Here are another couple of NT AFL hopefuls – Nigel Lockyer Jr and Ronald Fejo who won’t give up on their football dream

WITH the AFL Draft and Rookie Draft over and done with for 2020, the Territory can celebrate both Wanderers’ Joel Jeffrey (to the Gold Coast Suns as their Darwin Academy Zone selection) and Maurice Rioli Jr (pick No.51 to Richmond) as our stars who will play in the big show next year.

Palmerston’s Nigel Lockyer Jr has not given up on his AFL dream. Picture: Celina Whan AFLNT/Media

WITH the AFL Draft and Rookie Draft over and done with for 2020, the Territory can celebrate both Wanderers’ Joel Jeffrey (to the Gold Coast Suns as their Darwin Academy Zone selection) and Maurice Rioli Jr (pick No.51 to Richmond) as our stars who will play in the big show next year.

We mentioned Brodie Lake (Southern Districts), Beau O’Connell (Wanderers) and Jonty Patrick (Palmerston) as other young guns who no doubt will not give up on their dreams to play in the AFL in the coming years.

We’d also like to mention another two – Nigel Lockyer Jr (Palmerston and Rovers) and Ronald Fejo (Wanderers) – who were also close to making the next step in their careers.

NIGEL LOCKYER JR

Nigel Lockyer Jr has represented NT Thunder at NEAFL level and came ever-so-close to picking up a spot on Essendon’s roster during the Pre-Season Supplemental Selection Period for the 2020 AFL competition.

He was ultimately pipped for that position, but the young talent loved the experience and believes he can push for a spot again next year.

“That was the best experience, man. Just the culture down there and everything I learned, and guys like Dylan Shiel taught me a lot of things,” Lockyer Jr told the NT News in August.

“I took a lot out of it. I loved teaming up with Dylan.

“I’m looking forward to hopefully doing the same thing next year.”

Lockyer has kicked 13 goals from seven games for the Magpies so far in the 2020-21 NTFL season, and has been in his team’s best four times.

Wanderers’ Ronald Fejo will still hold hopes he can be picked up by an AFL club in the coming years. Picture: Celina Whan AFLNT/Media

RONALD FEJO

Wanderers coach Shannon Motlop had this to say about the soon to be 19-year-old after won the Round 4 NTFL Rising Star nomination in Round 4.

“Ronald’s finding his feet as a league footballer and that includes the confidence and self belief you need at the top level,” Motlop said.

“He’s in his second season of Premier League football and with that has come the ability to run and carry the footy with his leg speed and use it to his side’s advantage.

“I can see a lot of improvement in Ronald’s ball use, to the point where he will become a very important player for Wanderers Football Club way into the future.”

A wingman by trade with his pace and evasive skills keeping him away from heavy traffic, the 18-year-old can play through the middle and up forward where he can do the maximum damage with his right-foot kicking.