NORTHERN Territory Football League (NTFL) Women’s Premier League hits Round 6 this weekend, with massive clashes that could well and truly define the competition at this early stage of the season.

Waratah v. Big River Hawks
Round 6 – 9/11/19
12.30pm
Gardens Oval

Big River Hawks are up for the fight of their lives in the opening match of Round 6, coming up against ultimately the most successful NTFL Women’s team in the competition. Waratah’s 2019/2020 record currently looks spotless thanks to a rule breach in Round 1 delivering the Warriors a win by default, but the side will be very aware that their almost spotless record is not as nice as it looks. That being said, the Waratahs have produced consistency across a number of matches this season already where the Hawks have struggled to put goals on the board at all. For the Hawks, Jayde De La Coeur and Crystal Browne have produced some solid performances so will look to replicate that against the dominance of Waratah, while Jenna Singh and Gemma Cusack will look to add a few more goals to their tally after solid starts to the season in attack.

Nightcliff v. Tracy Village
Round 6 – 9/11/19
2.00pm
PSC BM Oval

Up next is an interesting match between two of last season’s bottom sides, with the two teams in somewhat similar positions to where they finished last season. Tracy Village has had a rough start to the season, only winning one match so far and scoring a combined eight points across their losing matches thus far. For Nightcliff, this will be a real test of their improvement as a side, with two wins under their belts but keeping their losing deficits relatively low in comparison to other sides. That being said, both sides will be raring to go in this contest, which could be a fairly even match given the form of both sides. Nightcliff’s Eliza Morrison, Emma-Lou Wolsey and Laura De Hommel will be worth watching out for given their consistency thus far this season, while the likes of Gabby Young and Alexandra Biggs have been solid performers for Tracy Village.

Wanderers v. Pint
Round 6 – 9/11/19
2:30
TIO Stadium

Wanderers have had an unprecedented start to the season locking up three wins from five matches – though one by default, similar to Waratah – after only managing the two wins last season, so will be an interesting battle against a mostly unsuccessful Pint starting the season. Though a battle between fourth and seventh, there is still a chance for a relatively even contest with neither side really able to find their consistency yet this season. Eagles’ Shekeine De Satge has proven to be a key option both inside 50 and around the ball, creating opportunities with her clean hands and ability to take control of space. For Pint, Jasmyn Hewett has been solid with six goals from five matches this season so will look to add to her tally, while Jessie Baumer has the ability to impact a match if included in this week’s lineup.

St Mary’s v. Darwin Buffettes
Round 6 – 9/11/19
5.00pm
TIO

St Mary’s are in for a tough one this round, coming up against ultimately the most consistent and formidable side of competition this season in Darwin Buffettes. The Buffettes sit comfortable at the top of the ladder with an impressive percentage to match. That being said, St Mary’s have found some solid form of their own this season, posting some relatively consistent numbers despite some slower patches. St Mary’s will hope for some of their young guns to stand up against the teamwork of the Buffettes, with the likes of Danielle Ponter and Aaliyah Bailey able to impact the contest despite their relative youth. A big out for the Buffs this round and onwards is Machaelia Roberts who heads down to Victoria for AFL Women’s preseason training, which is a big blow to the side which has really relied on her ability to find the footy and create something out of nothing.

Southern Districts v. Palmerston Magpies
Round 6 – 10/11/19
2.00pm
Norbuilt Oval

It will be an interesting match to finish the round, with Southern Districts looking to make up for lost wins in rounds one and two and certainly raring to go against fellow 2018/19 finals foes, Palmerston Magpies this round. While only one win technically separates the two sides on the ladder at the end of Round 5, the Magpies have lost two games worth of points and percentage over the past few rounds making matches like this important as they bounce back from the issue and look to the future of the season. The Magpies have had some terrific form over the past few weeks, defeating sides by 100 plus points in the past two rounds while only going down to the dominant Darwin Buffettes back in Round 3, making this a very interesting contest given the Districts’ ability to generate ball inside 50. Districts’ Ebony Miller will be one to watch with 14 goals to her name at this early stage of the season, while Kelsey Patterson and Lateesha Jeffrey have produced some solid efforts when it matters most, creating an interesting contest against Magpies’ Lisa Roberts and similar ball magnet in Arthurina Moreen (12 goals).