With the 2014/15 TIO NTFL season about to commence, here's what the coaches had to say about their club's preparation and the year ahead.
DAVE KENNEDY
Pre-season training has long been a delicate juggling act for NTFL clubs and coaches. With competition from other leagues and indeed, other sports, the reassembly process can sometimes be left to the dying minutes. However on the eve of the 2014/15 TIO NTFL season, there was a sense of excitement amongst the coaches, as they all in turn put up forward a strong front of preparedness.
Buffaloes- Mark Motlop
2013/14: 8th
Mark Motlop believes the Buffaloes will improve in season 2014/15 after completing a consistent pre-season.
“There’s no one that’s really stood out. They’re all training with great enthusiasm.”
Sam Autio, Jack Lawler and Joseph Collinson are all inclusions that Motlop believes will assist his team’s cause.
The senior coach also thinks that some of his younger players will once again step up this season.
“Michael Hagan and Jalen Clarke look like they’ve stepped up another level and both are training with a lot of confidence.”
Improvement is the season objective for the Buffaloes but Motlop also believes his side may surprise some critics.
“If we win one more game than last year, I’ll be happy. However I’m pretty confident of knocking on the door of finals this year,” Motlop said.
Nightcliff- Damian Hale
2013/14: 4th
Damian Hale was keen to promote the efforts of his younger players during pre-season. Ryan Nyhuis- the eighteen year-old Hale dubbed “Chalk-Boy” after suffering a spate of injuries- has been a consistent performer throughout the pre-season and is likely to start in Round 1.
The coach also commended Lachlan McKenzie, Brandon Parfitt and Darren Walker for their effort throughout the pre-season.
“There’s a number of others that have put their hand up throughout the pre-season and they’ll get their chance in the first few weeks,” Hale said.
Nightcliff have retained some key recruits from last year including Trevor Baust, Toby Stribling and Daniel Dzufer.
“Retention has been important for us,” Hale said.
Central Australian, Caleb Hart, has also signed up to play with the Tigers this season and fellow Centralian, Baydon Ngalkin, is also on the coach’s radar.
“We’re working constantly on building our local content and local base but the reality is I’ve got a couple that come from down south.”
Palmerston- Dean Rioli
2013/14: 6th
Dean Rioli moves into his second year as senior coach and he is looking to build on the success the club achieved during the back half of last season.
Justin Emery and Aaron Lonergan remained in Darwin during the off-season and Rioli was pleased with their output.
“It makes a big difference when you’ve got quality players like Emery and Lonergan on the track during the pre-season,” Rioli said.
Rioli also indicated that some younger players including Waisele Morgan-Thompson, Keidan Holt and Kallym Groves would all be considered for senior selection.
“That’s where our improvement will come from. Our younger guys have trained really well and will push for senior selection.”
After coming to the club with a three-year plan, Rioli expects vast improvement from the team that narrowly missed the finals last season.
“We want to go deep into the finals and not get knocked off in the first week. I think the squad really believes this after the pre-season we’ve had.”
Southern Districts- Shannon Rusca
2013/14: 5th
After commencing training 12 weeks ago, Shannon Rusca could not have been happier with the Crocs’ pre-season describing it as: “the best ever at this footy club”.
Rusca was keen to praise his core group of senior players including Keegan Dingo and Corey Singleton, but he was also happy with the efforts of his younger players: Zane Carter, Dylan McLachlan, Michael Bowden and Liam McGregor.
“We’ve had a good mix of the older type players and new kids coming through.”
Ali Bond and Davin Hall will both line-up with the Crocs this season after making the move down the highway.
After a disappointing 2013/14 finals series, Rusca said his players had a renewed focus on being competitive at every contest.
“It’s always control the controllables with us. We need to make sure we do the right things with what we can control.”
St Marys- Rick Nolan
2013/14: 1st
Mark McLean was the standout performer at St Marys pre-season training, with senior coach, Rick Nolan, describing his efforts as “phenomenal”.
Ryan Smith will once again play for the club, however, will miss some early games with injury.
“He’s looking pretty fit but he’s just broken a finger and won’t be available until round 2 or 3,” Nolan said.
Grant Weeks will also return to the club and the coach said that he might be used to boost the ruck-department, which no longer boasts the services of Mark Blake.
After losing some premiership players during the off-season, Nolan expects the void to be filled by his younger, local players.
Amongst others, he was happy with the efforts of Nick Yarran and Ryan McMurray and said that there was a real focus within the club on improvement moving forward.
“The biggest thing I’m looking for is improvement and in particular, improvement from within.”
Tiwi- Willie Rioli Snr
2013/14: 7th
Willie Rioli Snr steps into the coach’s box this weekend, but his role began over two months ago when the players started pre-season training.
“The guys have been fantastic so far, especially my leaders: Ross Tungatalum, Shane Tipuamantamerri and Austin Wonaeamirri,” Rioli Snr said.
Mathias Liddy, Owen Henry, Chris Miler and Jonno Mullins were all names mentioned by the coach that will play for the Bombers this season.
The son of the coach, Willie Rioli Jnr, is another valuable addition for Tiwi this season but Rioli Snr said that he would be afforded no special treatment.
“I’m looking forward to having him, but he’ll be treated just like any other player.”
Rioli Snr was also happy with some of the younger, local players and named Kieren Apuatemi, Jack Munkara, Alistair Darcy and Gary Puruntatameri as players likely to step up this season.
For the Bombers, their season objective is crystal clear.
“Missing out on the finals last year was a big disappointment. Playing finals is definitely one of the goals this season.”
Wanderers- Andrew Hodges
2013/14: 2nd
Andrew Hodges moves into an NTFL senior role this season and brings with him a wealth of coaching experience gained at both club and state level.
In the absence of some senior players competing in other sports and competitions, Hodges was happy with the younger players who rose to the occasion.
“It was an opportunity for some of our younger players to be exposed to that core group, and really train one on one with them.” Hodges said.
New juniors, Jordan Jeffrey and Gavin Dhurkay join Leslie Moroney and Dominic Grant Jnr as promising prospects at the club.
Nook Mansell, Jared Erlandson, Shane Thorne and Thomas Motlop were amongst the key performers during the pre-season and Brenton Motlop’s recovery is also progressing well after knee surgery.
As well as on-field success, club development was the key objective expressed by the coach moving forward.
“The focus is on development of the kids and trying to fast-track them to play senior footy.”
Waratahs- Tim Weatherald
2013/14: 3rd
New Waratahs senior coach, Tim Weatherald, is yet to make the move up to Darwin, however, he has been in constant communication with the club during their pre-season training.
Assistant Coach, Corey Campbell, has been responsible for implementing Weatherald’s instructions.
“He’s come up with his structures and he’s very keen on the guys being fit. Having played a lot of SANFL, a lot of it’s about fitness,” Campbell said.
Campbell believes the side is well prepared and was happy with the pre-season efforts of some familiar names.
“Jimmy Wray, Brock Jennings, Brent Rowley and Tom Marsh have all had good pre-seasons and are ready to go.”
Campbell described fitness as the key theme of the pre-season and a focus area moving forward for the Warriors.
“We’ve done a lot of ball work over the last couple of weeks. I think our fitness should be good this year.”
Campbell, along with Darren Little, will coach the Round 1 senior side in the absence of Weatherald.