Players ‘shattered’ as NT Thunder scrapped moving forward

THE axing of NT Thunder at both NEAFL and VFLW level has left players ‘shattered’ according to club co-captain Abe Ankers

Just four years after claiming the NEAFL premiership, NT Thunder will no longer be a part of the competition.

The axing of NT Thunder at both NEAFL and VFLW level has left players ‘shattered’ according to club co-captain Abe Ankers.

It was announced late last week that NT Thunder would be scrapped moving forward, with AFLNT confirming the club would disband.

The decision comes as AFLNT are reviewing operations with a goal of getting more Territory players on AFL lists, leaving the NT without a men’s or women’s representative side.

Ankers, who starred for Thunder in 2019 resulting in him being named captain of the NEAFL team of the year, said the news comes as a kick in the guts for players.

2019 Thunder co-captain Abe Ankers is just one of a host of players who have been left ‘shattered’ by the decision to scrap the NT Thunder club. Picture: AFLNT

“I’m absolutely shattered,” Ankers told the Centralian Advocate. “Obviously being co-captain of the club this year with Shannon Rioli, that meant an absolute great deal to me and him as it did to all of the players.

“We’re all pretty shattered to know that we’re not going to be playing.

“Every time you pull on that jumper you really felt special, you felt like you were a big part of the Territory and felt great pride.

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“To know that we don’t get that, it does really suck to say the least.

“I’m very grateful though to even play one game let alone the amount I did and to captain the side, I’ll forever be proud of that. It was a pretty sad day for myself and for Territory footy in general.”

The withdrawal of NT Thunder from both competitions leaves the Territory’s top talent without an avenue to play elite football in their home state with Ankers saying that could have a negative impact on the sport as a whole.

“I think time will tell, Obviously (AFLNT) want a pathway for players to get to the AFL,” he said.

“I think we’ll see in the coming years how that will pan out.

“You can only imagine when players get to the ages of 18 or 19 and they want to better themselves, they’re ultimately going to have to move either from Alice or Darwin.

“That’s probably going to hurt senior footy around the Territory as a whole, I think it’ll probably hurt that a fair bit.

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“You want to see players continue to develop past the age of 18.

“Players don’t reach their peak at 18, they reach it at 27, 30 or 32.

“It’s a tricky one and time will tell, but you have to imagine more players will be leaving the Territory.”