New Saints skipper Nathaniel Paredes: How we’ll turn around our NTFL grand final heartbreak

Saints’ new skipper has opened up on how much losing the past two grand finals to arch rivals Nightcliff hurt him, and how he plans to get the Green Machine back to the top of the NTFL.

EVER since winning the NT News Player of the Year award in the 2016-17 season, St Mary’s midfielder Nathaniel Paredes has been a superstar of Territory football.

But he will remain humble and approachable in his new captaincy role at the Green Machine, after accepting the honour on Saturday.

“I don’t want to be seen as bigger or better than anyone here. I’m just another player and I’ll try to lead by example,” he said.

“And there will be room for some of our younger players to join the leadership group. Jacob Long, Lachie Taylor and Nick Yarran come to mind.

New Saints skipper Nathaniel Paredes wants to lead just like the way he always has – by putting his body on the line. Picture: Che Chorley

“Nick is an awesome talent and I’d love to see him develop into a leader.”

Paredes will have able assistants in vice-captains Kieren Parnell and Jackson Calder.

“Kieren can definitely be our next captain – he leads from the front on the training track and in games,” Paredes said.

“And Jackson took his game to another level in the finals last season. (Previous captains) Shannon Rioli
and Raph Clarke were great communicators who set a great example, as well as the guys before them like Peter MacFarlane, John Anstess and Iggy Vallejo – they set high standards.

“It (losing the past two grand finals to Nightcliff) has been very hard. We want to win flags at this club – that’s what you play for.”

New St Mary’s vice-captain and star forward, Jackson Calder. Picture: Che Chorley

Paredes identified Ryan McMurray as a Division 1 player who can step up to Premier League level this season.

And the new Saints skipper believes super consistent Ben Brown – who won the club’s under-18 best-and-fairest award last season – can also play at the top level in 2021-22.

The durable midfielder added Josh Cheek and Taylor have been leading the way in pre-season training sessions.

After Paredes was announced as Saints’ new captain on Saturday, he then played in the 2021 Norzone Premier League Grand Final for University, his Azzurri side losing 2-1 to Mindil Aces, who won their second consecutive championship.

“I think it was the team’s first grand final – we had an awesome year and it’s a great club to play for,” the attacking midfielder said.

“The grand final could’ve gone either way. Michael Roditis is a great coach – he’s very passionate about the game.”

MEANWHILE, St Mary’s confirmed the signings of CAFL flag winners, Rovers stars Nigel Lockyer Jr and Tyson Woods, on Monday night.

Woods kicked 54 goals in Rovers’ 2021 premiership-winning campaign, with Lockyer Jr kicking 53, that tally including nine in his side’s 51-point win over West in the grand final on September 11.

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EARLIER: He has said in the past he is not the most vocal of senior players, but new St Mary’s captain Nathaniel Paredes displayed his unselfish qualities at the club’s senior men’s leadership announcements on Saturday.

Paredes – a workhorse and super durable midfielder – was unveiled as the Green Machine’s skipper for the 2021-22 NTFL season.

His vice-captains will be Kieren Parnell and Jackson Calder in a changing of the guard, after previous co-captains Shannon Rioli and Raph Clarke stepped down.

Not knowing who would be announced in Saints’ leadership group, Paredes was asked by coach Anthony Vallejo to address his players.

And immediately he put his teammates first.

New St Mary’s captain Nathaniel Paredes. Picture: Che Chorley

“We’ve got opportunities to develop the leadership group even further. So over the next few weeks there will be opportunities for others to step up and show that responsibility,” he said, encouraging the stack of young Saints players to follow his lead.

But behind Paredes’ calm demeanour is a fierce desire to win a flag this season, with Saints finishing runners-up to Nightcliff in the past two NTFL grand finals.

“Everyone in this group can be a leader, so let’s put our hands up during the year so we can develop the side and get redemption,” he said.

Vallejo was delighted with the captaincy group that he announced.

“With these blokes, they lead by example. Nate has done a lot of work with the club over the past couple of years, whether it be with juniors or helping kids out on his own, same with Kieren,” he told his players.

“These three blokes are role models you can look up to.”

Clarke revealed to the NT News in August that he would vacate his co-captaincy role, before endorsing Parnell.

“I want to help one of our younger fellas step up, and I think Kieren Parnell is ready to take on my role,” he said at the time.

New St Mary’s vice-captain Kieren Parnell. Picture: Felicity Elliott/AFLNT Media

Parnell enjoyed a fine 2020-21 season and, like Paredes and Calder, is a team-first man.

“I’ve just been playing my role down back,” he said back in January.

“Just focusing on beating my man, and if I do that then I’m doing my job.”

And Calder has never been one to soak up individual glory.

“Good teamwork up the ground put me in good one-on-one situations and set me up (to kick seven goals),” he said after helping Saints to a 27-point win over Wanderers in the 2020-21 preliminary final back in March.

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HE is set to take plenty of pressure off mentor Anthony Vallejo, and it’s a role new St Mary’s coaching director Andrew Wills is counting his lucky stars over after a handful of nervous, pain-filled hours in remote parts of the Territory.

Wills was driving back to Darwin from Tennant Creek with a group of Clontarf students when he thought he was “feeling crook in the guts”.

But it was much worse than that. “We got to Daly Waters and thankfully we had two vehicles – so I could drive one back with the students in the other one,” Wills said.

“Luckily I made it back to Darwin, but then I didn’t feel like picking up my kids from school and my wife thought that was odd.

“I checked into the emergency room and needed to have my appendix taken out.

“I’ve just recovered from it so I’m looking forward to my new role at the club.”

Wills – formerly Vallejo’s assistant – will run a close eye over Saints’ junior coaches and offer his advice where necessary.

“I’ll be helping Chopper (Vallejo) on the bench, but focusing on our junior teams,” Wills said. “It’s exciting because we’ve got a young coach Jarrod Livingstone looking after our under-18s team and Peter Atkinson is involved with our juniors as well.

“Someone like Jarrod is going really well so far, but I’ll give him my two bob’s worth if he needs it.”

Wills believes the Green Machine is not far off a premiership flag.

That is particularly the case after pushing three-time reigning premiers Nightcliff all the way in the 2020-21 NTFL grand final. In arguably the greatest Territory football title decider of all time, the star-studded Tigers won an extra-time thriller by seven points.

“And you go back to the (2018-19 season) and we finished with the wooden spoon before Chopper took over,” Wills said.

“Then we made a grand final the next season, and (last season) we almost beat a red-hot Nightcliff side.”