Reni Hicks, Nate Paredes among key players to watch in 2023-24 NTFL grand finals
There’s just one match left to decide who claims the women’s and men’s NTFL premierships in what will be a super Saturday of footy. We take a look at the players who could make the difference.
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It’s all on the line now with just one match to play before the NTFL premiership is claimed to cap off the 2023-24 NTFL season.
But which players will play a crucial role?
The undefeated PINT will look to make it three premierships from four years against an extremely talented Saint’s women’s side from 4.15pm.
St Mary’s and Nightcliff will face off once more in the men’s grand final from 6.45pm, with the Green Machine hoping beyond hope this is the time they finally beat their foes from Tiger town.
We take a look at just some of the players who are set to stand out in the two big games.
WOMEN
PINT
Jasmyn Hewett
The two time women’s best and fairest winner is no stranger to success in the NTFL or AFLW having played a key role in both of PINT’s previous premiership wins.
Hewett won the best on ground medal in both the 2020-21 and 2022-23 grand final victories and will be among the top vote scorers again.
The AFLW premiership winning player dominates in the ruck, though will have a challenge from Paula Pavic, and is a near constant on the ball.
Kate Atkins
Atkins played a brilliant tagging role limiting the impact of Danielle Ponter early in the last meeting between these sides and will be up for the contest again.
The backline player has had a strong season for her outfit and will be equally important in this showdown as she has ever been, if only for shutting down Saints’ big guns.
Steph Lawrence
The season’s top goal scorer has been a danger against every single side she has come against this year, and doesn’t look like she will stop scoring in the lead up to the grand final.
Great at gathering from the ground or from the mark and someone Saints absolutely need to shut down if they’re to win.
Reni Hicks
A ball magnet who always finds a way to have an influence on the contest or match whether she has her hands on the ball or not.
Hicks has been named in her side’s best more than other player in the competition with 12 from 16 appearances, which is an impressive feat considering the quality of her side.
Carly Remmos
The utility player has the ability to play anywhere in PINT’s hugely successful setup whether up forward or down back.
Has impressed in every one of her big tests this season including the rep game against Essendon and in arguably a best on ground performance against St Mary’s in the draw during the season.
St Mary’s
Danielle Ponter
You can’t really have a players to watch discussion without mentioning the AFLW premiership player, who shows her class every time she is on the ball.
Ponter will always be kept under a close watch from opposition outfits, as she has been throughout finals, but that’s a credit to the obvious talent of the All Australian player.
What Ponter offers, both on and off the ball, is well documented whether she’s in the midfield or further forward, and she will be hoping to threaten goals to help achieve her NTFL dream.
Jo Miller
Miller was the missing piece for St Mary’s in their semi-final meeting with PINT, and proved in her prelim final return why she is so highly rated by the side.
Saints named her their best and fairest for the season for her ability to find the footy out of the contest and send it forward.
Billie Byers
A captain who leads by example and did just that against Nightcliff scoring the opening goal of the match with a charge out of the midfield.
She had her moments of brilliance against PINT in the semis too and is a player more than capable of blowing the contest open when needed.
Emily Forshaw
The Saints skipper was impressive in a losing effort against PINT last time out and is expected to have an influence once again in this encounter
A brave player who performs beyond her size, smothering efforts and tackling hard and will be sharing leadership duty with the likes of Byers and Jemma Iacono who all have a point to prove.
Jemma Iacono
The St Mary’s vice-captain will have a point to prove coming back into the side after missing their prelim final match.
Iacono is hard on the ball player who knows what it feels like to win NTFL premierships, having won with the Buffaloes in the 2021-22 season.
MEN
Nightcliff
Ryan Nyhuis
The Nightcliff captain has been a real leader for his Tigers side throughout the season governing the league’s best defensive set-up, and occasionally going forward to sneak a goal or two.
The versatile player with AFL experience will have fond memories of the last time these two sides met in a grand final and use that to spur his side on.
Brodie Filo
The dual Nichols medal winner is a premium ball getter and proved that yet again rising to the top of the stats for the season.
And for that reason he will be a player Saints keep a close eye on knowing any time he touches the ball something will happen whether a goal or a big surge through the midfield.
Cooper Dahms
A real pitbull in the Nightcliff midfield who hits hard again and again and picks up plenty of the ball, giving his Saints opposition very little reprieve.
Will be one of the players looked to step up into the agitator role with Zach Moody out of the side for this grand final.
Liam Buxton
Absolutely dominated in the ruck last time out against St Mary’s and played a crucial role in his side’s dominant opening quarter.
The ruck will be licking his lips at the prospect of more, but knows his main opposition Jake Toa ultimately won the battle against Matt Dennis and Wyatt Ryan last time out.
The big men don’t get any smaller as the game wears on and he will be able to do his job for the full four quarters.
Lewis Rinaldi
The hard tagger will have a huge influence on this contest because he will have the role on Saints’ captain Dylan Landt.
In their past two meetings he has had huge success limiting the league’s best player and will be called on for more of the same on the biggest stage of all.
St Mary’s
Dylan Landt
The newly named dual Nichols medallist will be a central feature of this face-off between his men and their grand final rivals.
Landt was named the season’s best player, and for that reason he will find himself marked, as he has by Lewis Rinaldi as he has in the past two meetings against Nightcliff.
But everyone knows the dangers the skipper poses should he break free of the hard tag, with his ability to dominate possessions, tackle hard and score goals on the run.
Nate Paredes
Paredes has been one of the standout midfielders of the competition for several years, and is another players highly respected by his opposition.
He’s always a hard worker in and around the contest and will be expected to see plenty of the ball, whether in his hands or watching it head towards his forwards off his boot.
Joel Garner
Proved in his return to the side against Southern Districts why he’s so highly rated by his side, doing all the important midfield work an onballers does.
Is a huge help to the likes of Paredes, Landt and Seth Harris in the midfield and takes the pressure off, meaning certain hard taggers need to keep an eye on him too.
Jackson Calder
The goal kicking king of St Mary’s who always has an influence on the match if only for the fact he is the central target for his side.
Scored four goals in a quarter last time he went up against Nightcliff, and even when he is at a loss for direction finds a way to assist those around him.
Won the Chaney medal last time he was in the grand final.
Kieren Parnell
The defensive leader at St Mary’s and someone who will be given the role of locking down Nightcliff’s key attacking threats.
That means he will likely find himself up against John Butcher or Brett Kennedy who both enjoyed strong showings in the semi final.
REPLAY: Champs nearly caught napping as Buffettes charge home
They started fast but PINT couldn’t maintain the momentum and were left desperately hanging on at the end of their women’s season opener against Darwin Buffaloes. Catch up on the REPLAY.
Watch now: Tiwi Bombers v Wanderers, NTFL Men’s Premier
The late pre-season move of long-time Wanderers player Braedon McLean to the Bombers gives this season opening clash on Saturday a bit of an extra edge. Catch the game LIVE now.