North Melbourne coach Darren Crocker opens up on difficult Mia King selection call

North Melbourne coach Darren Crocker on a hard grand final decision

North Melbourne coach Darren Crocker revealed that leaving star midfielder Mia King out of Saturday’s AFLW grand final lineup was among the hardest choices of his coaching career. The decision, he explained, came after long internal discussions and consideration of team balance.

“It was one of the toughest conversations I’ve had in football,” Crocker admitted, reflecting on the emotional weight of excluding such a key player.

Crocker praised King’s contributions throughout the season, acknowledging her work ethic, leadership, and consistency. He emphasized that the omission did not reflect her value to the club but was instead a strategic call made for the team’s structure ahead of the championship match.

“Mia has been outstanding for us all year. Leaving her out came down to fine margins and the overall shape of our side,” he said.

The coach expressed confidence in King’s professionalism and said she handled the news with maturity, continuing to support her teammates in the lead-up to the grand final. He concluded that such decisions are part of the difficult realities of elite sport.

Author’s summary:
Darren Crocker described leaving Mia King out of the AFLW grand final as one of his most painful coaching decisions, highlighting both King’s character and the fine margins of elite team selection.

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News.com.au News.com.au — 2025-11-27

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