Nightcliff Tigers make it three wins on the trot after defeating Waratah
Round 3 of the NTFL WPL saw another week of nailbiters and upsets, with two clubs already breaking away from the pack. Read our WPL wrap here.
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The Nightcliff Tigers continued its perfect start to season 2024-25, dispatching Waratah on home turf, while PINT surged late to pip St Mary’s at the post in a thrilling NTFL women’s round.
The important victory catapulted the Tigers atop the ladder, above reigning champions PINT on percentage after three rounds of competition.
The Tigers put together a defensive footy masterclass, strangling the Warriors in every quarter bar the first, resulting in an 8.7 (55) to 2.2 (14) victory.
Nightcliff took the early lead courtesy of some individual brilliance in front of goal from Cassie McWilliam, but the Tahs stayed in the contest off the back of some desperate defence from the ever-reliable Hayley Finning.
The Tahs were unable to muster the same attacking vigour the rest of the match, out-muscled and outplayed across the park by the Tigers’ high press.
A goalless third quarter saw the Tigers hit their straps in the final 18 minutes, as Charlotte D’Ambrosio led the charge with two goals, alongside McWilliam’s crucial points for the teams overall percentage.
Tigers captain Hannah Turnbull said the tremendous defensive result is indicative of the team sticking to its assignment and no individuals overplaying their hands.
“We were solid in the first but were quite scrappy in the second term, we were playing scramble footy as if there was one minute left on the clock.” she said.
“We didn’t add points but we got back into the rhythm and groove in the third which settled us down and set us up nicely to pounce in the fourth.
“We have a big emphasis on starting from the back and our half backs are really strong, which meant they cut everything off, leading to the girls creating more chances on the attacking end.”
“It’s exciting to have a few more options particularly upfront to help us keep up the scoreboard pressure.”
Meanwhile, reigning premiers PINT scored five of the last six goals to pip St Mary’s with just minutes left on the clock despite trailing all night in the grand final rematch.
The Green Machine brought plenty of fire early and were bolstered by big performances from the returning Janet Baird and Paula Pavic in the middle.
However, a late surge from the Queenants, and particularly from their big West Adelaide inclusions Madison Russell and Iilish Ross and captain Reni Hicks, found their way in the second half.
They wouldn’t hit the front until deep into the fourth quarter when Steph Lawrence and then Casey Morris goaled, and then it was just a matter of winding down the clock until the siren.
Elsewhere, the Palmerston Magpies got the job done against a struggling Darwin Buffettes outfit, who were feeling the absence of marquee player Dom Carbone.
The Magpies were electric across the park all night, warming into a confident looking team after a slow first quarter.
Neither team made a move in the first half, the score 1.1 (7) to 1.4 (10) in Darwin’s favour, however matters changed in the second half with Marika Carlton in particular burning her foes down the wing.
The Magpies’ efforts off the ball also impressed allowing them to control the flow of the match and frustrate their opposition.
The Magpies added two majors in the fourth to extend their lead, but were let down by some poor efforts in front as well.
The win puts the black and white third on the ladder while the Buffettes are still in search of their first four points of the new season.
And finally, the Tiwi Bombers handed Southern Districts their first loss of the season after holding on to an early lead to win 6.5 (41) to 4.8 (32).
Ellie Kellock and Maria Rioli were among the Bombers standouts adding speed and direction to a side that brought all the pressure early on.
The Crocs recovered from a scoreless opening quarter, with Emma Forsyth again among their best, but they were unable to claw back the two goal deficit from that period.
ROUND 2
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.
“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.”
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.
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.
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