Darwin Brothers will look to make a mark agaisnt Northern Sharks in last match before finals

DARWIN Brothers coach Leon Cleal is looking for a strong, consistent performance from his young charges when they face Sharks in the final round of the NRL NT A-grade regular season

Isaac Seden-Kurnoth has been a young standout for Brothers in 2020. Picture: GLENN CAMPBELL

DARWIN Brothers coach Leon Cleal is looking for a strong, consistent performance from his young charges when they face Sharks in the final round of the NRL NT A-grade regular season.

Brothers played out a methodical, controlled 64-0 win over South Darwin in Round 9, a match that saw NTFL star Rodney Baird score three tries.

The side has come into its own in recent weeks with a Round 8 34-10 win over Nightcliff also sure to inspire confidence heading into finals.

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“I was happy with how controlled we were through the contest,” Cleal told the NT News.

“We stuck to our process and there were very little errors from our point of view. Our efforts in defence and around the ruck were equally impressive and we will want more of the same.

“We’re building well towards finals but it can always be a challenge to muster a consistent performance each week, particularly from a younger squad.”

Brothers’ trust in their younger stocks will show again in the upcoming match against Sharks with 17-year-old CJ Perkins making his senior debut.

He will join fellow under-18s in the A-grade ranks which include Elijah Coombes, Kenneth O’Connor and full back Isaac Sedan-Kurnoth who Cleal rates as the rookie of the season.

Sharks will hope to replicate their second half performance in their 48-8 loss to Bears which saw Mark Williams score twice when Litchfield faltered late in the game.

“Sharks are always a difficult side to play. They never go away and just keep coming at you so we will have to be on guard for that,” Cleal said.

“We need to limit our errors as much as we can, stick to our game plan and keep the ball rolling as we go forward.

“I’m always confident in our younger guys and they come in on merit. They wouldn’t play in A-grade unless we wanted them in, they’re never there to make up numbers.”

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Meanwhile in other A-grade action Palmerston will look to see out the regular season undefeated when they take on bottom side South Darwin.

And the Litchfield Bears will look to continue their finals momentum when they take on Nightcliff.

On the women’s side of the competition Palmerston face-off against South Darwin while Nightcliff will hope to bounce back from a Round 9 defeat when they face Litchfield.