably a bigger question in terms of AFLW clubs all being able to play each other".

"We want a season where it feels like every team had the opportunity to prove themselves against everybody," Taylor said.

"Certainly North have shown themselves to be on top and therefore we want the best challenge we can have — and we want to come out on top [if we play them]."

North Melbourne will face Hawthorn in the first qualifying final on Friday night in a rematch of the week prior, when the Kangaroos clocked their 24th consecutive win with a 49-point victory over then top-two Hawks.

That match will take place at Princes Park, while Melbourne will face Brisbane on Sunday.

In the penultimate round of the home and away season, the Lions overpowered the Demons with a nine-point victory, reaffirming themselves as a threat in the finals series.

AFLW expert commentator and former All Australian Kate McCarthy believes the only team that could challenge North Melbourne on its best day, and have the belief to do it, is Brisbane.

"I've been part of that program and you thrived in that program when everyone wrote you off," McCarthy said on AFL's The Wrap.

"And [Brisbane head coach] Craig Starcevich absolutely loves that narrative, [that] they don't give us a chance.

"You feel like if they came up against North Melbourne, either in the grand final or on the way to the grand final, I'd give them every chance to get the upset."

That narrative played out in last season's decider when the Kangaroos went into both the season and the decider as heavy favourites over the Lions.

North, however, carried out those forecasts by claiming their maiden premiership, which they were denied in the 2023 grand final by the Lions.

"If they play their very best football, backs against the wall, that's when the Lions thrive," McCarthy said.

"In saying that, though, if North were to perform to their very best, I don't see anyone getting anywhere close to them with their depth."

Taylor said that, in what has been a really competitive season, there is no room for complacency. For Melbourne, they know every win has to be earned, and Taylor believes the thinking would be the same for the Kangaroos.

"We have so much respect for our opponent, the quality of the league. Everyone talks about how it keeps progressing, but that is genuinely what's happening," Taylor said.

"And I feel like I can probably guarantee that North are the same way. When they play any team in the top eight, they turn up knowing they have to earn their win.

"North are absolutely fantastic with a program that's so strong... But we've been building here too, and we can't wait to hopefully come up against them, hopefully in a grand final if not before that."

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