North Melbourne's record winning streak is over after Hawthorn pulled off a massive AFLW upset.

The Hawks' 4.8 (32) to 3.7 (25) win on Friday night in Cairns is their greatest victory since they joined the women's league in 2022.

The Kangaroos' sequence of 32 straight wins is the longest in AFL, VFL and AFLW history, and they won the past two premierships during that run.

It is a great start to the weekend for the Hawks, ahead of Saturday's AFL preliminary final against Brisbane, when they will also start as underdogs against the two-time defending premiers.

Hawthorn, who lost captain Emily Bates to an ACL rupture last weekend, set up the triumph with relentless pressure.

Midfielder Jasmine Fleming was outstanding, nullifying North captain Jasmine Garner in the second half.

North led by 10 points at the main break in blustery and humid Cairns conditions, but the Hawks’ Mikayla Williamson kicked the only goal of the third quarter and they pulled to within three points.

Four straight behinds gave Hawthorn the lead in the last term for the first time since the first quarter. Cairns native Jacqueline Dupuy then kicked a goal to give the Hawks a seven-point buffer at nine minutes.

But the Roos weren’t done, with Blaithin Bogue kicking a goal against the run of play.

Inside the last two minutes, Hawthorn ruck Lucy Wales snapped the sealing goal.

North's last loss was the 2023 Grand Final against Brisbane. They then started the 2024 season with a win and a draw, before starting their historic streak.

Friday night's tally was also their lowest score since 2023.

A whale of a goal
Hawthorn ruck Lucy Wales has been having a sensational season but it's unlikely that when it finishes any moment will stand out above the goal she snapped in the fourth quarter. With the margin at one point and the clock under two minutes there was a sense the Roos were about to snatch the win from under the Hawks' noses, but Wales thought differently, forcing her exhausted body into yet another pack and kicking truly to seal the result.

Hawks salute as undercard underdogs
The AFLW has been experimenting with double-headers this year, but Friday night’s entertainment was a twin treat of an unusual kind. The Kangaroos, with back-to-back flags and 32 consecutive wins on the board, found themselves as the away team in a curtain raiser to the AFL Cairns Women's Grand Final between North Cairns and Centrals. The Roos weren't even the only 'North' on the bill - no wonder they were flustered!

HAWTHORN                1.0   1.2   2.4   4.8 (32)
NORTH MELBOURNE    1.4   2.6   2.7   3.7 (25)

GOALS
Hawthorn: Williamson, Wales, Stockwell, Dupuy
North Melbourne: Riddell, Eddey, Bogue

BEST
Hawthorn: Fleming, Wales, Williamson, McDonagh, Richardson
North Melbourne: Garner, Sheerin, Riddell, Rennie

INJURIES
Hawthorn: Nil
North Melbourne: Nil

Crowd: TBC at Cazaly's Stadium