Darwin Buffaloes captain Jarrod Stokes says side has come a long way, would ‘do anything’ to win the 2020-21 NTFL premiership

DARWIN Buffaloes captain Jarrod Stokes knows a thing or two about overcoming adversity. Ten years ago – at just 15 when he made his Premier League debut – the Buffaloes were on the verge of collapse. They were hardly the powerhouse club they are now.

Buffaloes captain Jarrod Stokes at Wulagi Oval for pre-season training. Picture: CHE CHORLEY

DARWIN Buffaloes captain Jarrod Stokes knows a thing or two about overcoming adversity.

In the 2019-20 NTFL season he notched up his 150th Premier League game for the double blues.

The inspirational midfielder/rover with brilliant speed and skills made his top-grade debut just 15.

Now 25 and hardly the consistently strong club they are now, the Buffaloes were on the verge of collapse 10 years ago.

“We’ve come a long way since then. We’ve still got a few blokes from my first game hanging around,” Stokes told the NT News, with Darwin 2020-21 season opener against Tiwi Bombers two weeks away and set for October 3.

“The club was pretty much in dire straits. We were the Baby Buffs back then.

“So to see that core group stick together and emerge and turn into one of the best powerhouse clubs in the competition has been great.”

Jalen Clarke, 23, made his Premier League debut a few years later and has also seen the club come a long way.

Both played in the 2017-18 side that lost the grand final to Southern Districts by just one point.

“I think this is my seventh year (at Premier League level),” Clarke said.

“I’ve got to give credit to (former coaches) Mark Motlop and Matt Campbell for getting us to where we are now.

“Now we have a really good core group of players, and Matt is still involved in a playing capacity.

“Guys like Michael Hagan, Timmy Eldridge, Jarrod Stokes and myself came through that period to now.

“My grandfather Eddie Sr was a pretty good goalkicker and he won a few premierships at this club.

“We’re such a strong family club, with great names like Hayes, Ah Mat, Anderson and Stokes playing before me.”

And this was why Jarrod Stokes and his brother Cameron – now the senior head coach – were destined to lead the double blues.

“I started as a 10-year-old. Even before that I was in love with the club with the three and four generations of Stokes and Ah Mat families,” Stokes said.

“This club means so much to me. I’m just looking forward to the season.”

Clarke said Cameron Stokes had been embraced as head coach by everyone at the “family club”.

“We all love Cam – he’s a great mentor to us all. We all have a huge amount of respect for him,” Clarke said of the 31-year-old former hit man at Hawthorn.

Stokes said the pain of losing the 2017-18 grand final in such heartbreaking fashion continues to drive him to new heights this pre-season.

“That (losing the grand final to the Crocodiles) still hurts. But that’s just motivation. All my career I’ve wanted to win a premiership,” the Chaney Medal winner from that title decider 2 ½ years ago said.

“That’s what everyone here has been looking for. The team and I will work as hard as we can to get it.”