There is just one minor round remaining until what shapes as a highly entertaining and competitive finals series. This weekend, teams will be playing for bragging rights and fine-tuning game plans ahead of what promises to be an entertaining Round 18.
Kicking off the round, Wanderers host Tracy Village at 2PM at Tracy Village Oval. The Bombers will enter this match as favourites and can cap off a much-improved season by ending with a win. But the Eagles – with on-baller Jaxon East in exceptional form – are still playing with plenty of passion and will see this as a great opportunity to record win number three.
Tiwi veteran Paddy Heenan wound back the clock last week with a 26-disposal performance while Michael Thompson and Brendan Kantilla have been in outstanding form. Expect a fast and exciting contest in this one.
PINT are at home against Palmerston tomorrow night at 6PM at DXC Arena. The Greenants – having now secured their first Premier League finals appearance – will use this contest to fine tune a few aspects of their game.
PINT are coming off a 99-point win last weekend against the Tiwi Bombers with Connor McDonald and Harrison Maher continuing their fine form. The Greenants may decide to rest a handful of players given that a win is surely assured, but even so, expect them to continue Palmerston’s misery tomorrow night.
The match of the round has Nightcliff pitted against Waratah in what should be a thoroughly entertaining clash at Darwin Mazda Nightcliff Oval tomorrow night. The Warriors are the team that dealt the Tigers their last loss, way back in the beginning of December, but since then, Nightcliff have been a roll, winning seven consecutive games.
The Warriors have plenty to play for as a win would see them leapfrog Southern Districts into the top-three and the all-important double chance come finals time. They won a highly entertaining shootout against Darwin last weekend with midfielders Lachlan Cassidy, Scott Carlin and Ryan Clarke gathering plenty of the football. Abe Ankers and Brodie Carroll hit the scoreboard last week while the competition’s equal leading goal-kicker Jayden Magro remains a dangerous presence up forward.
Nightcliff are coming off an impressive win against Southern Districts with Zac Moody, Cooper Dahms and Luke Wines continuing their strong form. The Tigers have slipped under the radar at times this season but have proven in recent weeks that they are as good as any team in the competition.
The Darwin Buffaloes will be playing for pride in their encounter against St Marys tomorrow at 3:30 at TIO Stadium. Reliable defender Kevin Maroney celebrates game number 150th and the double blues will want to produce a spirited performance to honour him. But expect St Marys to come out hard as a win will secure top spot and week off in the opening week of the finals. The Saints demolished the Buffaloes the last time these two teams met. Curtailing Dylan Landt and stopping to supply to spearhead Jackson Calder will likely be a priority of the double-blues and
A sub-plot to this weekend’s round of footy is the race for the Dennis Dunn trophy for the NTFL’s leading goal kicker. Jayden Magro and Jarrod Brander lead allcomers on 61 goals but St Marys’ star full-forward Jackson Calder is breathing down their necks just four goals behind. Brander’s Crocs have the bye, Magro’s Waratah team faces a tough contest against Nightcliff, while Calder’s Saints face the Darwin Buffaloes, a team he has a great record against.
