Southern Districts begins season 2-0 for first time in club history

Round 2 of the NTFL Women’s Premier League was full of drama with big wins, bigger upsets and historic performances. Read our WPL wrap here.

Southern Districts WPL captain Megan Craufurd tackled by Wanderers players during their Round 7 clash at TIO Stadium (2023-24 season). Picture: Alison McGowan / AFLNT Media

For the first time in their 11 year history the Southern Districts women have won their opening two matches of the season, while Palmerston also pulled off a monumental win.

A triumphant victory in Round 1 over Waratah set the Crocs up well for their clash with Wanderers, a side they were already favoured to beat on their home deck.

The Crocs kicked their way to a handy 16.8 (104) to 2.0 (12) victory, with junior Bonnie Brown sinking six majors and Michala Collins joining in on the action with five of their own.

Littered with big bodies and lots of height, the Crocs dominated the Muk Muks middles all day despite the Eagles’ busting a gut under the searing 37C sun.

Captain Megan Craufurd was buoyed by the performance of her girls and the high points tally following what was a rough 2023-24 campaign for her team.

Megan Craufurd has been impressed by her team through their 2-0 start to the season. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

“Training is looking like it’s paying off and we all are really doing our best to be competitive this year,” she said.

“It was bloody hot and I thought we played rather well considering this is our second match of the season, and with a heap of new girls and younger girls in the team.

“We were already stringing together some really nice connections in the middle and shifting the ball early to our girls upfront.

“And getting over 100 points on the board, that has rarely ever happened in the 11 years of us being established.”

An influx of new bodies and new coach Eddie Shearer at the helm has the Crocs and Craufurd quietly confident they’re in for a big year.

“It really feels like everyone seriously has bought in,” she said.

“From Bonnie and Michala upfront and Emma (Forsyth) ripping it up in the middle and all the girls at the back, if we stick to our guns and don’t get full of ourselves we should be up for the fight.”

Taelah Smith scored three goals for Palmerston against Waratah in Round 2 of the 2024-25 NTFL season. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Meanwhile, Palmerston also announced itself as a side making a dig for the top spot after overcoming Waratah in the first outing of the season.

It was a changing of the guard moment of sorts when the Magpies surged early, with their only flaw being shots at goal on their way to a 5.12 (42) to 2.2 (14) win.

Taelah Smith was a standout with three majors, while Ella Ward in the ruck and Talia McMasters gave it their all in the effort department.

Reigning premier PINT remains undefeated after its 12.11 (83) to 2.4 (16) win over a pacey Tiwi Bombers outfit.

The Queenants were served well by some of their usual standouts including captain Reni Hicks, Zoe McWhinney and Kate Atkins.

Last year’s leading goal scorer Steph Lawrence got plenty of the action too with four goals as she goes on the hunt for another season full of big scores.

Dom Carbone (pictured above during a match in 2021) has been a standout for Darwin Buffettes since returning from the VFLW. Picture: Celina Whan / AFLNT Media

Nightcliff also made it two from two with a 7.9 (51) to 3.3 (21) defeat of the Darwin Buffettes, with Cassie McWilliam scoring four goals to propel her own case in the kicking tally.

The Tigers soared to an early lead and despite conceding two final quarter goals never looked in doubt of sealing the deal off the hard work from the likes of Eliza Hand and Gabrielle Deller.

VFLW medal winner Dom Carbone had another strong performance in her return to the Double Blues, while Roxy Beuzeville did plenty to trouble the Tigers too.

Originally published as Southern Districts begins season 2-0 for first time in club history