Hail the Roos: North Melbourne AFLW side awarded

North Melbourne’s AFLW team is continuing to reap glory for its dazzling form, picking up Vicsport’s team of the year title at an annual awards event at the MCG on May 13.

The award, sponsored by company Sports Entertainment Network, recognises a Victorian team that has achieved outstanding results at a state, national or international level the preceding year.

The Kangaroos beat netballers the Melbourne Vixens, Hockey Club Melbourne’s men’s team and Gymnastics Victoria’s eight-member aerobic gymnastics crew to the honour, which was accepted on the night by head coach Darren Crocker.

The judges noted North Melbourne had smashed AFL records, finishing the 2025 home-and-away season 12 games to nil before winning the premiership for a second straight year, and extending their winning streak to 27 games – the longest in elite Australian football history across both men's and women's competitions.

The Kangaroos were leading the league in almost every key performance metric, according to the judges, with their players recognised as Best and Fairest, Most Valuable Player, Best Captain and All-Australians by various associations.

Previously known as the North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos, having entered and continued in the competition in partnership with the Tasmanian government, the team is set to drop the southern state’s name this season, to be known simply as the North Melbourne Kangaroos.

CEO Jen Watt has said while the partnership had been extended for another two years with a Tasmanian Devils team on the not-too-distant horizon the decision to update the team’s name was “a logical one”.