All the NT News Rising Star nominations for the 2022-23 NTFL season
These are the 18 rising stars whose efforts on the field have not gone unnoticed in the 2022-23 NTFL season. Now it’s your chance to vote for your favourite.
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The NT News Rising Star rewards the best and brightest young talent in the NTFL from Territory juniors to interstate imports.
The award is in its 26th year and carries a $500 prize for the winner, announced at the end of the season.
Previous winners include AFL players Xavier and Raphael Clarke (St Kilda), Matthew Whelan (Melbourne) and Brandan Parfitt (Geelong), with Wanderers ace Lloyd Johnson claiming the spoils last year.
Check out every Rising Star nomination from the 2022-23 NTFL season:
ROUND 18 - STERLING MITCHELL (DARWIN BUFFALOES)
A Queensland recruit who has cemented his place as a key Darwin Buffaloes ruck option has earned the final Rising Star nomination of the 2022-23 NTFL season.
Sterling Mitchell came to the Buffaloes after a season of playing seniors for the Sherwood Magpies in the QAFL, and has quickly made an impact.
He arrived at the club as a mid-forward option, but his ability to show up in and around the ruck provided the Double Blues with a key backup for primary ruckman Chris Atkinson.
And despite playing in a losing cause was busy once again against top of the table Southern Districts winning five tap downs against the comp’s best Matt Dennis.
He also contributed 12 possessions and managed a big 10 ground ball gets showing his versatility around the midfield zone.
Coach Cam Stokes was more than pleased with the manner in which the 19-year-old had acquitted himself throughout his first NTFL season.
“Playing in the ruck was a blessing in disguise for us really, we needed a bit of backup for Chris Atkinson and he filled that role beautifully for the whole season,” Stokes said.
“His athleticism and the way he gets around the ground as a smaller ruckman is probably his biggest asset.
“He gets up with a really nice jump in the ruck, but when the ball hits the ground is when he makes his real impact.
“He’s really physical with his tackling, he’s got explosive speed which allows him to break out of the contest and really work ruckmen over.”
Mitchell’s efforts were further recognised when he picked up Buffaloes’ Rookie of the Year alongside fellow first year player Tanner Coulthard.
“He’s been unreal. He’s still a really young kid and raw with his footy, he’s still new to the game despite playing a fairly high level in the QAFL,” Stoke said.
“He’s a really approachable kid, a really coachable kid who’s always wanting feedback and always wanting to get better.”
Mitchell is the final Rising Star nominee of the 2022-23 NTFL season with the overall winner to be announced at the Nicholls Medal.
ROUND 17 - SAM MCNAUGHTON (PALMERSTON MAGPIES)
A “breakout” performance from a young gun at Palmerston has helped the Magpies record their first win in more than three months.
Sam McNaughton, 19, moved from his native Wagga Wagga to join the army in Darwin while following in the footsteps of close friend Kobe Priest, 20, to Cazalys Arena.
It’s been a tumultuous season for the Pies, starting in a blaze of glory with the addition of dual AFL premiership player Travis Varcoe, Tristan Waack, Sam Clohesy and Baxter Mensch, plus Gary Ablett Jr for his NTFL debut, going 4-1 over the first six rounds.
However, after its Round 8 and 9 fixtures were deemed forfeits due to fly-in breaches, Palmerston lost all momentum, with its last win coming in Round 6 against Darwin Buffaloes.
But with McNaughton putting in one of his best performances in Men’s Premier League so far – doubling his season’s average per game disposal count with 20 touches with a kicking efficiency of 83 per cent – the Pies pushed the Tiwi Bombers aside after half time to win by 44 points.
It was enough to hand McNaughton the Round 17 NT News Rising Star nomination.
“I was pretty happy ... it was a bit of a breakout game,” McNaughton said, who was put forward and rotated through the middle of the ground by recently reappointed coach Josh Heath.
“I was focused on having good efficiency.
“I was pretty happy when the stats came out.”
McNaughton, who has played five MPL matches so far in 2022-23, admits the season has been difficult, with the squad gutted by departures.
“It has been tough, it’s definitely not the same as it was at the start of the year,” he said.
“The amount of players getting to training and that kind of thing.
