FOLLOWING last weekend’s entertaining football action, the Northern Territory Football League (NTFL) Women’s Premier League is gearing up for another round of exciting clashes, as teams look to resume their high-scoring ways. Round 8 saw the Darwin Buffaloes pump out a whopping 221 points against Tracy Village, but they will have the bye this week. Elsewhere around the league, two of the league’s finalists from last season will be locking horns in what could prove to be a clash that shapes the top four moving forward.

Tracy Village vs Nightcliff Tigers

10:30am, Saturday November 27

TIO Stadium

The two ends of the ladder will be facing off in round 9, as Tracy Village take on the Nightcliff Tigers at TIO Stadium on Saturday morning. Tracy Village are coming off the heaviest loss of the season at the hands of the Darwin Buffaloes, and it does not look like things will be getting any easier, with the Tigers considered just as tough an opponent. This match looks to be reasonably one-sided, but there are no certainties in sport.

Tracy Village currently occupy bottom spot on the ladder, as they are the only side yet to find a win after their six games. Most of their margins are at a hefty price, and this would have taken a hit following their 215-point loss to the Buffaloes. The priority for the side this week will be to put up a much more competitive performance against the Tigers, and anything more than that can be considered a bonus. The team will be truly motivated to bounce back from last week’s efforts and potentially even claim their first win.

The Tigers have not put a foot wrong so far this season, remaining one of two undefeated teams after seven matches. They have looked too classy for their opponents on a weekly basis with their even spread and ability to work the opposition over with fast-paced ball movement. This week provides an opportunity to imitate the Buffaloes and boost their percentage against a weaker opponent. Darwin showed what they are capable of against Tracy Village and looked to move up in the ‘premiership favourites’ rankings. The Tigers will be looking to do the same with the goal of maintaining their spot on top of the ladder.

PINT vs Southern Districts

12:30pm, Saturday November 27

TIO Stadium

The match of the round comes in the form of two sides battling for a spot in the top four, with last year’s premiers in PINT taking on the Southern Districts on Saturday afternoon. The two sides faced off in round one, with PINT emerging victorious in an impressive display. However, the Districts have been one of the form teams of the competition over recent weeks, and look much better than their showing in the season opener, and with last year’s champs delivering inconsistent form so far this season, this will be a cracking contest.

PINT have delivered a mixed season to date, splitting their results so far with three wins and three losses. With an exceptional finish to last season, many expected them to produce another season of this calibre, which they have been unable to do so far. However, they have been able to keep themselves in contention, currently occupying fourth spot despite only scoring two points against the Tigers last week. Following an admirable performance in the loss, Reni Hicks will likely play another crucial role this week.

The Districts started the season in slow fashion, losing their first three matches as they looked to fall away from the form that delivered them a finals spot last year. Since then, they have won three on the trot, mounting a seriously strong charge towards the top four as they prepare to take on the only team that remains in the path. A win in round 9 against PINT would see them steal fourth spot, and if they can continue the momentum they have already built, it will go a long way towards cementing themselves in the top portion of the ladder.

Palmerston Magpies vs Waratah

2:30pm, Saturday November 27

Cazaly’s Arena

Two of the league’s struggling sides will look to change their fortunes with a win when the Palmerston Magpies take on Waratah at Cazaly’s Arena on Saturday afternoon. With both sides winning no more than two games for the season, this match will prove a perfect opportunities for these teams to improve their standings on the ladder. The match carries significance for both sides, who will be licking their lips at the chance to make a charge towards the top half of the ladder.

The Magpies found themselves convincingly beaten by St Mary’s in Round 8, copping a 54-point loss that would not only hurt their record, but also their confidence moving forward. On the other hand, they face a more achievable goal this week , with Waratah likely considered a beatable opponent. However, they will need to get the best out of their players if they are to claim their second win of the season.

Waratah will be fresh heading into this week’s clash, given they are coming off the bye in Round 8, following the league-wide week off in Round 7. However this may also work against them, as there will be question marks as to how ready they will be heading into this match. There may be a slight bit of rust, especially in the first half given the side has not played a game in three weeks. They have shown they have the capability to grind out wins in matches such as these, so if they can overcome a potential slow start expect Waratah to put up a fight.

Wanderers vs St Mary’s

12:00pm, Sunday 28 November

Tracy Village Oval

The final game of the round will see St Mary’s look to continue their strong season as they take on the Wanderers on Sunday afternoon at Tracy Village Oval. St Mary’s have been chugging along nicely, currently occupying third spot on the ladder, and will be favoured coming into this match, but the Wanderers will not be counting themselves out as they look to cause an upset in Round 9.

The Wanderers certainly have room for improvement from their start to the season so far, winning just one of their seven games and looking a step off the pace compared to the stronger sides in the league. They came close last weekend, proving competitive against the Southern Districts as they fell by just three goals, but it was still evident that they have some work to do if they want to improve their record. There is no better way to do this than a win over a strongly-performing team such as St Mary’s.

St Mary’s have been terrific in their first half of the season, dropping just two of their seven games on their way to claiming third position in the standings. Things look promising for the side, with their wins coming in convincing fashion, but they will need to maintain these victories if they are to catch the top two sides in the Tigers and the Buffaloes, who are yet to lose a game. Each match carries consequences for St Mary’s so expect them to leave nothing on the field as the aim to claim their sixth win of the season.