Roos star hopes to become Lion King in AFLW decider

"I'm definitely soaking it up and really enjoying that we have made a grand final, but I think at the same time, I'm not thinking too much about the game and just treating it like any other week, another game," King said.

The East Launceston junior and Launceston graduate has been a part of the Roos' set-up since 2020 when she joined under their Tasmanian connection, with the 22-year-old set to play her 49^th game on Sunday against Brisbane.

The team's route to the decider has been far from a cakewalk, with their dismantling of Melbourne 50-9 a timely piece of revenge against a side that outplayed them earlier in the season.

Following a week off, North played another side who had beaten them during the regular season in the Crows.

The reigning premiers boast the record as the only team with multiple flags (three) and have only missed finals twice since 2017, when the competition began.

While the Kangaroos were in their fifth finals campaign in succession, post-season success had remained mostly elusive.

But, in a see-sawing contest North Melbourne finally broke their grand final duck as they outlasted Adelaide 32-31, with King collecting 19 disposals, five tackles and five clearances.

A former Scotch Oakburn student, King described the feeling among the group after they held on for the one-point win after years of falling short of the final weekend.

"I think we were just all in shock a bit. We had the ball down in our forward-50 and I remember we were just playing it safely and keeping the ball in," she recalled.

"And then when the siren went, we were just so relieved. I remember the girls running off the bench and I think Tahlia (Randall) actually knocked me over and I was on the floor. It was a moment I won't forget."

Playing Sunday's big dance at IKON Park, the same venue in which they played the thrilling preliminary final, the Roos will likely be playing in front of more than 5000 fans - a far cry from the few hundred gathered at UTAS Stadium for their previous clash against the Lions.

In that game North looked odds on to beat their Queensland opponents, but Brisbane recovered from an 18-point deficit to win 35-33.

King said the squad had learned plenty from what was their first loss of the season.

"It was our first-ever loss in Tassie, so it was definitely frustrating, but I think for large parts of that game we definitely controlled it," she said.

"At the end, there were a few key moments where we needed to tidy up structurally.

"Their wingers are very offensive, so I think our defensive transition will be important, but we've always been a very skilful side."

Brisbane are yet another opponent with plenty of experience in big games, as they prepare for an unprecedented fifth grand final.

But King said North's experience will count for plenty too.

"We have made a lot of finals series, but I think that in previous seasons we haven't made the next level just because we've relied on too few unfortunately," she said.

"This time we need to have that mentality just to really focus on the contest, and hunting around the footy and getting territory will be something that we will really look at."

The former Allies and Tasmania Devils representative said, while reflecting on her career to date, that she could not quite believe what she was about to embark on.

"It literally feels like yesterday that I got drafted, it has gone so quickly," she said.

"Credit to the girls and the staff that I've had around me, especially with the move to Melbourne, because I've really gelled with North Melbourne and I love playing with some of the best players in the league.

"I'm just super excited for the opportunity and to make our first-ever grand final, it's definitely a bit of a pinch myself moment."

Sunday's match at IKON Park begins at 2.30pm.