“We have had a fair few players come and go.
“It was a bit of a blow during the middle of the season but I think we’re adapted and sort of overcome it.
“There are a lot of keen blokes looking forward to next year already.”
Like plenty who have arrived from down south before him, McNaughton has struggled with the hot weather, feeling “extremely fatigued and very hot” during and after games.
But with some guidance from the likes of Phil Wills and Eric Guthrie, McNaughton has embraced the faster pace: “It’s just a big learning experience.”
McNaughton has also been given plenty of opportunities, running with the likes of Jarrod Stokes from the Darwin Buffaloes.
“He was very quick, one of the quickest blokes I’ve played on, just explosive speed,” he said.
ROUND 16 - DANIEL QUINN (NIGHTCLIFF TIGERS)
A Nightcliff club junior has proven himself one to watch, holding his spot in an experienced, finals-bound Tigers squad.
Half-forward Daniel Quinn has enjoyed an impressive start to life in the Nightcliff senior side scoring goals in wins against top sides Southern Districts and St Mary’s.
The 19-year-old has had plenty of action in his first four games in the premier league and enjoyed another big match with a 15-possession outing against the Buffaloes in Round 16.
And it was that performance on the back of his earlier showings which earned him an NT News Rising Star nomination.
Coach Chris Baksh commended the young gun on his dedication to the craft and his ability to cleanly use the ball below his knees.
“He’s clean below his knees while using the ball and his pace is great to see,” Baksh said.
“His heart and dedication are also impressive, he’s always kicking the ball down at Nightcliff on Friday nights
“He’s really come into the senior side and used his strengths to his best advantage.”
For now Baksh has the young gun, who has come through the junior ranks from under-12s, playing in the half forward role, but does see him growing into a midfielder.
And the decision has paid off with Quinn applying plenty of forward pressure in a side which went from losing six in a row to genuine title contenders.
“He would have probably come in a bit sooner if he didn’t pick up a couple of injuries,” Baksh said.
“He plays a half-forward role putting on the defensive pressure. Eventually when he matures he might go into the midfield.
“He’s really good, he’s very coachable, listens to his peers and does everything we ask him to do.
“He will keep playing until finals, and if keeps playing the way he is he will be there for finals, a couple of games ago that might not have been the case, but he’s holding his spot.”
Nightcliff’s season has taken a massive turn in recent weeks with three of their past four matches including wins over other finals sides.
Baksh put that down to players finally making connections and getting the chance to play with each other consistently, including key appearances from forwards John Butcher and Sam Overall.
“We have most of our players playing now and our core group are all together, obviously having our forwards together makes a big difference for our team,” Baksh said.
“It has really come down to getting to know each other and building those connections.
“We’ve always worked hard on the track on our fitness and for us it’s really coming together at the right time.”
ROUND 15 – BRAYDEN TAYLOR (PINT)
After a big switch from Carrara to Marrara, playing finals in PINT’s debut season in Men’s Premier League was always the goal for teenage Greenants midfielder, Brayden Taylor.
The 19-year-old Broadbeach in-and-under specialist, originally from the Gold Coast, landed at Abala Rd through a few degrees of separation between his father and the club’s Premier League Reserves coach, Anthony Smith.
He is the NT News Rising Star nomination for Round 15 after another strong performance in a must-win clash against Darwin Buffaloes, collecting 13 touches at TIO Stadium.
Taylor, an incredibly passionate personal trainer, arrived in Darwin the week of the club’s debut in MPL against last year’s preliminary finalists Nightcliff on a wet October evening.
And the move has been a massive success for the Queenslander, who began his career in the Carrara Under 10s, currently fourth for contested possessions and fifth for clearances in the MPL, with available statistics to Round 14.
It was a brutal Top End introduction for Taylor, though, who admits slipping on a green and gold jumper was “a bit rushed” and was living out of his native Queensland for the first time.
“Even with the rain, it was still so hot,” Taylor recalled of that 29-point loss to the Tigers.
“I’d never met any of my teammates. But it was very exciting.”
Taylor was not just lured up north by a family connection, but the prospect of chasing the leather 12 months of the year.
“I really liked the idea of playing footy all year round,” Taylor said.
