THE THIRD and final match for Round 4 of the Coates Talent League takes place on Thursday afternoon, as Western Jets host Northern Territory at Skinner Reserve. We preview the clash, which serves as the Thunder’s first of two fixtures in the competition – both within four days, no less.

>> CTL Round 4: Snapshot | Scouting Notes

Thursday April 25, 1:15pm @ Skinner Reserve

IN A NUTSHELL

The Northern Territory Academy will turn out for the first of its two Coates Talent League fixtures in a standalone Anzac Day clash against Western Jets to see out Round 4. The Thunder have gone 0-6 over the past two seasons with an average losing margin of over 100 points, while Western comes into the clash searching for its first win of the season, currently poised at 0-2.

TEAMS

Western Jets:

B: #25 O. Ainsworth – #26 F. Davis – #13 W. Barker
HB: #43 O. Greenshields – #16 K. Sexton – #15 T. Assafiri
C: #6 D. Weeks – #3 L. Grego – #46 D. Gilham
HF: #2 D. Snell – #60 J. Tanner – #1 M. Raso
F: #14 L. Fitzgerald – #34 L. Fazzolari – #4 J. Gerardi
FOL: #48 L. Impey – #8 O. Miller – #28 X. Kardachi

INT: #11 T. McGuane, #18 R. Cockerell, #30 J. Daley, #32 N. Asciak, #61 D. Fawcett

Northern Territory Academy:

B: #7 O. Poulson – #13 E. Darcy – #11 J. Hewett
HB: #19 M. Romelo – #22 B. Embuscado – #10 T. Forbes
C: #4 E. Bush – #6 C. Peris Chong – #21 D. Dunn
HF: #1 X. Blitner – #24 E. Baker – #9 A. Scott
F: #25 W. Davey-Motlop – #14 C. Bertrand – #5 K. Cole-Manolis
FOL: #12 T. Murray – #28 T. Stanley – #15 C. Shadforth

INT: #2 T. Dewsbury, #8 B. Ross, #20 A. Huddleston, #23 K. Russell, #26 S. Waistcoat
23rd Player: #3 M. Chubb

ONES TO WATCH

Western Jets will be without the likes of Keighton Matofai-Forbes (suspension) and Lachlan McArthur (Young Guns) on Thursday, but have been able to call upon over-ager Darcy Weeks for the first time this year. Watch for him to impress out on the wing.

On the inside, skipper Lucca Grego will look to lead by example while rotating forwards Daniel Snell and Massimo Raso may also get a run through the middle. Bottom-ager Thomas McGuane is another to watch on either side of the midfield battle.

Some of the NT’s best talent has been boarding in other states. Waylon Davey-Motlop is fresh off his first outing for the year with Xavier College and may rotate through midfield with South Adelaide’s Clay Shadforth, who represented the Allies last year.

Potentially rucking to them both will be last year’s Under 16 MVP Taj Murray. He’ll also have Calvin Peris-Chong to hit to at stoppages, who is the brother of Geelong’s Brandan Parfitt. Taj Stanley is another solid operator who should get his hands on it in the middle.

PREDICTION

Recent history doesn’t bode well for the NT Thunder but the fixture has arguably been kinder to them this time around. It may take some time for the visitors to jell, though Western has not played for nearly a month and is missing a couple of key pieces. Still, Jets by 30.