Not only a Territory football Legend, the late David Kantilla is one of the Territory’s true sporting legends.

The courageous, trailblazing and talented Tiwi became a football icon in both the Northern Territory and South Australia where he played league football for with the South Adelaide club in the 1960’s.

David Kantilla played two seasons for St Mary’s before being snapped up by South Adelaide in 1961, his prodigious talent ensuring that the South Australian recruiters couldn’t get him to their club quick enough. David Kantilla quickly repaid the recruiters faith winning the clubs best and fairest in his first two seasons and in 1961 was the clubs leading goal kicker.

Kantilla stood at six feet five inches and was a fine mark but at just 79 kilos he played with the grace and mobility of a rover. At the end of his final season in 1967, he had played 113 games and was the first Indigenous player to reach the 100 game milestones in South Australia.

At the end of each SANFL season, he would return home to the Northern Territory where he continued to play for St Mary’s, winning four Premierships in the 50’s and 60’s. A genuine legend, Kantilla is a member of the AFL Indigenous Team of the century and was bestowed with Legend status when inducted into the AFLNT Hall of fame in 2010. An instant pick for the team, we are honoured to welcome David Kantilla, vice-captain, into the AFLNT Team of the Century.