“I was really excited for constant footy.
“It’s very beneficial being young.
“At the moment, touch wood, I don’t tend to pull up too sore.”
After that win over the Buffaloes – withstanding a Double Blue barrage in the second quarter – Taylor is confident PINT’s best can challenge any team, anywhere.
It has beaten reigning premiers St Mary’s, got within four points of Southern Districts and made Waratah earn the four points both times in 2022-23.
And along the way, the Greenants have altered perceptions of a club that wasn’t expected to seriously challenge for finals, especially after losing to Tiwi Bombers.
“As a group we have higher expectations,” he said.
“We’re definitely up there with the finals teams.
“The culture’s really good, everyone’s super tight.
“It doesn’t matter who we are versing, we feel like we are a chance of beating them no matter what.”
ROUND 14 - PETER POLITIS (NIGHTCLIFF TIGERS)
A born and bred Territorian has played his role in the renaissance of a retooled Nightcliff outfit which has won the past three in a row after a brutal “wake up call” before Christmas.
Peter Politis, once a talented tennis player who rose to number three in the country for the Under 14 level and won a national clay doubles title, has slotted seven majors from 11 games in his second Men’s Premier League season in 2022-23.
The 19-year-old is the Round 14 NT News Rising Star nomination after kicking a goal and picking up 16 touches in a 31-point win over ladder leaders Southern Districts at Nightcliff Oval.
However, it hasn’t been all smooth sailing for the moustachioed Tiger with Politis admitting the club had lost its way going into the Christmas break.
“Midway through ... the whole team starting slowing down a little bit,” Politis said.
“Coming into the Christmas break, we all got a reality check.
“We just weren’t taking our moments ... we weren’t kicking straight in front of goals.”
That was perhaps best shown in a 7.18 effort against St Mary’s in Round 7, going down by two points.
However, he said the club had galvanised, were training harder and perhaps producing pacier football.
“It wasn’t too much of a change that we needed,” he said.
“But we’ve still got plenty of work to do.”
He also said there had been a big change in personnel in 22-23, with Daniel Bowles, Phil Wills, Liam Holt-Fitz, Tom North, Trent Melville and Kyle Emery either leaving the club or routinely unavailable.
“This side has got a bit of a different look to last year,” he said.
“There’s a few southerners that have moved up that are real good blokes.
“We’re all starting to get a bit of chemistry. It’s coming together a lot better now.”
Some of those new additions include James Gow, Lachlan Huppatz, Aidan Robinson, Ben Vile, Andrew Hooper and Coby McCarthy.
Politis’ game was also developed by a stint down south.
Originally planning to play with Girgarre in the Kyabram District Football League with Emery, who later did his hamstring, Politis would catch the red eye each morning for games as the Damian Cupido-coach club that made the finals for the first time in 21 years.
“It was a long day but it was good fun,” he said of those lengthy trips,” he said.
“It’s always going to be a little bit hard but you can make it a little bit easier for yourself by the way you prepare.”
ROUND 13 - XAVIER VALLEJO (ST MARY’S)
A St Mary’s young gun played an integral link-up role between backs and forwards in his side’s win over Darwin Buffaloes, earning himself the Round 13 NTFL Rising Star nomination.
Xavier Vallejo against the Buffaloes showing off his pace, but perhaps more impressive was his endurance as he stood out more and more as the match wore on.
And it was clear he had an impact notching 14 disposals and making three inside 50s, including one score assist, playing a pivotal role in his side’s success.
The 18-year-old is one with plenty of expectations on his shoulders with his father being Anthony Vallejo, St Mary’s coach, while his uncle Iggy Vallejo set the league record for most NTFL matches.
“I’m probably his biggest critic,” Anthony Vallejo said.
“We push him pretty hard in trainings and we expect a lot from him in the next couple of years.”
The young Vallejo has spent the past four years at the footy factory that is Xavier College boarding school, and finished year 12 in November.
Since then he’s back at his junior club and has aspirations of seeing out the season with the reigning premiers.
The young gun made his senior Saints debut in Round 1 of the 2021-22 season where he instantly made an impression, and was nominated for Rising Star in Round 14 of that season.
