THE weekend is finally here, which marks the beginning of another round of the Northern Territory Football League (NTFL) Men’s Premier League. Last weekend’s action saw the landscape of the competition change after St Mary’s were able to upset the competition’s top side. Amongst a number of intriguing upcoming games, matchup of similar calibre is set to take place in round 12, with the second and third placed sides on the ladder set to lock horns in what should be a thrilling clash between two of the strongest performing teams this year.

Tiwi Bombers vs Nightcliff Tigers
Saturday, December 18 @ 1:30pm
Wurrumiyanga Oval

The two bookends of the competition will go head-to-head when the Tiwi Bombers host the Nightcliff Tigers at Wurrumiyanga Oval on Saturday afternoon. The Tigers currently lead the competition with eight wins coming from their 10 matches. They have been terrific all season, and will be looking to improve their standings even further with an opponent who has struggled this season. Keep an eye out for midfielder Brodie Filo, who is fresh off 33 disposals and will be looking to keep his form rolling this weekend. On the other hand, the Bombers are still yet to claim their first victory, and are currently placed at the bottom of the ladder. They face a tough challenge this weekend, and will go into this clash as heavy underdogs, but will be hopeful of pulling off a remarkable upset.

Southern Districts vs St Mary’s
Saturday, December 18 @ 4:00pm
Norbuilt Oval

Moving across the grounds now, the Southern Districts will be looking to cause an upset when they take on St Mary’s at Norbuilt Oval on Saturday afternoon. The Districts have won just four of their 10 matches this season, but were able to emerge victorious against the Magpies last weekend, and will be hopeful of keeping this momentum rolling heading forward as they chase down a top-four spot. Currently occupying that fourth spot on the ladder is St Mary’s, who are coming off their best win of the season, after upsetting the then-ladder-leading Waratah. They will be looking to continue their charge up the standings, but will need to be weary of complacency if they are to achieve this goal. Nathaniel Paredes was best-on-ground in the win last weekend for St Mary’s, and will likely play another key role through the midfield this time around.

Darwin Buffaloes vs Palmerston Magpies
Saturday, December 18 @ 7:30pm
Cazaly’s Arena

Saturday’s final match will see the Darwin Buffaloes play host to the Palmerston Magpies when the two sides face off on Saturday night at Cazaly’s Arena. The two teams are in the midst of similar seasons, both sitting in the bottom part of the ladder with just one win separating them. The Buffaloes are coming off a brutal loss at the hands of the Tigers, and will be looking to bounce back against an opponent they will be much more confident against, but they will need to produce a much stronger performance.

The Magpies were bested by the Districts to the tune of nearly seven goals last weekend, and will be looking to get themselves back on track against the Buffaloes, and will have plenty of faith in their ability to get the job done on Saturday. Forward Daniel Stafford booted five majors in the loss and will likely loom as a danger up forward once again this time.

Wanderers vs Waratah
Sunday, December 19 @4:00pm
Tracy Village Oval

The final match of the round perhaps saves the best for last, when the Wanderers and Waratah go head-to-head at Tracy Village Oval on Sunday afternoon. This is set to be a blockbuster clash, with the two sides occupying two of the top three spots on the ladder. The Wanderers recorded a massive win against the Bombers last round, and will be happy to ride the wave heading into this clash. They dominated their opponent from start to finish in a telling performance, and while they face a tougher opponent this weekend, they will also understand Waratah’s vulnerability at the moment and will be looking to sneak up the ladder with a win, especially if forward Edward Simpson can boot another 10 goals as he did last week.

Waratah occupied top spot on the ladder until last round, where they were upset by St Mary’s which knocked them back down to second place. They will be looking to bounce back this weekend, but face another worthy opponent, so they will need to be back to their best if they are to find themselves at the top of the table again.