Nightcliff’s Liam Holt-Fitz expects St Mary’s to bring pressure game in blockbuster NTFL grand final rematch at TIO Stadium

NIGHTCLIFF small forward Liam Holt-Fitz expects St Mary’s to bring their typically relentless football in Saturday night’s blockbuster Round 1 grand final rematch.

NIGHTCLIFF small forward Liam Holt-Fitz expects St Mary’s to bring their typically relentless football in Saturday night’s blockbuster Round 1 grand final rematch.

The Tigers got the better of the Green Machine by 13 points last time both teams met in the 2019-20 NTFL title decider on March 14.

Tennant Creek product Holt-Fitz – the 2018-19 Chaney Medallist – has nothing but respect for the men in green.

“They’re always solid opposition with the back-and-forth footy they play,” he told the NT News.

“They kept coming at us all night in the grand final, especially all through the fourth quarter.”

It’s been a massive adventure for Holt-Fitz, 20, this NTFL off-season.

He has played for Spitfires in the Barkly Football League and Federal in the CAFL.

The young livewire will miss the Tigers’ Round 2 clash against Waratah at Darwin Mazda Nightcliff Oval next Saturday to play against the winner of Elliott v Ydu in the 2020 Barkly Football League Grand Final.

NIGHTCLIFF captain Phillip Wills couldn’t be happier with the way his team has prepared to defend its NTFL title for the third-straight time in 2020-21

THE sense of family pride at “the family club” of St Mary’s is as strong as ever going into the 2020-21 NTFL season

“I’ve driven 9000km in three months. It’s been pretty crazy,” Holt-Fitz said.

“Playing in Alice Springs was a great experience.

“It's been massive playing for Spitfires. We get heaps of people to our games with a lot coming from out of town to watch us.”

As for his own consistent form over the past few years, the speedy forward said:

“It’s your teammates who make you who you are”.

Holt-Fitz still hasn’t given up on playing in the AFL.

“I’ve got to get myself in a good league to do that,” he said.

“I was meant to play for Central District in the SANFL this year, but I didn’t because of COVID.

“But it was good to play for Spitfires. I’ve been back living in Tennant Creek and it’s been good to play alongside my younger brother Myles who’s 17.

“Our captain Matt Green is a star.”

St Mary’s coach Anthony Vallejo is excited about tall ruckman Brandyn Grenfell, who is set to make his NTFL debut for the Green Machine in the TIO Stadium clash.

“He’s a big boy at 200cm who can also play up forward,” Vallejo said of the Tatura star out of the Goulburn Valley Football League.

Redland star Jackson Paine – a 2018 NEAFL Team of the Year member – is also set to play for Saints after moving to Darwin this week.