Melbourne and the Gold Coast are looking for opponents as a decision on NT AFL games nears

AFLNT boss Stuart Totham is confident Darwin and Alice Springs will host AFL premiership matches this year — with the Gold Coast Suns and Melbourne as home teams

Gold Coast Sun Ben King competes for the ball during the Suns’ 44-point win over West Coast in Round 2. Picture: Dave Hunt/AAP

AFLNT boss Stuart Totham is confident Darwin and Alice Springs will host AFL premiership matches this year — with the Gold Coast Suns and Melbourne as home teams.

But who they will be playing after the COVID-19 pandemic shirtfronted the original 2020 season draw is up for grabs.

St Kilda and Adelaide were originally pencilled in as opponents for the Suns and Demons before the pandemic threw the fixture into chaos.

Totham is confident the Territory will get at least two fixtures with the same home teams — Gold Coast in Darwin and Melbourne in Alice Springs.

“It’s a very complex fixture at the moment with travel restrictions in Western Australia and South Australia and hubs in Queensland,’’ he said.

“There are still a lot of variables there, but in terms of who else is playing in Darwin and Alice and the chances of hosting a Dreamtime Game in the NT, we just don’t know.

“We’ve thrown some curly ones out there for people to think about and the reality is, you’ve got to be in the conversation and we definitely are.

“If there was ever a better opportunity to get teams like Collingwood, Richmond or Essendon involved in games up here now is the time, because there are no crowds.’’

Meanwhile, Totham and his executive are looking at recommendations from the league’s By-Laws subcommittee on the makeup of the contentious Premier Grade player points system.

The maximum 16 points on matchdays is under review, together with input from the eight clubs on any scope for change.

“The By-Laws subcommittee with chairman Lincoln Jenkin and representatives of the clubs will conduct a thorough review of the rules, including the points system and send back recommendations to the league executive,’’ Totham said.

“The clubs only used an average 12 to 13 points a match last season and while there has been talk about helping teams that have been out of the finals for some time reduce points, there has been no decision reached on that subject.’’

Another complex issue, the 2020-21 NTFL draw and aligning clubs with all of their senior and junior sides on matchdays, is expected to be released at the end of July.

“The fixtures should be a lot easier to follow this season,’’ Totham said. “They weren’t particularly good for the clubs last year, who struggled with the stretch on volunteers across multiple venues.

“It’s why we’ve put a lot of work into it this year and I think you’ll see, in terms of club alignment, the best fixture for some time.’’