TWO THIRDS of the way through the NTFL Women’s Premier Division season and the ladder leading up to finals is taking shape. A total of 12 rounds have been completed with a clear premiership favourite, while there are a couple of key challengers and a further two mid-table sides who could ruffle some feathers in the post-season. We take a look at how the season has gone thus far.

LADDER AFTER ROUND 12

Nightcliff

The Tigers have been the team to beat all season and it is no surprise why with a stack of experienced players. Queenslanders Laura and Gracie Roy have crossed over after successful years at Morningside, while Kierra Zerafa has returned from her strong season at Southport. Fleur Davies is one of the few AFLW players still running around at this time of year, while Cassie McWilliam is ever the threat up forward and Jasmine Ware has smarts in the front half.

PINT

PINT has lost to three of the top five teams and have a fairly tough run home, but still have the percentage gap on St Mary’s. Reni Hicks and Jasmyn Hewett are ultra-experienced players for the Queen Ants which is why the club has had so much success. Ex-AFLW forward Jordan Membrey and NTFLW sharpshooter Steph Lawrence are ever-dangerous, while Jorja Eldridge and Kloe McElhinney provide strength and booming kicks.

ST MARY’S

St Mary’s is realistically the biggest threat to Nightcliff as it stands, with the Saints’ only two losses coming at the hands of the Tigers, having beaten everyone else with the exception of one match abandonment against Waratah. The Saints have a lot of good young talent such as Shakaila Gardiner-Dunn and Lakhyah Hill, while the addition of Perth ruck Molly Warne and ex-AFLW midfielder Poppy Schaap has helped. Janet Baird leads by example, while Lucia Liessi and Paula Pavic also add important state league experience.

DARWIN BUFFETTES

Purge All Caches

Though limited in games, the return of Dominique Carbone (five matches) has been great for the Buffettes, while Amelia Peck (four) coming over alongside her Magpies VFLW captain has also added another layer to the attack. Skipper Bianca Stokes and former league best and fairest winner Molly Althouse add the local experience, while Molly Eastman has proven herself at the elite level. Finals beckon for the Buffettes, and they can be dangerous if their best side is on the park.

SOUTHERN DISTRICTS

Forced to hand back the points in their Round 7 win over Waratah by AFLNT last week, Southern Districts is now just one win – though a massive percentage – inside the top five. The Crocs have young tall Eva Harris as a great target inside 50, while skipper Taelah Smith is only 18 but impressing at the level. SANFLW experience from the likes of Steph Simmonds and Demi Sonneman steadies the ship, while Maddi Shaw has been sensational across the nine games she has played.

WANDERERS

A ‘best of the rest’ scenario where the Wanderers are 55 per cent outside the top five, but also have the worst percentage of 45.18 despite notching up more wins than the remaining four teams. Plenty of SANFLW experience in the form of Tahlita Buethke, Sophie Armitstead and Jiarna Zerella helps, while ex-AFLW players Ashanti Bush and Stephanie Williams added spark in the front half. The latter has since moved to Wanderers for the last couple of rounds.

WARATAH

Waratah has only managed three wins in season 2025/26, but have a better percentage than Wanderers and would be a good chance to overtake them at some point. The ‘Tahs’ have Grace Hodder who is coming off some massive performances through the middle of late, with the Sandringham Zebras skipper shining in the red and white. Jo-Anna Baltais has been terrific for the side, as has the inclusion of Williams.

PALMERSTON MAGPIES

Enjoying a recent thrashing of Tiwi Bombers before being smacked by PINT, the Magpies have Ella Ward up forward, while talented teenager Jorja Davey will be a name to note down for next season. Marika Carlton is back in Palmerston colours, as is National Academy member Danika McDonald. There is no shortage of good young talent, but the Magpies are still developing.

TIWI BOMBERS

Tiwi has been anchored to the bottom of the ladder with just one win in 11 games, with that being a 65-point smashing of Darwin in Round 5. That was a standout performance, with Sarah D’Arcy adding crucial experience on-field. Jelena Tipungwuti and Hilda Moreen have been the main goalscoring threats for the Bombers.