Southern Districts put some space between themselves and the rest of the Men's Premier League competition following their comprehensive 28-point win over Waratah in their Round 12 top-of-the-table clash.
The Crocodiles hunted in numbers and used run and carry football to outplay second-placed Waratah and win Saturday's game between the first and second-placed sides at Gardens Oval by 28 points.
Districts' 15.10 (100) to 11.6 (72) win means they lead the senior competition by six points and two percentage points at the completion of the pre-Christmas season.
With the competition resuming on January 7 in the six-week run of home and away games until the start of the finals series, Districts coach Shannon Rusca is a happy man.
"When one player comes out of a contest another one replaces him, it's all about role playing and being able to execute that role for four quarters,'' Rusca said.
"Now we've got three weeks off to revive, knowing too well what happens after Christmas and it's why we rested a few sore boys this week to begin to focus on what happens from now on.''
Districts had many good players, none more so than dual Sandover medallist Jye Bolton in the midfield and Mentha picking up several contested balls around the ground.
Reigning premier St Mary's avenged their Round 3 loss to PINT with a hard fought 14-point over the seventh-placed Greenants at TIO Stadium on Saturday night.
PINT played the better football for two and a half quarters and looked the likely winner when Brad Ryan kicked their seventh goal courtesy of a 50 metre penalty early in the third quarter.
But the third-placed St Mary's found another gear as the good sides do, kicking six of the last seven goals of the match to leave Shannon Motlop's side wondering what they have to do to win a close game.
Lucas Jellyman-Turner and skipper Nate Paredes led from the front to finally break down a PINT defence that kept the highly rated St Mary's forward line to three goals in the first half.
Nightcliff came from behind to beat Palmerston in Saturday's twilight game at TIO Stadium, overcoming a two-point deficit at three quarter to win by 12 points.
Dual Nichols medallist Brodie Filo was unstoppable in the second half and teammates Shaun Wilson and Jonathan Peris came along with him as the Tigers booted seven goals to four after a first half that only produced a single goal next to their name.
It was Nightcliff's first win since beating Waratah in the annual Battle Of The Beaches at the end of October, but it leaves them only half a game behind the Magpies in the race to the finals.
The Darwin Buffaloes showed the benefits of a week's rest by accounting for a courageous Tiwi Bombers side by 59 points.
The fourth-placed Buffaloes kicked eight goals to two in the first half and another eight in the last two quarters in a win that lifted them a game and 23 percentage points above fifth-placed Palmerston.
Coach Cameron Stokes was pleased with his side's poise and use of the ball after a sloppy start to the game.
"The Tiwis were pretty good in the first and third quarters when they put a lot of pressure on us, but we managed to find the right brand of footy in the last three quarters to stay in front on the scoreboard,'' he said.
Hassan AhMat-Watkins was the Buffaloes' best in his now familiar role in defence, while spearhead Liam Whelan and goalsneak Liam Holt-Fitz booted three goals.
Tom Clarke, Joe Collinson, Ryan Pendlebury and Mitch Robinson were other good contributors in the 16.15 (111) to 7.10 (52) win.
