St Mary’s debutant Dylan Landt focusing on team factors instead of individual heroics

St Mary’s utility Dylan Landt not concerned with the pressures of Nichols Medal favouritism as a knockout preliminary final looms for the under siege Saints

Nichols Medal favourite Dylan Landt flies for a chest mark against Palmerston. Picture: Felicity Elliott AFLNT/Media

NICHOLS medal favourite and NT News Player of the Year Dylan Landt says Saturday night’s Premier League preliminary final remains his main priority.

Landt’s St Mary’s meet Wanderers in tomorrow night’s preliminary final for the chance to play Nightcliff in the grand final.

The former Essendon VFL utility has been in sparkling form for his adopted NTFL club, winning the NT News award in the triple role of defender, midfielder and occasional forward.

Asked if carrying the favouritism tag in the race to decide the league’s best and fairest player had crossed his mind, Landt said winning a flag was his No.1 priority.

“It (favouritism) doesn’t bother me at all, my main priority is on each game we play and now we’re in the finals I’m concentrating on the big final we’ve got ahead of us,’’ he said.

“There’s plenty of good players up there and any one of us could take it out.’’

Both sides have injury concerns coming into the match. Shannon Rioli is expected to play after recovering from hamstring soreness and Shaun Edwards returns after missing the semi-final win over Waratah with what was identified as delayed concussion.

“We’ve both had some injuries which isn’t ideal in a finals series, but I’m sure both sides will come out raring to go,’’ Landt said.

“We had to bounce back hard from the (qualifying final) loss to Wanderers and full credit to them, they came out hard and we couldn’t really respond.

“This week we’ve been really focusing on our mindset and coming out strongly, hopefully from there the rest will take care of itself.’’

Landt watched big Saints forward Jackson Calder take nine marks on his way to a six-goal haul in the semi-final win over Waratah.

“Jackson’s been playing really well of late and with the weather dry he’s been clunking them, so we’ve got to get the footy down to him and he’ll do the rest.’’