The NT News looks at the main talking points from Round 5 of the 2020-21 NTFL season
NIGHTCLIFF step up a gear, Waratah quietly achieve and Bombers show a glimpse of form. WHAT WE LEARNED FROM ROUND 5
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THE NT News looks at some of the major talking points from Round 5 of the 2020-21 NTFL season with Waratah, St Mary’s, Nightcliff and Wanderers all scoring wins.
There’s plenty to look at from the round including Nightcliff stepping up a gear, Waratah continuing to quietly achieve and Tiwi showing a glimpse of promise.
NIGHTCLIFF’S WIN OVER BUFFS A TURNING POINT FOR BOTH SIDES
Nightcliff’s 21-point win over a determined Darwin Buffaloes outfit could turn out to be big turning points for both sides.
Nightcliff raced to a 40-point lead midway through the second quarter and looked on track for a percentage boosting win after booting nine goals without a miss.
But this Buffalo side showed they are made of the right stuff with a courageous comeback that almost turned the match on its ear.
Only some errant finishing in front of goals and a desperate Nightcliff defence prevented them leading at three quarter-time.
Nightcliff did not score in that term - the first time in a decade they have remained scoreless in a quarter - but they were good enough to regroup and beat the ladder leaders by 21 points.
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HAVE WE SEEN A GLIMPSE OF THE REAL TIWI BOMBERS?
They may have fallen to their fifth successive defeat of the season against Waratah but Tiwi are showing promise that a win isn’t too far away.
With the pressure off in the final quarter it was Tiwi on the front foot outscoring their opposition five goals to three.
But it wasn’t just the scoring end that clicked, Mason DeWit was a defensive powerhouse while Fletcher Carroll, Ashton Hams and Jack Monigatti were consistently busy.
But the key is the man with the number seven on his back, Ross Tungatalum who kicked three goals on his return to the side while gifting another to Harley Puruntatameri.
WHAT NEXT FOR PALMERSTON AFTER A SLOPPY DEFEAT TO ST MARY’S?
The Magpies were never in a contest where spearhead Jackson Paine booted eight goals for St Mary’s, a tally that could have been 14 or 15 and champion schoolboy footballer Beau Tedcastle won a Rising Star nomination for his four-goal performance.
The club that recruited strongly in the off-season with its Alice Springs connection of Tosh Kunoth, Daniel Stafford and Nigel Lockyer Jr and ball magnet Chris Williams, were second to the ball on most occasions and continually turned the ball over when in possession.
Coach Alwyn Davey will be burning some midnight oil this week in the leadup to this week’s vital ‘Berrimah Line Cup’ match against rivals Southern Districts at Cazaly’s Arena in a bid to instil some fire and brimstone into his players.
SOUTHERN DISTRICTS NEED A FULL FOUR QUARTER GAME TO SCORE WINS
Districts have shown plenty of promise so far this season with individuals topping the stats in four rounds from five and yet the wins have yet to come their way.
Against Wanderers they came out the more sluggish of the two side despite managing more inside 50 entries in the opening two quarters.
Earlier in the season they suffered late losing from winning positions in games against Wanderers and Waratah with the four quarter game eluding the Crocs each week.
The players are there though with James Tsitas, Dean Staunton, Lionel Ogden and Luke Kiel all standing out in the stats, Tsitas being the first player this season to make 41 disposals.
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TAHS QUIETLY ACHIEVING WITH WINS ON THE BOARD
Waratah are going about their buisness in 2020-21 and while they’re not making the headlines the side is in a good place.
Three wins from five games is a testament to their approach and with each passing week the side is steadily improving.
A slow start hurt the Tahs against the Darwin Buffaloes but that failing was quickly rectified in Round 5 when they came out the dominant side against Tiwi.
Abe Ankers, Brock Orval, James Edmonds Callum Searle and Cameron Arnold all had big games against the Bombers with co-captain’s Brodie Carroll and Nick Gooch keeping the side in check.
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