“He’s learned a lot down there and his enthusiasm for work has really come through, he’s always at training and always hungry to learn more,” Vallejo said.
“He’s always with the senior boys, asking them questions on how to improve, so it’s good to see his experiences finally coming to the forefront of how he plays.
“His speed and endurance are probably his two main assets at the moment, and he’s working really hard in the gym at the moment to put on a little bit of weight.
“And with his speed and running game being such big assets the big, open spaces of TIO suit him really well
“He played a really good link-up role out on the wing connecting our backs to our forwards, which is our traditional wing role and what we’ve been pushing him for.”
Xavier Vallejo is the third St Mary’s player to be named in the 2022-23 Rising Star nominations following Ethan Bowden and Parker Fawcett.
ROUND 12 - CALVIN PERIS CHONG (NIGHTCLIFF TIGERS)
ROUND 11 – TAJ STANLEY (SOUTHERN DISTRICTS)
A Southern Districts junior that has all the skills to soar to the top level of the game, his coach says.
At just 16 years old, Taj Stanley quickly made himself a player Districts’ senior coaches could not ignore with weekly best-on performances for the under-18s squad.
And he’s quickly repaid the favour, going the extra mile in every training and being among the best players against PINT in Round 8 and kicking a goal against Palmerston, Wanderers and St Mary’s.
And a strong showing against the Saints earned him the Round 11 NTFL Rising Star nomination.
The young gun has no shortage of skills, including his elite running, defensive capabilities and ability to rack up possessions.
It was those attributes and his eagerness to take on any role given to him which caught the eye of coach Shannon Rusca, and cemented his spot in the side.
“Taj is a very talented 16-year-old,” Rusca said.
“The kid showed ability very early on in the season, he’s got an advanced body for his age, and he has the fitness to play at league level.
“He played five or six under-18 games and he was in their best players every week, so he’s done the hard work and he’s kept banging the door down to play seniors.
“He’s got elite running capacity and a very good defensive side to his game. That’s what we’ve been working on with him to play that defensive game before he becomes an offensive player.
“If you do the hard work you’ll get rewarded, and he’s not only getting games but hitting the scoreboard and making an impact.”
At the moment, Stanley is playing a half forward role, getting a taste of experience around the likes of goal kickers Roy George, Luke Smith and Matt Shannon.
But Rusca sees him as a player who will develop into an elite midfielder, capable of picking up possession after possession, and could make it to the highest level.
“He’s doing everything the group needs him to do and he’s playing that role very well,” Rusca said.
“He will definitely develop into an elite midfielder, whether that’s SA level or even making the AFL, he’s got all the attributes to continue on his football journey.
“We’re just glad we get the first crack and get to see him play, and hopefully one day can sit back and say we coached him.
“He works very hard not only on the track, but during training he does a lot of extras nobody sees, and that’s the qualities the AFL looks for, qualities he definitely possesses.”
ROUND 10 – PARKER FAWCETT (ST MARY’S)
A Saints youngster’s hunger on and off the ball in a win over the Tiwi Bombers has earned him the Round 10 NT News Rising Star nomination.
St Mary’s 16-year-old Parker Fawcett was tearing it up at under-18s level, and now with two Men’s Premier League games under his belt, is making an impression.
As a key forward Fawcett has dominated in the early rounds of the under-18s competition often coming home with bags of goals to his name.
Fawcett got his first taste of Premier action against the Darwin Buffaloes in Round 9 and made his presence known with 10 disposals and three tackles
It’s that tackle pressure which Saints coach Anthony Vallejo was looking for from his developing talent, who delivered eight possessions against the Bombers.
“He’s got a mature head on young shoulders, and dominated the under-18s in the first few rounds so we were just waiting for the chance to play him,” Vallejo said.
“He’s been given a bit of a taste which should hopefully put him in good stead for the next couple of years.
“When he plays in the under-18s he dominates picking up 6-8 goals, whereas in the seniors it was that tackle pressure which we wanted from him.
“The attacking side of the game comes naturally to him, but we wanted to get a feel for the more defensive side as well.”
And in the senior side he couldn’t ask for a better pair of forwards to learn the craft from than the 2021-22 leading goal kicker Jackson Calder and Brandyn Grenfell.
