Representative football could involve AFL opponents again with the Gold Coast Suns in vogue

The return to representative football could again involve AFL opposition with the Gold Coast Suns a 2022 target

the NTFL's Claudia Fabris, right and Glenelg’s Taylah Scapens grimace in the wet conditions at TIO Stadium. Picture GLENN CAMPBELL

AFLNT boss Stuart Totham wants to add a national element to representative football with discussions already beginning on hosting an AFL club in 2022.

The Gold Coast Suns are being targeted as next year’s opponents in line with the partnership established with Territory football in 2019.

“We’d love to see a game in Darwin against the Gold Coast’s men’s and women’s sides as a means of building on the success of this year’s game,’’ Totham said.

“We’re certainly exploring that option, because we’d love to see the Suns up here and through them being a part of the game, really drive home that partnership.’’

Totham said there were several factors that had to be considered when organising fixtures 12 months out, including the COVID-19 pandemic with its impact on pre-season club training.

“The virus creates a lot of complex situations through when clubs can and cannot train and getting them up here in the first place, so we have to wait on that,’’ he added.

Totham was pleased with the lead-in to last Saturday’s game, the way the players approached the concept and all the support they got from the NT representative committee and the support staff.

“We were a bit disappointed with the crowd numbers, but the (wet) weather would have had a bit of an impact on that,’’ he said.

“Our post-match debriefs will have a lot to do with what we want to do in 2022 and that includes regional games like the Redtails-Big Rivers game we saw played.

“We’ll be talking to all the regional leagues and the Redtails about making it a regular occurrence and what we have to do to make it happen.’’

Totham said criticism from some quarters on the makeup of the NTFL men’s side had not considered the selection criteria.

“We established an NT representative committee made up of people like John (KJ) Taylor, Russell Jeffrey, Shannon Rusca, Colleen Gwynne, Lauren O’Shea and Natasha Medbury for that purpose,’’ he said.

“That’s a pretty experienced group and their philosophy was if you are living in Darwin and playing NTFL footy you’re available for selection.

“We may change some things going forward, but essentially it’s an NTFL side representing the competition, not solely a Territory team.’’