A Southern Districts masterclass and a Waratah clinic, combined with TIO Stadium slogs by the Darwin Buffaloes and St Mary's made the headlines in a rain-soaked round of matches in the 2023/24 TIO NTFL competition.
Districts goal sneak Jonathon Ross kicked nine goals in his side's 109-point win over a gutsy but outclassed Palmerston at Cazalys Arena.
Ross did not kick a goal in the first quarter, but kicked two in the second, four in the third and three more in the last term to make a mockery of the wet conditions that enveloped greater Darwin on Saturday.
Districts could not get out of gear in a first term where the Magpie defence restricted their free-flowing game style, but 18 goals in the last three quarters from 40 scoring shots showed their class.
Ross played down his own goal haul, saying he was lucky to be in the right place at the right time when the football made its way down to the Districts forward line.
"It was a contested game out there, so it was good to get over them in the end,'' Ross added.
"The last couple of weeks have been good, we're starting to gel as a forward line as we get the same group together.
"We've got three games left before the finals, so it's important we do everything right up until then and hopefully secure a top three spot.''
Districts again got full value from ruckman Wyatt Ryan, who played a lone hand with ace big man Matthew Dennis opting not to make the trip north, while Dylan Barry and Kayne Davidson also found plenty of the ball.
Waratah set up its 65-point win over Wanderers with a five-goal to one first quarter and apart from a sloppy second quarter when they kicked one goals from seven shots, were never troubled.
Jayden Magro and Anthony Munkara kicked seven goals between them in a sneak preview on the red and whites' production line at finals time.
Scott Carlin was again prominent through the middle, Arnold Kirby continued his heavy work at centre bounces and boundary throw-ins and Jack O'Sullivan was impassable across half back.
St Mary's had skipper Dylan Landt, Nathaniel Paredes and Joel Garner in wet weather form when they beat a persistent PINT by 15 points at TIO Stadium.
The Saints led at every change but had the Greenants breathing down their necks for the full 100 minutes before finally prevailing, 6.9 (45) to 4.6 (30) on a rain gorged playing surface.
Saints coach Anthony Vallejo said a third quarter revival by PINT when their midfield started to find the football had made his own players lift their own work rate.
"All the top sides have got quality on-ball players and they matched us in the third and even though we weren't real happy with it, we were able to come home in the last and win the game,'' Vallejo said.
The Darwin Buffaloes held their nerve in a 12-point win over the Tiwi Bombers that looked like being a lot more when a six goal to one second quarter blast sent the Double Blues to a 33-point lead at half-time.
But the Patrick Bowden coached Bombers showed they are made of the right stuff with a five-goal to two third term that set up a last quarter struggle.
A checkside goal by young gun Damien Dunn from an impossible angle and Rhett Gordon's second major got the Tiwis to within five points before a long shot from Antonio James bounced through to seal the win for the Buffaloes.
Buffs coach Cameron Stokes said his players had taken their foot off the pedal in the all-important third quarter after their second quarter surge.
"We gave them a chance and when you give something like that to the Tiwis you know they are going to take it,'' Stokes said.
"Jarrod (Stokes), Yaz (Nick Yarran) and Baxter (Mensch) were very good through the middle for us all game and Daniel Stafford was not fazed by the wet conditions with his four goals and several important possessions.
"He enjoyed the wet weather funnily enough for a big full forward where his hands are beautiful and he's a great kick of the footy.''
The win lifted the Buffaloes to within a game and 26 percentage points of fifth-placed PINT, with must-win games against Wanderers, Waratah and St Mary's to round out their home and away campaign.
