'We just love it': South-west family supporting skipper in AFLW flag quest

Her daughter Emma is North Melbourne's fearless skipper and has her side on the cusp of a maiden premiership.

The Kangaroos will play Brisbane at Carlton's Ikon Park in the grand final on Sunday, December 3.

"The community itself are right behind her. You see people in the street and so on and they'll say 'I watched the game' or 'wish her all the best'," she told The Standard.

"It is really good and it's a positive for AFLW as well because there is someone they know so they will watch and then they'll get to understand 'actually this is really good football' and not just women's football, it's just good football."

The Kearney family - including dad Michael, older brother Chris, twin sister Rebecca and younger brother Josh - is Emma's number one support crew.

Loretta has only missed two interstate matches in Perth and Adelaide this season - the eighth since the competition was founded in 2017.

"We just love it, love watching the AFLW. It helps when you have a daughter in there but we just really love the AFLW itself," she said.

"I am a bit quiet but then sometimes very loud. It depends on the state of the game.

"Last week I was very quiet for a while (during the preliminary final against Adelaide) but when it was obvious they were going to win I got louder.

"Like most mums and dads in the crowd, you just try and cheer them on and you want the best for them."

Emma, 34, is one of the competition's most distinguished players.

The midfielder-turned-defender stands apart from her peers as the competition's only eight-time All-Australian.

"She works hard for it. It's not given to her easily, along with her teammates," Loretta said.

"It's reward for all the hard work."

Emma crossed to North Melbourne for its maiden season in 2019 after winning a premiership with the Western Bulldogs the previous campaign.

AFLW expanded to include all 18 clubs in 2022.

Loretta said Emma had embraced the chance to build the Roos' program from the ground up.

"I am not putting down the Bulldogs' win by any stretch but it would mean more I am sure for her because it is an 18-team competition (now) and they have started from scratch and it's taken a bit of hard work," she said.

Emma is not averse to overcoming sporting obstacles.

Football opportunities were few and far between when she was growing up and living on the family's farm in between Cavendish and Hamilton in Victoria's south-west.

She played in primary school but, due to a lack of a female competition, was forced to give football away when she reached high school.

"She played cricket at state level and represented (Melbourne) Stars in the WBBL," Loretta said.

"She did pretty well with that, there was those opportunities, but as far as footy was concerned there was no opportunities whatsoever.

"She didn't start playing footy (competitively) until she was 20 so she's come a long way in really a short time."

Loretta said Emma's 2023 campaign had been "very consistent" and "probably a better season than last year".

She's played all 12 matches for North Melbourne, including finals wins against Melbourne and Adelaide, averaging 20 disposals.

"She's like a rock down the back line. She is like an on-field coach down there directing play and so on," Loretta said.

"That's a little added bonus I suppose with the coaching role she has with North Melbourne in the men's - it seems to have carried over to the women's on-field."

The AFLW grand final will start at 2.30pm on Sunday, December 3, 2023.