An intriguing clash is set for Gardens Oval tonight, with the highly-fancied Southern Districts taking on a resurgent Tiwi Bombers outfit in Round 3 of the 2024/25 TIO NTFL Season.
The Crocs will thrive on the smaller ground, led by their powerful ruck duo, Wyatt Ryan and Matt Dennis, and a host of midfield stars who excel in contested situations. Districts’ midfield dominated last week's big win over the Wanderers, with Jed Anderson delivering a best-on-ground performance, racking up 33 disposals and four goals. Matt Shannon, Matt Johnston, and Beau Schwarze were also prolific, while Steven Motlop (34 disposals) had a standout game against his former club.
The Bombers were equally impressive, thrashing PINT by 66 points last weekend. Tiwi's defence, led by former AFL players Ashton Hams and Braedon McLean, was sharp, using lethal kicking and smart decision-making to cut through their opponents.
Both teams remain undefeated, aiming to keep their perfect records intact after tonight's match.
Palmerston and Darwin Buffaloes will both be searching for their first wins of the season in tonight’s ‘Battle of Palmerston’ at Cazalys Arena.
Despite falling short last weekend, the Buffaloes can take heart from their competitive display against Nightcliff. Ball-magnet Baxter Mensch returns to the side, along with Gippsland forward Brandon McDonald.
Palmerston also has some key inclusions, notably the return of Tristan Waack, who played 15 VFL games for the Northern Bullants this year. On-baller Nayef Hamad is another valuable addition, coming off an excellent season with East Keilor in the Essendon District Football League.
St Marys will take on PINT tomorrow in a rare fixture at TIO Stadium Oval 2.
The Saints come in as strong favourites, boosted by the return of last season’s Chaney Medal winner, Joel Garner, and former AFL-listed forward Kaelan Bradtke.
PINT has been hit hard by injuries and unavailability, but they’ll be eager to bounce back from last weekend’s disappointing loss to the Tiwi Bombers.
The final game of the round features another intriguing matchup as Nightcliff takes on Waratah.
Both teams have been finals regulars in recent years and will want to secure early-season wins in what promises to be a tight race for the top five.
Waratah is riding high after a 120-point demolition of Palmerston, where they slammed home 22 goals to one after quarter-time. Although they won’t field quite as strong a side this week, the Warriors will carry momentum into the clash.
Nightcliff, meanwhile, is quietly building, with standout performances from their younger players, particularly Hau-Tze Rock, who collected 17 disposals and a goal in last week’s win over Darwin Buffaloes.
