The best NTFL games from the past 30 years listed, Part One
The 2024-25 NTFL finals series are right around the corner and in anticipation of a cracking series, we look back at some of the best Top End matches from the past 30 years. Check out part one of the list.
The 2024-25 NTFL finals are now upon us, but before we get there we’ve taken a trip down memory lane to look at some of the best matches of the past 30 years.
Upset victories, legendary players and absolute thrillers are featured among the top 25 featuring some cracking storylines from years gone by.
There were so many great matches and great players it was hard to capture them in a best of 25 collection despite almost as many seasons watching both sides.
But there were several special moments and incredibly exciting matches, enough to produce a small portion of the greatest games.
Games 25-11 will be featured in part one with the top 10 matches to be released as an update on Friday so stay tuned to see them all.
25 - 1994-95 Elimination Final: Southern Districts 10.8 (68) d Wanderers 10.7 (67)
With a preliminary final berth on offer for the winner and mothballs for the loser, Districts and Wanderers threw everything into the first finals match of the ‘94-95 season.
Wanderers had recruited former St Kilda forward Rod Owen to its goalkicking list and looked a likely winner after a five-goal to one first quarter.
But the skill of Graham “Crummy” Taylor through the middle, pace of Borroloola winger Archie Harvey and goalkicking spearhead Gerard Atkins won the day for the Crocodiles.
24 - 1999-2000 Grand Final: Waratah 14.12 (96) d Palmerston 8.8 (56)
The Bill Martin-coached Waratah won its second consecutive senior flag and 15th since their first win in 1921 by beating a Palmerston side that had beaten them comprehensively in the second semi-final two weeks earlier.
Ruckman Matt Wakelin won the Chaney Medal in an outstanding display, while on-baller Anthony Hoban and midfielder Linc Withers also played starring roles.
23 - 2022-23 Grand Final: Waratah 10.10 (70) d Southern Districts 7.10 (52)
Waratah won its first senior flag in 23 years in coach Ryan Ayres’ second last season in charge when it outplayed a star studded Districts side at TIO Stadium.
Districts ruckman Matthew Dennis won the Chaney Medal as the best player on the ground, but it was the all round depth of Waratah that prevailed on the night.
Daniel O’Dwyer was a Rock of Gibraltar in the last line of defence, skipper Brodie Carroll and Abe Ankers were everywhere and midfielder Rob Turnbull secured a premiership medal before joining Perth club South Fremantle.
22 - 2006-07 Grand Final: Southern Districts 13.12 (90) d Waratah 11.15 (81)
The Southern Districts Crocodiles won their second league flag when they beat Waratah in a desperately close grand final to add to the minor premiership when they topped the ladder at the end of the season.
Chaney medallist Kyle Archibald’s five goals from centre half-forward were crucial in District’s success, with the nine-point win giving Michael McLean his first premiership as a senior coach.
21 - 2019-20 Grand Final: Nightcliff 10.13 (73) d St Mary’s 9.6 (60)
Nightcliff added a second successive premiership pennant to its trophy cabinet with a fighting win over a Saints side chockful of playing talent like Maurice Rioli Jr, Ryan Smith, Nate Paredes and Shannon Rioli.
Trent Melville’s five-goal haul from a forward flank earned him best on ground honours and the coveted Chaney Medal, but midfielder Shaun Wilson and defender Daniel Bowles were also crucial factors in the win.
St Mary’s closed to within two points at three quarter time before the Tigers regrouped to win their fifth senior flag.
20 - 2004-05 Grand Final: St Mary’s 15.10 (100) d Wanderers 10.12 (72)
The St Mary’s machine sealed a threepeat of senior flags against a Wanderers sight just emerging from a dark period in their history under coach Mark Motlop.
The Eagles produced the Chaney medallist in key defender Todd Cook when he achieved the rare feat of winning the best on ground medal in a losing side.
But it was the class and skill of the Green Machine that won the match to provide coach Damian Hale with three successive premierships.
19 - 2014-15 Grand Final: Wanderers 11.17 (83) d St Mary’s 7.7 (49)
Wanderers beat minor premiers St Mary’s by 34 points in the grand final, becoming the first team to win the premiership from fifth position after finals wins over the Tiwi Bombers, Nightcliff and Southern Districts.
The St Mary’s side had big names like Peter MacFarlane, Iggy Vallejo, Darren Ewing, Ben and Shannon Rioli and Ryan Smith on board, but with Chaney medallist Thomas Motlop playing a starring role and Brad Vassal, Neil Vea Vea and Shannon Motlop finding the footy regularly, the Eagles led all night to record one of their best finals wins.
