Pride and bragging rights up for grabs in this week’s Big Rivers-Redtails clash in Darwin

Big Rivers coach Mal Fox wants his players to play their own brand of football in the representative match against the Alice Springs Redtails

Nightcliff star Joel Budarick. Picture Felicity Elliott, AFLNT Media

BIG Rivers coach Mal Fox is convinced his “X” factor players can pull off a representative miracle in tomorrow’s clash with the Alice Springs Redtails.

The first representative match between the two leagues since 2009 has all the makings of a classic contest.

Fox has the luxury of calling on NTFL players Brodie Carroll, Ryan Smith, Joel Budarick, Paddy Heenan, Warwick Williams and Cameron Arnold for the 2pm game at TIO Stadium.

“Those blokes and the 10 players we’ve got from community sides Ngukurr and Lajamanu give us a bit of the unknown, what you can call the X factor,’’ Fox said.

“We’ll need it with the Redtails bringing a good side to Darwin as well.

“We’ve always been very respectful of the Redtails and what they’ve achieved under Clarkey (president Rob Clarke) and I know that respect comes back from them as well.’’

Fox guided Katherine South to a flag in the Big Rivers League this season and knows a four quarter performance will be needed to beat the Redtails.

“They won’t give us a lot of peace with the quality they’ll have out there in Nigel Lockyer, Tosh Kunoth, Charlie McAdam and the like,’’ he said.

“The big plus from all of this is it’s great for both regions, Alice Springs and the communities down there and the Big Rivers, that covers about a third of the Territory.

“For once both leagues will be front and centre and that can only be good for the people of Katherine and Alice Springs and their competitions.’’

The Big Rivers side will wear indigenous designed jumpers of blue, black and white as opposed to the Redtails’ red, yellow, white and black.