Darwin’s St John’s Catholic College has produced five Norm Smith medallists

IT’S a little school tucked away on the edge of Darwin’s CBD, but its feats in the football world are nothing short of spectacular

IT’S a little school tucked away on the edge of Darwin’s CBD, but its feats in the football world are nothing short of spectacular.

The AFL has awarded only 39 Norm Smith Medals for the best player on the ground in an AFL grand final. Six of those have gone to a former student of Darwin’s St John’s Catholic College.

Maurice Rioli, Michael Long, Andrew McLeod – who won the medal twice – Nathan Buckley and Cyril “Junior Boy” Rioli all went to the school before they starred on football’s biggest stage.

The school’s hoping it might have another Norm Smith Medallist come Saturday night. Daniel Rioli attended St John’s in 2010 and 2011 before moving to Melbourne.

His starring four-goal performance in Richmond’s preliminary final saw his odds shorten for the medal.

But even if he doesn’t etch his name in the history books, the future still looks bright for this unofficial AFL academy.

Among its current students are Tennant Creek product Liam Holt-Fitz, who is already on the radar of AFL clubs, and a kid by the name of Maurice Rioli Junior.

Maurice Junior, 15, has already spent time at Richmond, where his late father won the Norm Smith in 1982.

“A couple of weeks ago I came back from there, they’re giving me a couple of drills and fitness stuff that I’ve been doing every Monday after school,” he said.

“I just want to know how to kick on my left, my left’s not that good, my dad was a left footer but I’m a right footer.”