THE final round of the Northern Territory Football League (NTFL) Men’s Premier League regular season threw up a host of one-sided results, with an anticlimactic top of the table clash headlining the shock scorelines heading into finals.

Tiwi Bombers 17.18 (120)
St Marys 4.9 (33)

GOALS:
Tiwi: A. Wonaeamirri 4, J. Puruntatameri 4, S. Munkara 3, B. Palipuaminni, S. Tipuamantmirri, P. Heenan, R. Mungatopi, R. Tungatalum, C. Burgess.
St Marys: B. Nicholls 2, M. Liddy 2.

BEST:
Tiwi: C. Burgess, J. Puruntatameri, N. Djerrkura, R. Tungatalum, M. Dunn, A. Darcy
St Marys: J. Long, J. Long, B. Rioli, B. Nicholls, N. Yarran, T. Frawley

Tiwi stormed into third place with a resounding win over cellar dwellers, St Marys to open a super Saturday of NTFL football. The Bombers were at their lethal best forward of centre, with stars Austin Wonaeamirri and Jason Puruntatameri each bagging four majors, joined by Simon Munkara (three goals) as multiple goal kickers. The percentage gained in the 87-point drubbing was enough to put serious pressure on fellow finals contenders, Waratah and Darwin in the day’s next fixture, and ended up being more than enough to see Tiwi snatch a bronze placing. Despite the exploits of the usual Bomber suspects up forward, Christian Burgess was named best for the winners, with Nathan Djerrkura not far behind in continuing his awesome late-season form. St Marys finally succumbed to the wooden spoon spot in the final round after holding out for so long, with the effort left to too few. Jack Long put in a best-on shift for the Saints, backed by Ben Rioli and Nick Yarran in another low-scoring effort. Baden Nicholls and Mathias Liddy shared St Marys’ four goals evenly as the only Saints to trouble the scorers – which has been a sore spot for the side all season. While St Marys’ season is over, Tiwi storms on into what could well be a fruitful finals campaign, with the Bombers looking like one of the competition’s two form sides. They face Southern Districts on Saturday after a disappointing week for the Crocs, and will fancy themselves a huge chance of going deep this year.

Waratah 19.9 (123)
Darwin Buffaloes 7.5 (47)

GOALS:
Waratah: H. Kerinaiua 4, T. Toma 2, S. Godden 2, J. Arundell 2, C. Barrett 2, Z. Westerberg 2, L. Davies, B. Carroll, S. Tatupu, B. Minkulk, K. Kantilla.
Darwin: A. Sambono 2, D. Johnston 2, M. Rosas, D. Paull, P. Boles.

BEST:
Waratah: T. Toma, Z. Westerberg, H. Kerinaiua, S. Godden, C. Barrett
Darwin: N/A

A ten goals to one second half helped Waratah impressively account for Darwin, setting up an immediate rematch in the first round of finals. The Warriors spread the goals around with a massive 11 individual goal kickers – including six with multiple majors. Henry Kerinaiua led the way with a bag of four, while Tom Toma, Sam Godden, Cameron Barrett and Zach Westerberg (all two goals) made up the remainder of the best handful of players. Their opponents simply fell away after the main break, but the Buffs showed enough in the first half to suggest they can trouble the Warriors next time around. The brilliance of Adam Sambono deep forward put two goals on the board, while young gun Malcolm Rosas showed off his typical flair with a classy goal on the back of a spinning one-handed pick up. Still, the absence of considerable experience for Darwin has culminated in a disappointing back end of the year, as the Buffaloes now look to pick the pieces back up and break through for an unlikely win. The clash next week should prove a better contest than this one, but Waratah will come in with untouchable confidence on the back of its comfortable win.

Nightcliff 21.13 (139)
Southern Districts 7.7 (49)

GOALS:
Nightcliff: B. Filo 4, J. Butcher 3, T. Melville 3, L. Holt-Fitz 3, C. Ilett 3, B. Black, R. Morris, S. Wilson, P. Wills, H. Drogemuller.
Southern Districts: M. Mummery 4, W. Farrer, C. McAdam, J. Koopman.

BEST:
Nightcliff: B. Filo, H. Drogemuller, B. Black, R. Morris, P. Wills, S. Deery
Southern Districts: N/A

Nightcliff put a strong statement on its minor premiership, clinching the honour in a top-of-the-table drubbing to earn a week off on top of its double chance. The Tigers blew their nearest rivals away in a 90-point victory, including 12 goals to one in the second half to consolidate the ladder position they have held since Round 13. Ten Tigers managed to claim goals, with four of them bagging three majors and Brodie Filo leading the way with a game-high four to be named best afield. Competition leading goal kicker Trent Melville (three goals) brought his tally to 55, but missed out on being named in the best to the likes of 2019 best and fairest Phillip Wills and runner-up, Simon Deery. On a down day for the Crocs, Michael Mummery (four goals) booted almost half of his side’s total score, while Jess Koopman and Charlie McAdam were also dangerous without much opportunity. While Nightcliff earned a well-deserved rest, the Crocs host a red-hot Tiwi side with just as much of a scoring threat as their weekend opponents. With its title defence taking a small dent, expect Southern Districts to come out firing in the business end of the competition.

Palmerston Magpies 9.10 (64)
Wanderers 16.12 (108)

GOALS:
Palmerston: M. Williams 2, A. Davey 2, M. Dennis, M. Perry, J. Jeffrey, B. Church, M. McMasters
Wanderers: N/A

BEST:
Palmerston: M. McMasters, M. Dennis, S. Talbot, K. Garling, M. Perry (Jnr), J. Rhodes
Wanderers: N/A

A rollercoaster season came to an end for Palmerston on a dour note, going down handily to Wanderers to close out the home and away season. Given the Magpies’ finals hopes were all but over coming into the bout and Wanderers were playing to escape bottom, this game was put down as a relative dead-rubber – but produced an entertaining contest. In another second-half landslide, the Muk Muks came out 44 points to the good of their opponents after opening a slimmer four-goal buffer in the first two terms. The three-pronged inside 50 threat of Joel Jeffrey, Dillen Brown, and Beau O’Connell set up a good base for the Eagles to work off, and Palmerston simply could not scrounge the score required to keep up. Mark Williams and Alwyn Davey were the only Magpies to register multiple goals, with Michaelis McMasters named their best and Matthew Dennis boasting another placing in the best to bring his total to 17 in 18 games. The win drags Wanderers away from the cellar door for the first time since Round 5 in the round that matters most, while Palmerston ended up in sixth – four points away from a finals berth.