Territory Thunder’s glorious 2011 NEAFL season recalled at the club’s 10-year reunion

Territory Thunder’s 16-goal thrashing of Morningside in the 2011 NEAFL Grand Final was a popular subject at the representative side’s 10th year reunion

Cameron Ilett and Richard Tambling hold the 2015 NEAFL premiership cup won four years after the 2011 breakthrough win.

A DECADE after Territory Thunder’s big win over Morningside in the 2011 NEAFL Grand Final, Cameron Ilett can still feel the shiver it sent along his spine.

Thunder rained on Morningside’s parade in no uncertain terms, boosted by the addition of Adelaide Crows superstar Andrew McLeod.

They kicked 26.22 (178) to 12.8 (80) in a ruthless display that did not end there when they beat Canberra side Ainslie in a cross-conference final only six days later.

Ilett, a six-time club champion with Thunder and seven-time NEAFL Team-Of-The-Year player in his 189-game career, was part of Thunder’s 10-year reunion in Darwin on Saturday night.

“I remember that grand final day just like it was yesterday,’’ Ilett said after sharing a few lemonades with former teammates at the Michael Long Centre.

McLeod made the trek to Darwin from Adelaide for the occasion and 2011 skipper Jarred Ilett was among the reunionists.

“The senior Thunder program isn’t running any more, which is a bit sad with the great memories that come from those years.

“The program itself was fantastic and it’s a shame it’s still not around today with the number of remote kids that got a chance to play in the senior side and experience footy at a truly representative level.’’

Ilett said the program offered more than a game of footy at interstate level with its ability to build leaderships among young indigenous Territorians and skill sets they could take back to their communities.

“It also gave them an opportunity to be role models in those communities and by reaching that level, give young men and women an ambition to aspire to be like them,’’ he added.

“So in that regard it’s really disappointing that those opportunities aren’t there any more, particularly in that senior space that means so much to Territorians.’’