It is fitting that tomorrow’s TIO NTFL Women’s Premier League grand final will see the two teams who have stood head and shoulders above the rest of the competition this season, PINT and St Marys.
The Queenants were brilliant a fortnight ago in the 33-point semi-final win against the Saints. They possess such a well-drilled team under coach Rick Nolan and boast talent right across the field. The last time these two teams met, PINT won comprehensively, beating them in most statistical areas, with Hillary Grubb, Zoe McWhinney and Carly Remmos all producing strong performances.
PINT gel well as a team with strong defensive structures. They will be accountable for the Saints’ brilliant players in AFLW star Danielle Ponter, Jo Miller and Jemma Iacono, who will return from suspension. Ponter was held to 11 disposals last game, so the Queenants will hope for a similar defensive effort on Saturday.
Steph Lawrence has had a brilliant season in front of the goals, easily winning the Women’s Premier League leading goalkicker trophy with 69 from her 17 games, including three majors the last time she met the St Marys. While Reni Hicks is another who has had another excellent and consistent season.
Jasmyn Hewett is the game-breaker however, collecting another Women’s Premier League best-and-fairest on Sunday night. The gun ruckman was the leading disposal winner on the ground when the two teams faced off a fortnight ago, while also dominating the ruck battle. She is a noted big game performer having claimed best-on-ground honours in both last season’s grand final and the Cazalys NTFL representative game earlier in the year.
Hewett’s opposing ruck, Paula Pavic is coming off a strong game last week against Nightcliff collecting 20 disposals, 12 hit-outs and eight tackles – but she will have a tough job this week trying to curtail the PINT champion’s dominance.
The Saints will be hoping for a strong performance from their superstars, particularly Ponter, who despite what Hewett has achieved locally, is clearly the most credentialed footballer on the ground.
Jo Miller will be a huge inclusion after gathering 28 disposals, including 20 contested, last weekend.
PINT enter as deserved favourites having not lost a match since the semi-final last year, but you can never write off the Saints, especially with the array of talented players they have at their disposal.
Discounted presale tickets can be purchased by clicking here, the 2023/24 TIO Women’s Premier League Grand Final can be streamed live via the AFLNT Youtube, The NT News, and via ABC radio.