All the ups and downs from Round 10 of the 2023-24 NTFL season
Just two wins separate the top six sides in what has been a thrilling competition so far. We take a look at all the big talking points from Round 10 of the 2023-24 NTFL season.
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The men’s premier league tightening at the top, Nightcliff’s defensive supremacy and one side now staring down the barrel of missing finals are the big Round 10 NTFL talking points.
PINT, Nightcliff, Southern Districts and Wanderers were the victors in the Men’s Premier League.
Meanwhile, PINT, St Mary’s, Waratah and Palmerston came out on top in the Women’s Premier League.
Nightcliff hold the wood over rivals
Not only are Nightcliff the only side to have beaten St Mary’s this season, now they’ve done it twice.
Saints were blazing away at the top of the table with a seven-game winning streak under their belts when they came into the Round 10 encounter.
Up until that stage they had only lost to the Tigers way back in Round 1, in a match they arguably lost for themselves with their inability to kick straight despite midfield dominance.
As a result Nightcliff had a real point to prove coming into Round 10, needing to show they could beat their rivals.
And it was a display of defensive brilliance that got the job done.
This season much has been made of the impact of Saints’ skipper Dylan Landt, who got a record-breaking 56 touches in one game this season.
Then there’s the goal scoring threats of Jackson Calder and Tex Korewha, who have caused plenty of problems for the rest of the league.
Nightcliff had a plan for those threats. Lewis Rinaldi limited the impact of Landt, tagging him all game in a best on ground performance.
Meanwhile, Ryan Nyhuis and Mitchell Norton were able to hold Calder to just two goals, and were further aided by the fact Korewha didn’t play.
Nightcliff’s defensive grip was so tight that Saints did not score at all in the third quarter, a real shock for a side that scored 20+ goals in its previous three matches.
The Tigers have conceded just 520 points so far this season, the second least behind Waratah (509), and are starting to prove themselves a real threat.
If they can maintain their current form down back they are going to be a real threat in the business end of the season.
Buffaloes are in trouble
The Darwin Buffaloes’ loss to PINT means they now sit outside the final spots and will have to get a couple of hard wins to get back inside.
The Double Blues had a fantastic start to their season and were the only unbeaten side after Round 5, however their luck has dried up since and they have slipped out of the top five.
At this stage it looks as if Saints, Tigers, Tahs and Districts are likely to finish in the top four, and PINT are now heavily favoured to join them.
So what do Buffaloes need to do to get back ahead of PINT, or another of their finals rivals?
Their next three matches are against Tiwi, Wanderers and Palmerston, all sides they should beat and need to beat by a margin, but the Greenants should as well.
The real trouble is beating one or more of the top four, which Buffaloes have only achieved once so far, Nightcliff by six points in Round 7.
This requires their leaders such as Jarrod Stokes to step it up a notch, while the likes of Nick Yarran, Baxter Mensch and other fly ins such as Mitch Robinson will be crucial.
There’s only seven games left for the Double Blues to get back into finals contention, so if they’ve got a magic trick up their sleeve they will need to pull it out soon.
Districts’ revenge sets up even competition
If any side in the top five was due a big win it was Southern Districts.
In recent weeks the Crocs have lost matches to Nightcliff and St Mary’s, while a heavy defeat to reigning premiers Waratah in Round 1 still loomed large in their minds.
Former AFL players Jed Anderson and Nakia Cockatoo brought all their experience, while Beau Schwarze and Matt Dennis continued their strong form.
And at the death it was the Crocs who came away with the win, beating Waratah at Gardens Oval and getting that slice of revenge.
Importantly though it puts all of Districts, Waratah, Nightcliff and PINT on level pegging on competition points, all just one win behind St Mary’s.
It sets up what is one of the most even competitions in recent history with any of the top five, or top six should Buffaloes go on a tear, with the potential to take out the minor premiership.
Each of these sides have had losses and wins against each other in recent times, and with plenty of interesting matches in the back end of the season this one could come down to the wire.
Palmerston’s hopes slip away
It has not been an easy year for the Palmerston Magpies by any measure.
They’ve conceded 1106 points from their opening nine games and have yet to record a win.
At this stage last season they were still in the mix, though had suffered a point deduction for a point breach.
But against Wanderers, who have struggled themselves, at their home at the Cazalys Arena this was their chance, and for a few moments it looked as if they would get home.
Instead in a thrilling final quarter, where a combined nine goals were scored, it was Wanderers who brought it home to win 11.14 (80) to 9.8 (62).
The young Palmerston side was so close to victory having pulled back their early deficit in a massive third quarter effort.
Ashton Hams was particularly impressive for the Magpies putting in another massive display, and finding the ball left, right and centre.
Waylon Davey also showed his magic in front of goal to pull the side ahead in the final term, but it wasn’t enough as Wanderers steadied the ship and got the job done.
Part of the Muk Muks’ victory was the shocking return of Michael Mummery, who kicked five goals, to add to the tally he racked up playing for Nightcliff earlier in the season.
It was Wanderers’ second victory of the year and a steadier for a side who has been on the end of their fair share of batterings of late.
But for Palmerston it was another opportunity gone begging, with only a match against Tiwi looming as a chance to get a win before the end of the season.
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