The NT News looks at the stats and matches from Round 5 of the 2021-22 NTFL season

It was another exciting round of Top End footy in round 5 of the NTFL with plenty of top draw performances. And all the individual and team stats are here for you to enjoy.

ROUND 5 of the 2021-22 NTFL season threw up four more games of exciting Top End footy action.

And all the individual and team stats are here for you to enjoy.

ROUND 5 STATS

TIWI BOMBERS VS WARATAH

DARWIN BUFFALOES VS NIGHTCLIFF TIGERS

SOUTHERN DISTRICTS VS WANDERERS

PALMERSTON MAGPIES VS ST MARY’S

Waratah proved too strong for the Tiwi Bombers at Gardens Oval with their usual performers in Brodie Carroll, Rob Turnbull and the Collis brothers Will and Dylan turning up the heat.

At Norbuilt Oval it was Wanderers who came out on top halting the Harry Taylor party for Southern Districts.

ROUND 5 LIVESTREAMS

Tiwi Bombers vs Waratah at Gardens Oval

Darwin Buffaloes vs Nightcliff Tigers at TIO Stadium

Southern Districts vs Wanderers at Norbuilt Oval

Palmerston Magpies vs St Mary’s at TIO Stadium Oval 2

Over at TIO Stadium it was Nightcliff who survived an early charge from the Darwin Buffaloes to stay top of the table.

And St Mary’s outlasted Palmerston on Sunday to run the winners at TIO Stadium Oval 2.

St Mary’s outlast feisty Palmerston outfit

ST MARY’S were made to work for their 23-point win over a gallant Palmerston at TIO Stadium on Sunday.

The Saints looked in control of the Round 5 clash midway through the second quarter, but five first half goals by big Magpie spearhead Daniel Stafford and some dynamic wing play from last season’s league Rising Star Ryan Warfe got them back in the game.

Nick Yarran was a constant thorn in the side of the Magpies with his ability to hunt down the football and get it to his forwards, even helping himself to two majors in the process.

Elsewhere Jacob Long was superb in the last line of defence and Pioneer (CAFL) product Shawn Foster showed he has the skill and aerobic capacity to mix it at AFL level.

The Saints were left with three players on the interchange bench from early in the second quarter when their skipper Nate Paredes was forced from the ground with concussion.

That was later reduced to two when Jack Kluske left the ground with a broken nose.

But they still had plenty of ball magnets through the middle, Shannon Rioli in game No.199, Josh Cheek and the ageless Henry Labastida were three Saints who created a lot of chances for their forwards.

St Mary’s outlasted a strong Palmerston side in round 5. Picture: Amanda Parkinson

Long said the Magpies had come to play and forced the issue right down to the final siren.

“It was pretty hard in the first quarter, they didn’t come easy at us,’’ he said. “There were a few punches thrown and bodies hitting hard.

“We knew they were going to do that, they’ve been in good form this year, but we got on top in the last quarter when our fitness ran over them.

“One player les son on the bench and Nate off the ground was a big loss for us, but we stood up for our captain.’’

The Magpies lost no friends with their fighting loss, Warfe’s performance and that of veteran Alwyn Davey and the big marking Stafford made them a formidable opposition.

Better news is the debut of former Carlton and Adelaide goalsneak Eddie Betts in next week’s Berrimah Line Cup clash with rivals Southern Districts.

The 640-goal forward with both clubs played the role of team runner for the Magpies in Sunday’s game as he works to get some run in his legs before the Districts clash.

ST MARY’S 3.5 8.5 10.5 14.5 (89)

PALMERSTON 3.0 6.1 8.6 10.6 (66)

GOALS — StM: N Yarran 2 J Kluske 2 T Woods 2 S Foster 2 S Rioli J Gallaher G McMurtrie Z Robinson J Cheek S Tyson. Palm: D Stafford 5 D Corbett M Sutton B Ugle B McMahon K Groves.

BEST — StM: N Yarran Jacob Long S Foster G Gallus T Woods. Palm: R Warfe D Stafford W Rowbottom Alwyn Davey C Williams.

Nightcliff survive Buffaloes surge to remain top of the table

NIGHTCLIFF Tigers survived an early surge from a battling Darwin Buffaloes outfit to run out the 18.8 (116) to 12.5 (77) winners at TIO Stadium.

It was Buffaloes that started the better of the two sides bringing all the running and intensity early on with all eyes on not allowing Tigers an early break.

They were rewarded fairly quickly with goals from Anzac Lochowiak and Cassian Sambono.

It was the work of Ben Archard in the ruck that stood out the most with the big man carrying on his dominance in the ruck, stifling opportunities for his opposition.

