Morris on Monday: Santa says NT rep football games will be a constant at TIO Stadium soon

SANTA’S gift to NT football: NT rep football games will be a constant at TIO Stadium soon

Santa Claus reckons Territory representative games will be a constant from 2021 onwards

IT WAS one of the best shirtfronts this writer has ever received and it was all because I took a shortcut across the roof of the Maurice Rioli Stand.

A long conversation with Territory football Hall of Famers Peter Atkinson and Bennie Lew Fatt on the good, bad and ugly of the northern game had just wound up.

It was then I decided the best way around the long line of spectators crowding the walkway at the back of the corporate boxes at TIO Stadium was to go over them.

Halfway across the sloping roof I saw out of the top corner of my left eye what appeared to be a frustrated Waratah supporter clad in red and white.

It was only when he turned to his left and almost knocked me off the roof on to the pristine playing surface of TIO Stadium that I realised the person in front of me could not possibly play four quarters of football.

He was clad in a red suit, had a beard that almost stretched to his belly button and the fluid in the biggest glass I have ever seen was too brown and frothy to be water.

“Kris Kringle is the name,’’ the portly gent roared as he offered a gloveless hand that was already showing signs of sunburn and a lot of sweat.

“I’ve come to watch the Saints play before I make the trek to Canada where my name changes to Queen Nab,’’ he grinned. “But I’m pretty happy with St Mary’s right now, even if I’m not sure about the coach’s nickname, Chopper isn’t it?

“But I know Anthony Vallejo from when he captained the side to a few flags, which means he isn't a bad bloke, even if his nickname indicates otherwise.’’

Kris — or Viejo Pascvero in Chile, Papa Noel in Egypt and Saint Nikolas in Holland — told me he always makes Darwin a port of call on his world trip.

“I remember Bubba Tye consuming a few cool drinks the night before a game, “Poopy’’ Peris and John Paterson booting the pigskin 65 metres and a bloke from my club, Dennis Dunn, kicking goals as easily as the leaves from the flame tree fall to the ground,’’ he said.

‘But those were the days at Gardens Oval, when firstly the Buffaloes dominated through the 1960s, then “KJ’’ Taylor took my club to the top of the tree through the 1980s and’90s.

“It’s been a long time since then. Now the women play the game just as hard and the Saints and the Buffaloes are in the race for the flag again, which I like.’’

Kris, or Viejo and even Papa Noel, is not a fan of TIO Stadium, where concrete outnumbers shady trees and the fans are too far away from the action.

His Christmas request to AFLNT boss Stuart Totham is to play more games at Gardens, a wish that has already come true with Totham waving his own magic wand almost two years ago to get lights installed at the iconic playing arena.

It was while I was contemplating a warm November night watching night football at Gardens Oval that the noise coming from in front of me turned out to be a sleigh on the move.

“I have to get to Toronto by midnight, but pass my best regards to the people who have the skill and courage to play football in the tropics,’’ he laughed with a distinctive Ho Ho.

“Man will live forever more because of Christmas Day and Territory football will have representative games as the pinnacle of the sport from 2021.’’