IN a round of highly anticipated NTFL Women’s Premier League clashes, things did not quite go to plan as all four matches saw significant margins. While not necessarily seeing huge blowouts as has become the norm for some teams, the closest result of the round saw an 18-point buffer and plenty of tough battles across the round. Another solid win for Pint leaves the side well on their way to taking out the minor premiership given their continued dominance, while Darwin Buffettes overtook St Mary’s to jump into second on the ladder and Tracy Village escaped another consecutive loss with a bye this round.

NIGHTCLIFF 4.1 | 5.3 | 8.6 | 10.7 (67)
WANDERERS 2.0 | 3.2 | 4.5 | 5.6 (36)

Nightcliff got back on the winners list this week with a comprehensive win over the Wanderers, with a four goal to two first quarter effort setting the tone of the match and allowing the Tigers to maintain a solid margin throughout. While the Wanderers, to their credit, never took the foot off the pedal, Nightcliff continued to push with a finals position ultimately on the line here and came away with a 31-point margin and plenty to be happy about.

Mickayla Ward starred for the Tigers with four goals to her name, and named best on for her efforts. Add in the respective two-goal hauls from Rose Russell, Kristy Irvine and Jacqueline Anyon-Smith, and Nightcliff once again proved how hard they are to stop when they get going. Eliza Morrison found plenty of the footy to be listed on the bests, whilst Irvine and Russell also got nods for their solid efforts up forward. The Wanderers are yet to release their goalkickers or bests.

WARATAH 0.2  0.2 | 0.4 | 1.5 (11)
SOUTHERN DISTRICTS 2.1 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 7.5 (47)

Waratah were blown out of the water by a tenacious Southern Districts outfit, and still look like a shade of their 2019/2020 side which finished minor premiers last season. While the grand final rematch once again saw plenty of competitive moments, the Warriors could not seem to hit a target inside 50 which allowed the Districts to well and truly dominate across the ground and create an ominous 36-point margin. It was an excellent four goal final term that saw the Crocs really lift and solidify their top four chances, with five wins, two losses and two draws telling the tale of their season.

Lisa Miceli was Waratah’s lone goalkicker this round, while Southern Districts proved impressive with six players hitting the scoreboard, as Bella Clarke booted two for the side. Tayla Thorn, Grace Mulvahil and Jessie Brock continued their excellent form with a goal apiece, all hitting the scoreboard for the third week straight while Megan Craufurd and Emma Forsyth were both named among the best in a solid win for the Crocs.

ST MARY’S 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.1 (13)
DARWIN BUFFETTES 2.0 | 2.3 | 4.6 | 4.7 (31)

The Buffettes sent an ominous sign to ladder-leaders Pint with this victory, well and truly dominating against the Saints in a tough, low-scoring battle. While the match did not see a wealth of goals hit the scoreboard, both teams were relentless in their pursuit for the elusive top two spot – which the Buffs secured, albeit potentially temporarily – and saw excellent defensive efforts across the ground which well and truly showcased the depth across both sides, which typically have no issue finding the goals.

St Mary’s had an uncharacteristically tough time finding the goals in this match, with just Jasmine Anderson and Michaela Long finding the big sticks, while Eliza and Annabelle Shannon both were named among the best for the second straight week. For the Buffs, Zoe Anderson once again proved handy for the side with another two majors added to her tally, while Machaelia Roberts was consistent as ever out the front and was named amongst the best for her continued efforts. Jemma Iacono was also an influential figure around the ground for the Buffs, while Delsey Ah Wang got the job done.

PINT 4.3 | 6.3 | 7.4 | 11.5 (71)
PALMERSTON MAGPIES 0.1 | 2.1 | 3.1 | 3.2 (20)

Pint continued its fantastic season with another win on the board making it nine straight wins from nine matches. While the Magpies had their chances, they were no match for the Queen Ants and just could not quite match the intensity of the ladder leaders. To their credit, they did manage to keep the side accountable in the second term and booted two goals apiece, however it was Pint’s ability to reset at the main break and come out firing once more that saw the Magpies struggle to keep up, with a five goal to one second half seeing Pint run out with a 51-point victory.

As per usual, Pint had no shortage of quality options up forward with eight individual goalkickers hitting the scoreboard once more. Jasmyn Hewett and Casey Morris combined for five goals between them, with both players named among the best for their consistency and continued dominance around the grounds. Gemma Cusack and Reni Hicks also found plenty of the ball, with Hicks booting her sixth goal for the season. For the Magpies, Jo Guthridge, Crystal Browne and Litonya Motlap booted a goal apiece, while the usual suspects in Iesha Ronberg and Shanoah Leedie continued their solid form to be named amongst the best once again.