Last season’s NTFL Palmerston Magpies captain Matt Dennis: Plenty of benefits for Territory if NT Government lets in Eddie Betts

They say sport and politics don’t mix, but the message from last season’s Palmerston captain to our policy makers is clear – roll out the red carpet for a Carlton legend.

THEY say sport and politics don’t mix, but the message from last season’s Palmerston captain Matt Dennis to our policy makers is clear – roll out the red carpet for Eddie Betts.

With the NT News all but confirming the strong rumour that the Carlton legend is set to sign for the Magpies for the 2021-22 NTFL season, only one thing now stands in his way – will the NT Government let him in?

Carlton legend Eddie Betts poses for a photo with his teammates, while they wore special tribute shirts acknowledging his 350th and final game, on August 17. He’s set to have this same positive club-wide influence at Palmerston. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

With Betts only just finishing his magnificent AFL career at the Blues, he could now be faced with a few hurdles to jump over in order to temporarily move to Darwin and take up employment with AIME.

AIME is an initiative which mentors remote Indigenous people headed up by former Geelong premiership winner and his good mate, Mathew Stokes.

Right now, metropolitan Melbourne is still listed as a hotspot for people who live or who have visited there, and who wish to enter the Territory.

It could mean Betts would have to fill out an Approval to enter the Northern Territory form, and then have to undertake two weeks of mandatory quarantine at Howard Springs.

With employment at Stokes’ organisation in the offing and the chance to positively affect so many young lives, plenty of Territory footy fans will be hoping that Betts will be prepared to quarantine.

But will he be let in by the NT Government?

You’d struggle to name a person in the Territory football community who wouldn’t want it to happen, including last season’s Magpies skipper Dennis.

Last season’s Palmerston skipper Matt Dennis believes Eddie Betts playing for his club in the 2021-22 NTFL season would have massive benefits across the Territory. Picture: Felicity Elliott/AFLNT

“Having Eddie at Palmerston would be good for everyone,” he said.

“Especially at our club where so many of our young players would learn off him.

“It would be enormous and really lift the spirits of our players. We’d all be excited to play alongside him, including myself. He’s very much someone who would fit into our club culture.

“Having Eddie here will help build the interest in the NTFL Australia-wide and really put the competition on the map. I haven’t heard anything concrete (about Betts going to Palmerston) but from what I’ve heard I’m confident he’ll be playing for us.”