But for all the Buffs’ effort Nightcliff eventually forced their way into the contest with young gun Wade Derksen getting the side on the board followed by goals from Tom North and Liam Holt-Fitz.

Nightcliff kicked on from there with Holt-Fitz picking up four second-quarter goals while Cam Ilett showed his game sense playing a main supply role for his forwards.

Liam Holt Fitz kicked five goals in a thrilling display against the Darwin Buffaloes. Picture Glenn Campbell

Buffaloes responded out of the gates in the third quarter with Mihail Lochowiak getting a quick one, while Luke Roberts managed a snap goal under pressure to narrow the margin.

Mihail Lochowiak showed his strength and pace not long after running through the experienced Tigers defence to set the veteran Matt Campbell up for his first goal of the night.

Once again however the double blues were made to rue their missed chances with Nightcliff taking every chance they could to slot in a score.

And two Tigers goals within the first minute and a half of the fourth quarter for Kyle Emery and North all but put the final nails in the coffin.

Coach Chris Baksh was pleased to come away with the win pointing out the performances of some of his younger stars.

“We’re pleased with the win particularly with all of the younger guys we had out there,” Baksh said.

“There’s a few guys still finding their feet and we know we still have a bit to work on but I was really impressed with the work rate of guys like Holt-Fitz.

“It’s good to have pressure games now and defensively we want to get better than that. But that’s something we will work on in training and get better at.”

Scores:

Buffaloes: 3.1 3.2 8.5 12.5 (77)

Nightcliff: 3.3 8.5 11.6 18.8 (116)

Goals:

Buffaloes: M Campbell 3 A Lochowiak 2 M Lochowiak L Roberts C Sambano A Darcy T Clarke J Stokes T Eldridge

Nightcliff: L Holt-Fitz 5 K Emery 4 T Melville 3 T North 2 T Evans 2 W Derksen S Wilson

Best:

Buffaloes: B Archard M Lochowiak B Stokes J Stokes T Eldridge

Nightcliff: L Holt-Fitz W Derksen J Jones D Bowles K Emery

Wanderers spoil the Taylor party with 61-point win

WANDERERS gatecrashed the Harry Taylor show at Fred’s Pass on Saturday, running the former Cats’ Districts side ragged with a 61-point win.

The Eagles were too quick, hunted in numbers and displayed exquisite foot skills in an 18.9 (117) to 7.14 (56) win that would have made the rest of the competition take notice.

The defensive line of Mitchell Taylor, Daniel Weetra, Lloyd Johnston and Brodie Newman was the springboard that set up several Wanderers goals and kept big marking Districts forward Taylor and Jake McQueen quiet for most of the day.

The Eagles built on a two-goal lead at the first lemon break before exploding in the second and third terms with five and seven-goal bursts.

Both quarters represented the best of Wanderers. The pacy breakaway, precise foot passing to teammates and the ability to hunt down opponents when they had the ball.

Wanderers had big Ed Simpson as a marking option up forward and he did not let the side down with all three majors in the first term and five for the match.

That was without key forward Darren Shillabeer (unavailable) and prolific ball winner Beau O’Connell (general soreness).

Wanderers upset the Harry Taylor party at Norbuilt Oval. Picture: Glenn Campbell

It was a crucial win for the Eagles who grabbed a temporary hold on third spot with the win and winnable games against the Tiwi Bombers, Darwin Buffaloes and Districts again in Round 8 in the next three weeks.

Coach Aaron Motlop pointed to his side’s defensive work as the main factor in the win.

“We didn’t allow Districts to have time with the footy, something we spoke about before the game in having that constant pressure around the ball,’’ he said.

“That helped our backline out a lot, even though the players back there form a very good unit for the footy club.

“I’m super stoked, the guys to their credit played some fantastic footy today.’’

Districts were often caught out by the number of Wanderers players around the ball and their defensive work on Taylor and McQueen when they did get the ball forward.

Taylor was often bustled off the ball by close checking opponents Weetra and Newman, but the 280-game Geelong star showed enough to suggest he will be a major weapon for Districts as his match appearances start to mount up.

WANDERERS 3.4 8.4 15.7 18.9 (117)

S’DISTRICTS 1.5 2.10 3.10 7.14 (56)

GOALS — Wand: E Simpson 5 D Thompson 3 K Fejo 2 D Clee 2 L Patrick 2 J Motlop M Totham J Priest M Motlop. Dist: J Ross 2 L Williams J Sexton H Taylor J McQueen D Staunton.

BEST — Wand: M Taylor D Weetra D Thompson J Priest L Johnston. Dist: J Ross M Bowden C McAdam J Sexton.