18 - 2003-04 Grand Final: St Mary’s 12.11 (83) d Tiwi Bombers 9.10 (64)
The first premiership decider between the football cousins from the mainland and the Tiwi Islands lived up to all its pre-match hype.
St Mary’s finished the stronger through two late goals from quicksilver forward Ross Tungatalum, who ironically joined the Bombers a season later, to win by 19 points.
It was a game that ebbed and flowed on a steamy March night at league headquarters in what was a magnificent showpiece for Top End football.
17 - 2010-11 Preliminary Final: Wanderers 9.13 (67) d Tiwi Bombers 9.11 (65)
This was a game of attrition where the side that found extra reserves of courage and stamina in the last 30 minutes would prevail.
The Tiwis had thrashed Wanderers in the first week of the finals and many experts expected a repeat performance with players like Shane Tipuamantimirri and Jason Puruntatameri at the peak of their careers.
But Wanderers grabbed the lead early in the game on a rain-soaked TIO Stadium and did enough on tired legs and a magnificent defence led by John Bonson, Nichols medallist James McNamee and a young Mitchell Taylor to earn a grand final berth against St Mary’s.
16 - 2010-11 Grand Final: Wanderers 13.10 (88) d St Mary’s 9.6 (60)
Wanderers snapped an 18-year premiership drought when it overpowered a more fancied Saints side aiming for a fourth successive senior flag.
Midfielder Aaron Motlop inspired his side with a Chaney Medal performance, wingman Simon Bates played his best game in a long career for Wanderers and recruit Ryan Prendergast and Thomas Motlop booted three goals.
15 - 2001-2002 Grand Final: Palmerston 21.11 (137) d Nightcliff 12.7 (79)
Tennant Creek produced its first Chaney medallist in the 2002 NTFL Grand Final when lionhearted ruckman-defender Robert Campbell launched a one-man assault against a Palmerston side playing in its third successive decider.
The Magpies were on song that night when half forward Salim Hassan booted five goals in spectacular style, but Campbell had a game to remember when he won his club’s first BOG medal.
14 - 2017-18 Qualifying Final: Darwin Buffaloes 15.12 (102) d Nightcliff 13.10 (88)
In a win that echoed the heart and soul of the great Buffalo sides of the 1960s and ‘70s, the Double Blues fought back from a 17-point deficit at quarter time to win a tough, no-nonsense finals epic by 14 points.
Buffalo Adam Sambono’s six goals from a forward flank lit up TIO Stadium as his side found an extra leg in a desperate last quarter to win the match after the scores were tied at 11 goals each at the last change.
13 - 2018-19 Round 7: Tiwi Bombers 20.15 (135) d Darwin Buffaloes 13.13 (91)
The brilliant but unpredictable Tiwi Bombers staged a miraculous recovery against a very good Buffalo side when they turned a 44-point quarter-time deficit into a 39-point win.
The Tiwis kicked 19 of the last 24 goals in a cascade of hard running and clever goals through the last three quarters when Ross Tungatalum and Kim Kantilla benefited from the good work of their midfield by kicking five goals each.
Dion Munkara around the ground and Tungatalum were everywhere for the Brenton Toy coached Tiwis.
12 - 1996-97 2nd Semi-final: Waratah 15.8 (98) d St Mary’s 7.6 (48)
The 50-point loss ended an incredible 55-game winning streak for a St Mary’s side that had not lost a game since being on the wrong end of a curtainraiser game against the then North Darwin in the leadup to the 1994 Indigenous All-Stars v Collingwood clash at TIO Stadium.
An ABC television crew from Sydney had travelled to Darwin to record the all-conquering Saints, but were left empty handed when a Tahs side led by Chris Williams, Anthony Hoban and Nick Stevens dominated the match.
11 - 2009-10 Round 2: Wanderers 16.11 (107) d Tiwi Bombers 15.11 (101)
The blue and gold jumpers of Wanderers created one of the greatest comebacks in NTFL history when they won a classic game of two halves against the Tiwis in the 2009-10 season.
The Shane Tipuamantimirri Bombers held Wanderers to a single goal in the first half before relinquishing a 65-point third quarter lead to eventually lose by a goal.
In an amazing turnaround Wanderers kicked 15 goals to four in the second half through Liam Patrick in the ruck and Relton Roberts up forward after the Tiwis booted 11 goals to one in the first two quarters.
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Originally published as The best NTFL games from the past 30 years listed, Part One
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