Nightcliff on-baller Phillip Wills wins another Nichols Medal for the barnstorming NTFL Tigers

NIGHTCLIFF struck the first blow in the lead-up to Saturday’s NTFL Grand Final when on-baller Phillip Wills won his first Nichols Medal at SkyCity Casino last night.

Phillip Wills shows the skill and determination that won him the prestigious Nichaols Medal as the NTFL’s best player in season 2018-19. Picture: Glenn Campbell

NIGHTCLIFF struck the first blow in the lead-up to Saturday’s NTFL Grand Final when on-baller Phillip Wills won his first Nichols Medal at SkyCity Casino last night.

Wills is the fourth Tiger in the last eight seasons to win the coveted medal, leaving it late by grabbing the maximum three votes in the last game of the home and away season to claim the NTFL’s top honour.

Wills had finished runner-up on three previous occasions and was elated to finally get the medal placed around his neck.

The second-year Tiger polled 20 votes to finish three clear of his former teammate at the Darwin Buffaloes’, co-captain Jarrod Stokes and Southern Districts’ midfielder Clinton Gallio.

Wills did not poll a vote until his side’s Round 8 win over Palmerston to trail early leaders Cameron Ilett, Stokes, Gallio and Southern Districts’ Dean Staunton.

But he flew home from there, polling six best on ground votes in the next 10 games to win the medal.

Districts half forward Staunton finished fourth on 14 votes, one ahead of last season’s medal winner Cameron Ilett St Mary’s ace Nathaniel Paredes, who tied for fifth with 13 votes.

Pre-count favourite Matthew Dennis polled eight votes to finish wel lback in equal ninth place.

A three-way tie looked the logical result at the completion of Round 17 with Gallio, Stokes and Wills on 17 votes after his single vote in Nightcliff’s win over Wanderers.

But Stokes and Gallio did not poll in their club’s big losses to Waratah and Nightcliff, leaving the door open for Wills to win the medal with any number of votes.

Wills’ three votes in his side’s 15-goal win over Districts at PSC BM Oval saw the big crowd erupt in thunderous applause.

His teammate and reigning medallist Cameron Ilett looked odds on to win a third medal when he charged out of the blocks, grabbing two best on ground performances in the first two games and nine votes by the end of Round 5.

Wills receives return airfares for two to Melbourne and two tickets to the 2019 Toyota AFL Grand Final in September in a joint arrangement between Virgin Australia and the AFL.

On the women’s side, 19-year-old Palmerston Magpie Janet Baird won the Gwynne Medal and airfares and tickets to the grand final when she claimed 23 votes in 13 games to beat last year’s medallist, Waratah’s Lisa Roberts, by two votes.

Baird’s run off half back impressed the judges, with her good work turning defence into scoring opportunities for the Magpies.

Darwin Buffaloes’ young guns Malcolm Rosas and Mattea Breed were rewarded for their impressive form in the Premier League by taking home the NT News Rising Star and Women’s Premier League Rising Star awards.