Beautiful reason child was chosen by North Melbourne to present the AFLW premiership cup
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North Melbourne has confirmed a heartwarming gesture if they are to win the 2024 AFLW grand final on Saturday night.
If the Kangaroos prevail over the Lions, the club will have Good Friday ambassador Imogen Mulgrew present the premiership cup to the players on stage. The Good Friday Appeal raises funds for the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne.
The club declared the 10-year-old had a "profound" impact on the team and now have hopes of giving back. Just last month, AFLW players Bella Eddey and Emma King shared a special milestone with Imogen at the hospital, where she rang the bell to mark the end of two and a half years of treatment for leukemia.
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Speaking about the trophy honour, Kangaroos chief executive Jen Watt opened up on the youngster's involvement with the playing groups across the men and women's competitions.
"Not only has Imogen's impact been profound, she represents everything our team stands for and we couldn't think of a more perfect person for this role," Watt said.
Kangaroos AFLW players high five Imogen Mulgrew during the home and away season. Getty
"Imogen's resilience, spirit and easy-go-lucky demeanour struck a chord with our players, our football department, our staff and all footy fans far and wide this past year."
The potential cup presentation is not the first big moment on the footy field that Imogen has been a key part of.
Earlier in the 2024 AFL season, she tossed the coin for the Good Friday match between the Roos and Carlton.
Since then, she's been ever present within the walls of Arden Street.
As for who will present the cup to the Lions should they win the flag, they've chosen retiring defender Kate Lutkins.
Lutkins is a 2021 premiership player with Brisbane, a three-time All-Australian and a club best and fairest winner, arguably one of the best the club has ever seen.
"I think it will be one of my proudest football moments, handing that cup to Bre (Koenen, captain) and Craig (Starcevich, coach) if they win on Saturday," Lutkins said on Wednesday.
Good Friday ambassador Imogen Mulgrew will present the 2024 premiership cup to North Melbourne should they defeat Brisbane. AFL Photos via Getty Images
Lions CEO Greg Swann heaped praise on Lutkins, who left the game in 2022 to give birth to her child, before returning this season to play the opening two matches.
"Kate has been one of the best to pull on a Lions guernsey and on the back of her recent retirement, we see this as a great way to acknowledge her contribution to the game," he said.
"Kate has been integral part of what we've built at this club from an AFLW point of view and to have her present the cup to Craig (Starcevich) and Bre (Koenen) ... would be a special moment for this footy club."
Kate Lutkins of Brisbane will present their premiership cup if they beat the Kangaroos in the AFLW grand final. Getty
Brisbane are searching for their third premiership and will aim to become the first AFLW team to go back-to-back.
Meantime, North Melbourne is hungry to make up for last year's grand final loss, when they went down to the Lions by 17 points.
The AFLW grand final will be held at IKON Park on Saturday night, in a league-first time slot.
