Emma Kearney

Club: North Melbourne

Playing Honours:

• AFLW All Australian 2017, 18, 19 & 20

• Western Bulldogs Best & Fairest 2017 & 18

• AFLW Best & Fairest 2018

• AFLW Premiership Player 2018

• North Melbourne Runner Up Best & Fairest 2019 & 20

In only two seasons of AFLW, Emma has built quite the resume. A hard running midfielder who is arguably the most damaging in the AFLW, Emma has won back to back Best & Fairest's for the Western Bulldogs, has been named in the All Australian Team twice, was a key member of the Western Bulldog's Premiership Team in 2018, and also won the AFLW Best & Fairest Award.

Growing up on a Sheep Station in country Victoria, Emma was raised similarly to most country kids where they try their hand at a number of sports. For Emma this included playing footy against the boys until the age she was no longer allowed to play which like most young girls in that era was extremely disappointing. It wasn't until around 2010 when Emma returned to the field for Melbourne University in the VWFL where she recaptured her love of the game.

At the conclusion of the 2018 season, North Melbourne and Geelong were preparing there playing lists ahead of there first season in the competition in 2019. Given Emma’s prowess in the game and her long standing association with Melbourne University which was affiliated to North Melbourne, she was a high priority signing for the Roos. Although a hard decision to make, Emma joined the Kangaroos and was announced as the inaugural Captain. Since joining the club, Emma’s strong form has continued, including being named in the All Australian Team in both years, as well as coming Runner Up in the Club Best & Fairest in 2019 and 2020.

An extremely talented athlete, Emma has managed to juggle a professional cricket career alongside her AFLW career and full time job. This has included playing for the Victorian Spirit and Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash.