WITH another weekend approaching, so does the next round of the Northern Territory Football League Women (NTFLW) Premier League. Round 6 brings the matchup that fans have been waiting for, with the competition’s two undefeated teams going head to head in a clash that will likely get the attention of most fans regardless of their club affiliation. The sixth round also marks the first third point of the season, so it is crucial that sides begin to get their groove going with the standings on the ladder becoming more and more cemented as the weeks go on.

Nightcliff Tigers vs Darwin Buffaloes

10:00am, Saturday 6 November

TIO Stadium

Arguably the year’s most anticipated clash to date kicks off proceedings for Round 6, with the top of the table Nightcliff Tigers set to take on their biggest threat this season, with the Darwin Buffaloes looking to dethrone the ladder leaders. The stakes are incredibly high for this contest, with the winner set to cement their spot at the top of the standings as the only undefeated side remaining. Both teams have looked unstoppable, and this is the test of quality, with the league’s premier side decided by who emerges victorious on Saturday.

The Tigers have led the competition all season, never surrendering their spot on top of the ladder and dismantling their opponents on a weekly. They have found a winning style of play, and will be hoping this continues to hold them in good stead as they take on their toughest opponent to date in Round 6. The Tigers have relied on their ability to lock the ball in their half through immense pressure, and if they can do this again in the sixth round, they will be tough to stop.

The Buffaloes have not put a foot wrong since starting their season, and would consider themselves unlucky to not be on top of the ladder. They have delivered a number of convincing wins in the season, and are yet to produce a bad performance from their first five matches. They will be gunning for the Tigers’ top spot on the ladder, and this match provides the perfect opportunity to steal it. Given they have an extra game up their sleeve on their opponents (as they had their bye in the first round), if they can utilize their fast-paced style of play and snag the win on Saturday, they will take some catching at the top of the ladder.

Tracy Village vs St Mary’s

12:00pm, Saturday 6 November

TIO Stadium

The next clash is shaping up to be a one-sided affair, with St Mary’s looking to continue to close in on the top of the ladder as they take on the bottom-placed Tracy Village at midday on Saturday. St Mary’s seem to have found their mojo after the first six rounds, moving up the ladder as the weeks progress, and they take on an opponent that has struggled to find any rhythm on both the offensive and defensive end.

Tracy Village now remain the only side searching for their first win of the season, with a poor percentage next to their record to add to the pain. They have struggled to slow down the scoring of their opponents, and conversely cannot generate any offense of their own. They will need to lift from their performances in recent weeks, with an upset on the cards if they can surprise the league and steal an unlikely victory at TIO Stadium on Saturday afternoon, but there will need to be a hefty turnaround.

St Mary’s have announced themselves as one of the top-tier sides of the competition in recent weeks, with their round 5 win moving them up to third spot on the ladder. While they are still two losses behind the top two sides, each match they play will hold heavy significance in keeping them in touch with the upper echelon of the ladder. Their style of play has improved significantly in recent weeks, and if they can deliver a performance of similar caliber to last week, it is hard to see this side losing.

Waratah vs PINT

2:00pm Saturday 6 November

TIO Stadium

The final match of Saturday’s triple header will see the reigning premiers look to bounce back with a win as they take on Waratah on Saturday afternoon at TIO Stadium. Waratah have broken even so far this season with their win/loss record, and will be looking to sneak up the ladder with an upset over PINT, but last year’s champs will take some beating as they look to keep in touch with the top of the ladder.

Waratah will have fresh legs as they come off a Round 5 bye, but will need to be at the top of their game if they are to walk away with a win on Saturday afternoon. The season has delivered a mixed bag for the side thus far, with two wins and two losses from their four games so far. Their wins have come against weaker opponents, but they have been given the opportunity to take a big scalp against a PINT side that doesn’t look at their best at the moment.

PINT have had an okay start to their quest to claim a consecutive premiership, with three wins and two losses after five rounds. They were bested by the Tigers last weekend, and will need to improve from that performance if they are to keep their spot in the top half of the ladder. They dropped down to fourth after Round 5’s loss, so expect them to bounce back and perform at the level that many expected of them heading into this season.

Palmerston Magpies vs Southern Districts

12:00pm, Sunday 7 November

Cazaly’s Arena

The final match of the round will see two sides in the bottom third of the ladder look to sneak up the standings after Sunday afternoon’s clash at Cazaly’s Arena. With both teams sitting with one win from their four matches, this clash looms as vital for the revitalisation of a season, so expect both of these sides to come out all guns blazing in a bid to move away from the bottom of the ladder.

The Magpies were humbled in Round 5 with a 96-point loss to St Mary’s and will be desperate to amend this with a win over a lower ranked opponent this weekend. Their sole win of the season came against the bottom-placed Tracy Village, so they will need to continue to take their chances against the sides that currently sit in the bottom half of the ladder.

The Districts are in a similar boat to their opponents with an identical record after four matches, but Sunday presents an opportunity to ascend above the Magpies on the ladder. Despite a finals appearance last year, the Districts have started the season in slower fashion than many anticipated. A drought-breaking Round 5 win saw the side potentially get their mojo back, and if they can carry this into the upcoming week, their season could finally be back on track heading into the middle of the season.

Photo: AFLNT