THE holidays are over as the Northern Territory Football League (NTFL) competition continues this weekend. Three matches will be held on Saturday with the Wanderers and Southern Districts up first. The Crocs have been death-rolling teams for the first half of the season and the Eagles may be next to add to their string of victories. At TIO Stadium, the Tigers will have their hands full when they take on the Buffettes.  This match will be an opportunity for Darwin to boost their percentage as the Tigers still remain at the bottom of the ladder. In the afternoon, Waratah will face St Marys at TIO Oval. The Warriors have only lost one match for the year and with the Saints’ recent form, Waratah may be too much to handle. On Sunday, the last match will see Tracy Village play against Pint at the home of the Razorbacks. Both teams have been in poor form lately, but with only one match separating the two, this encounter could prove interesting.

WANDERERS V SOUTHERN DISTRICTS

Round 12 –  Saturday January 5th, 10:00am

Gardens Oval

From the start of the season, the Southern Districts have been on fire. They have forsaken their past and brought in a winning culture that has breathed new light into the club. Charlie Deegan has been the tip of the spear up forward with Tayla Thorn complementing her quite well. Eagles defenders, Lauren Motlop and Tishara Davern will need to shut down this duo. However, it is the Crocs’ backline, led by Lateesha Jeffrey, that is the real threat to the Wanderers. The Eagles have struggled to kick goals this season and Jeffrey has become an expert at rebounding them. In order for the Wanderers to stand a chance, they must take the Crocs on at every turn. This will be no easy feat, as the Districts’ manic pressure has seen them lose only three games for the season. All three lost games have been against the top four teams.

NIGHTCLIFF V DARWIN BUFFETTES

Round 12 –  Saturday January 5th, 10:30am

TIO Stadium

If Chloe Scheer had arrived at Nightcliff a little earlier in the season, the Tigers would have been a much more formidable team. Unfortunately, she has arrived late and the Buffettes have been on a rampage. The Darwin midfield is packed full of A-grade talent, as Kylie Duggan, Jemma Iacono and Tikesa Docherty-Cole haven’t missed a beat all year. But they are not the only heroes with Domonique Carbone dominating the centre of the ground since her debut. The Tigers may struggle to match the difference in class, but with the help of forward, Emma-Lou Wolsey, they may be able to put up a fight.

ST MARYS V WARATAH

Round 12 –  Saturday January 5th, 4:00pm

TIO Oval No.2

The reigning premiers’ onslaught style has them touted as heavy favourites for this game. The Warriors’ talent seem limitless as new players seem to emerge to complement the veterans. Under 18 representatives, Alysha Healy and Madeline Gault are among the youth that continues to cause real problems for their opposition. Healy’s run and carry out of the back line and Gault’s intensity in the midfield gives Warratah two extra aces in their deck. Saints young gun, Danielle Ponter could be the match-up for Gault, but St Marys midfielders, Nicole Garner and Natasha Dunn-Richards must dig into the clearances. The goal for the Saints is to cut off the supply to the Warriors forwards, which is easier said than done. Waratah’s forward line is a beast of talent. If Lisa Miceli, Lauren O’Shea, and Amy Chittick get off to a flyer, this game will be over fast.

TRACY VILLAGE V PINT

Round 12 –  Sunday January 6th, 4:30pm

Tracy Village 

This is possibly the most intriguing game of the round with the two teams seeming evenly matched from a ladder perspective. Another thing the Razorbacks and Queen Ants have in common is one superstar each that attempts to will their team home every week. Tracy Village has Kristy Irvine and the Queen Ants have Cassie Henderson. The pair has been screaming for support as they have tried diligently to inspire their teammates out of their losing streaks. The support finally came, as the Bushpigs found a new favourite up forward in Rachael Bull while the Queen Ants found their own with Danielle Saddaby. This game is easily a toss of the coin, but this could be Pint’s last gasp to return to top-four contention. The Queen Ants’ percentage might be low but statistically, but they hold a strong eight-point advantage over the Bushpigs.