Nightcliff storms home late to beat a desperately unlucky St Mary’s by a goal in extra time in one of the great NTFL deciders

NIGHTCLIFF got its three-peat of Premier League flags in one of the greatest NTFL grand finals in history.

Jackson Calder‘s six goals got his side into a winning position before a late Nightcliff comeback won the 20-21 flag. Picture: GLENN CAMPBELL

EXTRA time was needed before Nightcliff won a titanic 2020-21 NTFL Grand Final 16.14 (110) to 16.7 (103) at TIO Stadium.

Two five minute halves were required to separate the two sides after a heartstopping match where both sides held the ascendancy for long periods.

St Mary’s looked to have the game won with five minutes left in normal time after turning a 37-point lead midway through the second quarter into an 18-point lead.

But a trio of late goals by Brodie Filo, Bailey Henderson and John Butcher with the timekeeper’s finger on the final siren ensured the first extra-time grand final in league history.

WATCH THE GAME: Nightcliff Tigers v St Mary’s in the Men’s Grand Final NOW

The Tigers won the game in extra-time, with a goal via Trent Melville and two behinds to break St Mary’s hearts.

St Mary’s went straight into attack for a goal to Jackson Calder and when Brandyn Grenfell goaled from a strong mark they had the early jump.

Ryan Nyhuis was given the job on Calder and Jackson Paine the task of restricting Nightcliff spearhead John Butcher’s goal tally, a task he accomplished in the first half.

Saints fans were up and about after the early goal rush, but the cheers turned to groans as Tiger small men Ryan Mu and Liam Holt-Fitz got their side back into the game with clever opportunist goals.

Melville’s long bomb from outside the 50m arc and two goals from Kyle Emery from a free kick and a headbutt from Raphael Clarke shot them to a 14-point lead at the first change.

Clarke, easily Saints’ best in the first half, had his number taken after the strike on Emery.

The Tigers booted the first four goals of the second term to race to a 37-point lead and it looked like how far ahead for the reigning premiers.

But Calder put his hand up in the last 10 minutes of the quarter to kick three goals, one of them when he was the beneficiary of a big Nyhuis bump on teammate Daly Andrews.

Nyhuis had his number taken by umpire Joel Morrison after the clash, which seemed to inspire the St Mary’s players.

Calder kicked the next two from a clever Labastida handball and a free to get Saints back to 20 points at the main break.

The Saints surge continued in the early minutes of the third term, a snap from Nathaniel Paredes getting his side back to within 13 points, a margin that could have been a lot less if Paredes and Justin Robinson had goaled from set shots.

But five minutes later they got themselves in front through Jacob Long, Henry Labastida, Robinson and Jack Landt, with a superb left-foot snap, the Saints registering four goals in quick time.

Then it was Nightcliff’s turn to miss set shots, Danny Butcher, Brodie Filo and Melville missing from 20m in between a Butcher goal that gave them a six-point lead at three quarter time.

Most pundits at the ground thought St Mary’s would tire after three tough matches in as many weeks, but it was the green jumpers who had the momentum coming into the last quarter.

ST MARY’S 3.0 6.3 11.5 16.14 (110)

NIGHTCLIFF 5.2 9.5 11.10 16.7 (103)

GOALS

Nightcliff: T Melville 3 K Emery 3 B Henderson 2 S Wilson 2 R Mu L Holt-Fitz P Wills B Filo J Butcher D Butcher.

St Mary’s: J Calder 6 J Landt 2 J Long H Labastida D Landt N Yarran J Robinson B Grenfell N Paredes D Andrews.

BEST

Nightcliff: S Wilson T Melville P Wills R Mu D Bowles.

St Mary’s: R Clarke J Calder L Taylor B Grenfell.