But Vallejo has tasked him with getting around the field and adding an extra skill or two to his bow.
“He’s a forward, but to play senior footy you need to be able to play numerous positions so we put him on the wing,” Vallejo said.
“He’s getting in the right spots. He just needs to finish off and continue developing. There’s no pressure on him, we just wanted to give him a taste of senior footy after a hard block of pre-season.
“He’s a really good size, he’s athletic and most importantly he follows instructions to a tee, he’s one of the easy ones to coach.
“Definitely looking to give him a few more games this year, a couple more next year and then he should be ready to go.”
Fawcett is the second Rising Star nomination for St Mary’s in the 2022-23 NTFL season, following Ethan Bowden who was selected in Round 2.
ROUND 9 – TYSON WHYTE (WANDERERS)
A Wanderers junior proved he isn’t afraid of mixing it with the bigger bodies, scoring twice on the way to a win earning himself the Round 9 NT News Rising Star nomination.
The 17-year-old under-18s co-captain Tyson Whyte was playing in just his second game of Premier League footy in his side’s win over Nightcliff.
But he carried himself with the confidence of a player with more time at the top level after neatly scoring two goals for the Eagles.
His debut came against Waratah in Round 7, which was a tough one for the Muk Muks in front of goal including Whyte who missed four shots.
However, he redeemed himself against Nightcliff once more putting his hands up for the ball and this time delivering with two first half goals.
The goals helped pave the way for Wanderers’ second win in as many weeks, which importantly has kept the club in the finals fight.
It was that work ethic which caught the eye of coach Aaron Motlop who commended the young player for taking his opportunity.
“We’ve been really pleased with his attitude and his work ethic,” Motlop said.
“He’s one of those younger players we’ve been looking for opportunities to play, and he’s really taking his opportunity to play which is pleasing.
“He did well against Waratah in his first game; he adapted well, got his hands on the footy, applied some defensive pressure and really tried to be a focal point for us.
“It was really pleasing for him to kick his first early against Nightcliff and then follow up with a snap shot as well, which was great for his confidence.
“He’s been getting involved, he’s not afraid of getting in there and mixing it up with the bigger guys, and he’s been playing really well.”
Whyte is a versatile player with the ability to play right across the ground and can switch roles whether that means gathering touches or applying tackle pressure.
At under-18s level he’s a midfield player who gets plenty of the ball while his first few games in premier league have seen him used more as a centre half forward option.
“He’s taking a bit of time to adjust, and with better players around him he will be able to play and perform better as well,” Motlop said.
“Not being the sole focal point means he can sort of work his way into the game instead of feeling like he has to be the one person who has to be present all day.
“He’s been at our club for a long time and always dreamt of running out with some of the guys he’s now playing with, which is a testament to him and his dedication.”
ROUND 8 – ANTONIO JAMES (DARWIN BUFFALOES)
The Darwin Buffaloes junior had a standout performance for his side in Round 8 against the Nightcliff Tigers at TIO Stadium.
He scored two goals after offering himself forward for plenty of chances showing off his pace and skill in the process.
ROUND 7 – ADDISON DOHNT (WARATAH)
A 14-match spell with SANFL club Woodville-West Torrens earlier this year has helped fast-track a young Waratah winger’s development.
Addison Dohnt, 18, who collected 13 touches – five contested – and a goal against Wanderers on Saturday night, has been named the NT News Rising Star nomination for Round 7.
The Tahs junior played 14 games with the Eagles in the SANFL Under 18s, in a stint Dohnt says was hugely beneficial to his physicality and skills improvement, under the tutelage of Shane Reardon.
“It was unreal, getting to that more semi-professional scenario,” Dohnt told the NT News.
“It was crazy to see how hard they work and the facilities … I’m very grateful for my time there.
“It made me a hell of a lot better footballer.
“Every week (Reardon) gave me something to build on, it got me better and better every week.
“I loved every second of it.”
Dohnt, who played for the Eagles while attending Westminster School in Adelaide, will return to South Australia in February to study exercise science at Flinders University.
Until then, he will continue to flourish at Gardens Oval which he says is brimming with inspiring leaders such as senior coach Ryan Ayres, captain Brodie Carroll and James Arratta, his former Under 16 coach.
