In a rematch of last season's Women's Premier League Grand Final, we're set to do it all over again at 4:30pm this Saturday 7 March at TIO Stadium.
But this time Southern Districts goes into the premiership game as the headline team; having defeated Waratah in a Qualifying Final last week. It's not the only time the Crocs have enjoyed victory over the Tahs this season, in fact, apart from Round 1 when the result was reversed and the win awarded to Waratah because Southern Districts breached playing number rules, the Crocs have won all of their encounters.
They also have the league's leading goalkicker, Ebony Miller in their ranks. But Waratah is the ultimate professional, and this will be its ninth straight tilt for the Women's Premier League title and the fact the Tahs have won seven of the past eight will hold them in good stead.
Both teams played hard-fought, tight semi-finals yesterday which will prepare them well if last season's grand final is anything to go by; we'll have to wait to see what impact the weather might have this time.
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Their game will be the third grand final for the day; with the Under 15 Girls kicking off the action on TIO Stadium at midday. In this premiership race, an undefeated Waratah outfit will come up against the Palmerston Magpies, who held on in the last quarter of their Semi-Final against Wanderers today to enjoy the narrowest of wins.
The Tahs will no doubt get a lift out of boasting the Under 15 Girls Sharyn Smith Medallist, Annabel Kievit and the Under 15 Girls leading goalkicker, Natasha McAllister in their team after both girls were announced as winners at the 2019/20 TIO NTFL Youth Presentation earlier today.
The Magpies, who finished the regular season in third, are no strangers to Under 15 Girls success, having won the premiership in season 2017/18, so will need to draw on that as inspiration if they're to overcome the favourites.
The Under 18 Girls Grand Final at 2pm will come as no surprise to Darwin Buffettes fans who have grown accustomed to their team making it to the final day of the season.
But standing in their way of a five-peat is St Mary's, who go into the match as the higher qualifier after an eight-point win over Darwin in their Qualifying Final.
St Mary's and the Buffettes were also the first two teams to contend for an Under 18 Girls premiership when the division started up in 2015/16; in that season the Saints also went in as the first team, but the Buffettes started their domination of the competition with a 12-point victory on that day.
In good news for Saints fans, a number of their players were part of the Under 15 Girls premiership team from last season and have come up through the ranks with head coach Ryan Smith, so they know what success looks like.
The other finals for this week will be played between some of the smallest and newest competitors in the NTFL when the Under 12s take to TIO Stadium and TIO Oval 2 at 5:15pm on Friday. There is also the Women's Division 2 finals on Wednesday night, with the main game of first versus second being played at 7:45pm between Southern Districts and PINT.
The Under 12s will see five different clubs compete across three divisions. Wanderers and St Mary's go into the newly-formed Division 3 Grand Final having won the same number of games this season. In Deslandes, Darwin Buffaloes 1 will take on Palmerston Magpies 2, and in Atkinson, the two best teams for the season being Palmerston Magpies 1 and Nightcliff 1 will contend for the prize.
Other games this upcoming weekend include the crucial Men's Premier League Preliminary Final between Nightcliff and Southern Districts at 7pm.
After the Tigers dropped only their second game for the season last night, propelling St Mary's directly to the Grand Final on Saturday 14 March, they're left to do battle with the Crocs in what is a rematch of last season's grand final.
The Crocs are hitting their straps and have now won five games on the trot, but the closest they've got to the Tigers this season has been nine points back in Round 1.
On TIO 2 at 2:30pm, the two best Men's Division 1 sides from throughout the home and away season, Banks and PINT, will be left to contest the final spot in their competition's grand final after Nightcliff produced a boilover against the Bulldogs yesterday and snatched up the first spot. If the Banks and PINT games from earlier this season are anything to go by, then we're in for a ripper.
Following this game, at 4:30pm, will be the Men's Division 2 Preliminary Final between Nightcliff and Banks. In similar circumstances to Division 1, third-placed Waratah has muscled its way into the Grand Final with a Semi-Final victory over the Spartans. Given Nightcliff and Banks are one win apiece for 2019/20, it would be a brave person to predict a winner.
Those with a keen eye on the future of the NTFL will be interested in the Boys Under 18 Preliminary Final at 8pm on Friday, which will be played between last season's grand finalists; Wanderers and Nightcliff. If the Muk Muks want to keep their hopes of a three-peat alive then they're going to have to overcome a fast finishing Tigers outfit, who downed the Palmerston Magpies by a solitary point this week. The winner will advance to the Grand Final, where St Mary's is eagerly waiting.
Semi-Finals across the Under 14 and Under 16 divisions also continue, and all details can be viewed below or on SportsTG here.
Finals Week 3 - 2019/20 TIO NTFL
Women's Premier League
Grand Final - 4:30pm Saturday 7 March - TIO Stadium - Southern Districts vs Waratah
Under 18 Girls
Grand Final - 2:00pm Saturday 7 March - TIO Stadium - St Mary's vs Darwin Buffettes
Under 15 Girls
Grand Final - 12:00pm Saturday 7 March - TIO Stadium - Waratah vs Palmerston Magpies
Under 12 Atkinson
Grand Final - 5:15pm Friday 6 March - TIO Stadium (Grandstand) - Palmerston Magpies 1 vs Nightcliff 1
Under 12 Deslandes
Grand Final - 5:15pm Friday 6 March - TIO Stadium (Scoreboard) - Darwin Buffaloes vs Palmerston Magpies 2
Under 12 Division 3
Grand Final - 5:15pm Friday 6 March - TIO Oval 2 - Wanderers 2 vs St Mary's 2
Men's Premier League
Preliminary Final - 7:00pm Saturday 7 March - TIO Stadium - Nightcliff vs Southern Districts
Men's Division 1
Preliminary Final - 2:30pm Saturday 7 March - TIO Oval 2 - Banks vs PINT
Men's Division 2
Preliminary Final - 4:30pm Saturday 7 March - TIO Oval 2 - Nightcliff vs Banks
Under 18 Boys
Preliminary Final - 8:00pm Friday 6 March - TIO Stadium - Wanderers vs Nightcliff
Under 16 Hickman
Semi Final - 6:30pm Friday 6 March - TIO Stadium - St Mary's 1 vs Nightcliff Black
Semi Final - 8:00pm Friday 6 March - TIO Oval 2 - Wanderers vs Waratah
Under 14 Gundersen
Semi Final - 11:30am Saturday 7 March - TIO Oval 2 - Waratah vs St Mary's
Semi Final - 1:00pm Saturday 7 March - TIO Oval 2 - Nightcliff Black vs Palmerston Magpies 1
Under 14 Lew Fatt
Semi Final - 6:30pm Friday 6 March - TIO Oval 2 - Banks vs Nightcliff White *Please note this game was updated on Monday morning, it was originally scheduled for Saturday morning but will now be played Friday night.
Semi Final - 10:30am Saturday 7 March - TIO Stadium - Southern Districts 2 vs Palmerston Magpies 2 *Please note this game was updated on Monday morning, it was originally scheduled for Friday night but will now be played Saturday morning.
