Southern Districts announced themselves as genuine premiership contenders after their commanding 19-point win over Nightcliff in their Round 6 match of the 2022-23 TIO NTFL season at Fred's Pass on Saturday.
The Crocodiles were mean in defence, full of run through the middle and efficient forward of the centre in their 7.13 (55) to 5.6 (36) win in front of their own fans at Norbuilt Oval.
Ruckman Matthew Dennis again had a day out, dominating the centre bounces and playing a kick behind the play where he repelled a series of Nightcliff forward thrusts.
Districts won the game in the second and third quarters against a Tiger outfit without Nichols medallist Daniel Bowles, spearhead John Butcher and key defender Simon Deery from the team that beat Waratah last week.
Dennis said the win was a good result in terms of the 2022-23 season and Nightcliff's stature as one of the league's top sides.
"They're the games you have to win and while we broke away a bit in the second quarter I felt we were really on top in the third in what was our best quarter of the game.
"But we only kicked eight points on the scoreboard, a case of the score not reflecting how much we outplayed them.''
Luke Smith in a free running midfield role that took him up forward and down back was another good player for Districts, together with Frazer Driscoll across half forward.
PINT continue to impress at the Premier League level after accounting for a Wanderers side that finds itself second last on the league ladder with only one win from five matches.
Former Eagles coach Shannon Motlop looked on as PINT coach as his charges finished all over his old side with a barnstorming seven-goal to-nothing last quarter to win by 47 points.
"That was definitely a good result for the club,'' Motlop said. "It lifted us into the top five after six rounds, a result that could have been a lot better if we had beaten Tiwi last week.
"Wanderers looked like they were going to run over us just before three-quarter time, but we responded when we had to with our bigger bodies and attack on the footy.''
Jett Trotter's six goals provided a constant threat to the Wanderers defence, Kyle Winter-Irving at centre half-forward kicked a goal and was a big target for his midfielders and Alex Harvey in a tagging role on the dangerous Steven Motlop was the best of the Greenants.
Palmerston stayed on top of the ladder after a 10-point win over the Darwin Buffaloes in the twilight game at TIO Stadium.
The Magpies had former Southern Districts spearhead, Will Farrer, as a goalkicking target for the first time and the big marking spearhead did not let them down with a four-goal performance.
Farrer's goal haul and five more from Geelong premiership player and former AFL Magpie Travis Varcoe was enough to get their side over the line.
Neville Jetta down back and Anthony Treacy were other good players, while Matt Campbell made a successful return to the Darwin side with five clever goals.
Waratah moved to second on the ladder after a decisive but hard-fought win over a feisty Wanderers at Marrara Cricket Ground.
Skipper Brodie Carroll in his customary role around the ball, Edward Morris and five-goal forward Jayden Magro kept the Tiwis at bay despite a good second quarter by the Bombers when they crept to within nine points just before half-time.
The red and whites ran in numbers and won a lot of contested ball in their 16.13 (109) to 10.10 (70) win at Gardens Oval over a Tiwi side containing former St Mary's champion Shannon Rioli.
Coach Ryan Ayers was pleased with his side's endeavour and hunger for the football after last week's six-goal loss to Nightcliff.
"It was a bit concerning coming into the game with the lineup they had (Majak Daw, Dion Munkara and Harley Bennell) but we responded well to get the four points,'' Ayers said.
"They made us work for the win with the number of class players they have got and that's how it turned out.''
Ayers was impressed with his captain's lead-from-the-front performance across four quarters, including the work he did at the all-important stoppages.