“The environment around the club is just unreal, everyone wants to help everyone,” Dohnt said, who came through the club’s junior program since Under 12s level.
“The club was always in my blood I suppose.
“(Ayres is) probably the best coach I’ve ever had, his mind for the game is unreal, gives everyone an opportunity.
“I’ve learned so much from playing and training under him.
“The captain Brodie Carroll, he’s been in my ear for years.
“I could name the whole team. It’s an absolutely unreal environment.”
Dohnt, who made his MPL debut in 2020-21, said his effort against Wanderers in a 78-point was one of his best in Men’s Premier League this season, after being shifted from his traditional spot on the wing into a forward pocket position.
“I was given a lot of opportunities and did what I could with them,” he said.
ROUND 6 – STANLEY COX (NIGHTCLIFF TIGERS)
An emerging young Nightcliff defender showed the way for his older colleagues in a disappointing loss to Southern Districts on Saturday, senior coach Chris Baksh says.
Stanley Cox, who played most of his footy in the Under 18s last season, with a sprinkling of senior matches, made his Men’s Premier League debut in the wet against PINT in Round 1 at Nightcliff Oval.
After a Round 2 bye, and starring and showing leadership from centre half back in the reserves the following game, Baksh brought him straight back in for Round 4 against the Tiwi Bombers.
He would record a game-high four one percenters in the Tigers’ 94-point win, which are regarded as either spoils, smothers, blocks and knock ons.
Cox is also currently ranked seventh for the stat at the club, and for spoils, following five games in Men’s Premier League, and is in the top 10 for rebounds from defensive 50.
He then produced 10 touches and three rebounds from defensive 50 in the Tigers’ best win of the season over Waratah, before last weekend’s effort against Southern Districts — toiling hard alongside Ryan Nyhuis and the returning Tom North.
Cox’s efforts would earn him an NT News Rising Star nomination for Round 6.
Baksh rated Cox as Nightcliff’s best afield in the 19-point loss, with its defence missing its key cog, reigning Nichols medallist Daniel Bowles who is currently overseas.
“Our backline is a pretty good team, and he plays well in it,” Baksh said of Cox.
“We were a bit undermanned (on Saturday).
“He’s been a rotation from the bench but he started on the weekend and that’s a real positive for him.
“He’s found his place.”
Baksh said Cox was a dedicated trainer who had a thirst for knowledge, with former Fremantle Docker Nyhuis becoming something of a mentor for the teenager.
“He never misses a training,” he said.
“He gets the job done, he’s a quiet lad but he really wants to learn.
“Ryan has taken him under his wing.”
ROUND 5 – TRISTAN SINGH-LIPPO (TIWI BOMBERS)
An emerging Tiwi Bombers speedster was on coach Brenton Toy’s radar long before he played his first senior game in the black and red.
Tristan Singh-Lippo has put together a tidy body of work so far in Men’s Premier League after making his debut in Round 1 against Palmerston with a 13-possession, two-goal game – plus four inside 50s – and was among the team’s best players.
Then, on Saturday against PINT, on return from suspension, he was equally effective, picking up 10 touches, three inside 50s and an important “something out of nothing” goal in the first half which gave Tiwi belief they could record their first win in nearly three years.
The Bombers had not tasted victory in Men’s Premier League since February, 2020.
And alongside the likes of Dion Munkara, the Bombers were too pacy for the Greenants at Bathurst Island, and were never seriously challenged after a match-defining 4.4 to 1.3 second quarter.
Singh-Lippo, who played five games for Darwin Buffaloes Under 18s last season, has had an interrupted start to the season after being suspended for two games for rough conduct against St Mary’s in Round 2.
However, Toy said he had been watching the teenager since his junior days at Nightcliff, and got in contact after he heard Singh-Lippo had moved back to Garden Point, after completing high school.
Toy put the feelers out, reaching out to a family member and Tigers coach Chris Baksh to say the pace merchant was on his radar.
“To Nightcliff’s credit they were really supportive, they just wanted him to play football, no matter where he’s at,” Toy said, who had been talking up Singh-Lippo as a key recruit before the season started.
