Phil Wills to coach the Darwin Buffaloes in the 2024-25 NTFL season

An NTFL champion has returned to take up the coaching reins at his family club the Darwin Buffaloes following a reshuffle late in preseason. Read what he brings to the table.

NTFL champion Phil Wills has taken up the coaching reins at his former club, the Darwin Buffaloes, following a late preseason reshuffle.

The Buffaloes previously named Rick Bean as their replacement for outgoing coach Cameron Stokes, who led the club since the 2020-21 season.

However, earlier this week Double Blues’ president Brenda Atkinson announced Bean had advised he was no longer able to continue in the role due to family commitments.

“Rick was appointed to the role in May and quickly set about planning for the season ahead,” she said in a Facebook post.

“The committee thank Rick for his service to the club and wish him well for the future.

“We acknowledge that change this close to the start of the season may be a challenge for some players but we will support all players with the transition between coaching staff.”

The club announced Wills as the new head coach on Thursday, with his father Nathan Wills stepping into the assistant coach role.

“I had a couple of hours to think about it, but after chatting to my old man the choice became easy,” Wills said.

“My family club is Buffaloes, there’s something special playing for a club with strong family connections from both sides, it’s exciting.

“I always wanted to go back to Buffs and finish off there and help give back.”

Phil Wills playing for the Palmerston Magpies in the 2022-23 NTFL season. Picture: Celina Whan / AFLNT Media

Wills played 152 games for the Buffaloes before moving to his junior Nightcliff, a club he captained in a period of three premierships.

During that Nightcliff tenure he picked up the prestigious Nichols Medal marking himself as one of the top players of the Top End game.

He moved to Palmerston in the 2022-23 season where he played alongside one of his sporting heroes, Gary Ablett Jr, and carried the captaincy again for the 2023-24 season.

But now he’s back in the Double Blues jumper with aims of leading the side back into a finals fighting team.

“I’ve had a bit success at Nightcliff since leaving and learned a lot along the way,” he said.

“To able to have the opportunity to take what I’ve what I’ve learned over the past five years back to Buffaloes is something I’m extremely happy to do.”

Originally published as Phil Wills to coach the Darwin Buffaloes in the 2024-25 NTFL season