“I recognised he was a talent, for a small guy he’s very powerful, he gets good purchase on his kicks.
“He’s still very raw in terms of his development
“He has got terrific physical ability, great game understanding, a tremendous amount of confidence in his own ability … he likes to back himself.
“He’s got a lot of work to do, no doubt, but he’s got a lot of signs to show he can be a player of the future.”
ROUND 4 – ANDREW GREEN (PALMERSTON MAGPIES)
Winning his one on ones and working hard for the contested ball has earned Tennant Creek product Andrew Green the Round 4 NT News Rising Star nomination.
The 18-year-old left-footer has proven himself a keen talent in the Palmerston Magpies backline with his speed out of the backline, often leaving his opponents for dead.
Green made his NTFL Men’s Premier League debut in the 2021-22 season after strong showings with Spitfires (BRAFL) and Pioneer (CAFL) throughout his junior career.
And in the off-season he took his game down south to ply his trade with Oakleigh.
He has also played with NT Thunder in the NAB League impressing at an interstate level.
The move down south has already paid dividends for him at Palmerston in season 2022-23 keeping himself busy each week.
And with some big names alongside him in the backline, such as Neville Jetta and Ashton Hams, he has had no shortage of valuable teachers.
Against Waratah, he was among the Maggies side that came to life in the second half, chasing down the contested ball and doing everything they could to claw the game back.
Coach Josh Heath called Green one of the young players the Magpies were building around for seasons to come with his coachability and decision making among his major assets.
“He’s one of those defenders you can give a job to and he locks down his opponent,” Heath said.
“He wins his one-on-one contests, has good decision making coming out of defence and hits his targets.
“I’m really happy with the way he’s progressing this season. He will turn himself into a really strong defender in the coming seasons.
“Wherever he applies his trade he will be fantastic, he’s very coachable, he listens and then is able to execute on game day.”
Palmerston next face-off against Wanderers at Cazalys Arena where they will be hoping to correct the slow starts of recent weeks.
Against PINT, Nightcliff and Waratah, the Magpies were forced to come back in the second half after succumbing to deficits in the first half.
“We’ve identified that we need to work on our starts as we know we can run out games in the second half,” Heath said.
“We’re still meshing together as a unit, we have a lot of young ids playing but our game plan is coming together, and we’ll find at some point soon we will click.”
ROUND 3 – TOM BOUSTEAD (SOUTHERN DISTRICTS)
A promising switch from defence to the midfield for Southern Districts young gun Tom Boustead this season has been helped along by a wealth of experience at his disposal down at Freds Pass.
While not quite prolific with the ball as other Croc teammates so far in 2022-23 – the 18-year-old has racked up two nine-possession games and a solid number of tackles – Boustead is learning from some of the best in the business in a remodelled Men’s Premier League team.
His efforts have earned him a Round 3 NT News Rising Star nomination.
Districts appear a significantly different side to the outfit which suffered a 12-point elimination loss to Wanderers last season at TIO Stadium, drafting in the likes of former AFL midfielder Cam Ellis-Yolmen, Matt Shannon (Carlton VFL), Kaine Stevens (West Adelaide), Kai Pudney (Woodville-West Torrens) and ex-Palmerston gun ruckman Matt Dennis.
He said with tireless captain Dean Staunton and the “unreal” Frazer Driscoll also being a huge help in his development, there was plenty of experience to draw upon in coach Shannon Rusca’s “team-first” outfit.
It has started the season in style with wins against Wanderers and league leaders Waratah so far.
Boustead has also benefited from his first senior season interstate, albeit short, playing four games with South Cairns in the AFL Cairns competition in 2022.
“There’s experience everywhere you look, it makes it pretty easy for me,” Boustead told the NT News.
“(Driscoll is) an exceptional leader, on and off the field.
“I’m usually in the midfield with Dean which is nice, he’s got a lot of experience under his belt.
“I’m playing as much as I can and doing as much for the team as I can.
“We’re jelling really early, which is good.”
The former Prince Alfred College student, who will study to be a surveyor, won a Rising Star nomination last season for his skills in defence, after standing former AFL champion Eddie Betts in Round 11 at Norbuilt Oval.
Crocs Under 18s coach Alister Young then praised Boustead’s decision making and leadership skills.
ROUND 2 – ETHAN BOWDEN (ST MARY’S)
A full season with St Kevin’s Old Boys down in Melbourne during the off-season has helped take St Mary’s rookie Ethan Bowden’s game to a new level.
The 18-year-old, who moved to Melbourne at the start of last year to finish his VCE, played 14 matches at Premier Reserves level in the Victorian Amateur Football League in 2022.
And the experience has paid dividends, with Bowden, who started on a wing last Saturday, slotting four goals in a 154-point demolition of Tiwi Bombers in Round 2 of Men’s Premier League at Gardens Oval — ensuring his NT News Rising Star nomination.
It was Tiwi’s biggest loss since a 190-point belting at the hands of Wanderers in January, 2021.
And it was Bowden’s second Rising Star nod, after playing three Premier League matches in 2021-22 and scoring a nom after his Round 18 performance — a 117-point flogging of the Muk Muks where he scored a goal.
Bowden, nephew of Territorian Richmond players Joel, Sean and Patrick, said he felt a lot more confident at the level after a full season of VAFA football, and “relished” the opportunity of testing himself against more seasoned opponents.
“I feel a lot better,” Bowden said, a teacher’s aid at Woodroffe Primary School.
“I played with men the whole time (in the VAFA), so I’ve adjusted to bigger bodies.
“I feel a lot more comfortable at the level … I love being out there.”
Bowden’s quartet helped the Saints bounce back in a big way after a 101-point mauling at the hands of Waratah in the opening round.
“The message was still pretty positive from (coach) Chopper,” Bowden said.
“’Let it go now and focus on the next week’, and that’s what we did, we came out firing, looking for a bit of redemption.
“I’ve never been in a game where we’ve won by that much before.”
He was moved into a small forward role in the second half after an injury to Mitch Musgrove, slotting back-to-back majors, and three in total, in the final term.
The son of former Port Melbourne footballer and Melbourne first grade cricketer Kane, Ethan moved back to the Territory about a month ago to “keep my footy rolling”.
He said his overall fitness allowed him to finish the Gardens game strong in stifling conditions.
“I feel like I’m pretty fit so I’m able to run out the games,” Bowden said, who plans to study a double degree next year in business and banking and finance at Monash University.
ROUND 1 – PHOENIX JOE POOL (NIGHTCLIFF TIGERS)
Some strong performances at Division 1 level last season, and in a practice match during pre-season, was enough to convince Nightcliff coach Chris Baksh that teenage talent Phoenix Joe Pool was primed for a Round 1 debut.
And during a soggy game against PINT, the 16-year-old proved himself against the bigger bodies and earned himself the first NT News Rising Star nomination of the 2022-23 season.
Making his debut alongside fellow teenager Adrian Scott, the Mount Isa product kicked two opportunistic goals against PINT in a low scoring affair.
In one of the match’s few highlights, the youngster slid-in and soccered the ball off the ground among a mass of bodies in the goalsquare in the final quarter.
There was also a one-handed pick up on the wing which helped set up a further six-pointer, plus a clever snap in the second term.
Baksh said a three-goal game against Southern Districts last season pushed Joe Pool’s case, with the club having a rule to give young players a run in Division 1 first to see how they go against bigger bodies.
Joe Pool’s talents have been on the league’s radar, playing in the NT Thunder Under 16s team at the AFL National Development Championships in June against Tasmania.
Baksh was also impressed by Joe Pool’s overhead marking and general pressure in a practice match agasint PINT last month.
“It just showed he could play against men,” Baksh said of those performances.
“If they match it with the men they get a chance.”
The premiership coach was also a fan of Joe Pool’s character, and he would bring some “young flair” and X Factor to the squad, he believed.
“He’s a good kid,” he said.
“He’s going to school and doing all the right things, he’ll be good for our group as well.
“He’s really stepped up.
“Hopefully he can find his feet in our team.”
Other strong young performers from the opening round of the 2022-23 NTFL include Tristan Singh-Lippo from Tiwi Bombers and Joe Pool’s fellow Nightcliff debutant Scott.
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Originally published as All the NT News Rising Star nominations for the 2022-23 NTFL season
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