Dav
Hotel? Trivago.
10k Posts
Koala
SFA State of Origin
Coney Island Warriors - Sweet F.A.
Pantskyle
SFA Fight For MND
SFA Daffodil Day Fund Raiser
Brisbane Dolphins Player - BFFCL
BFFCL Club Captain
Blue Mountain Bounders Player - BFFCL
It's beginning to look more and more like the NT Thunder, which was once seen as an opportunity for Territory footballers to get a look into AFL while still living here, is no longer a viable option for kids in Darwin looking to get to the big time. I look at the Thunder squad now, which contains way too many state league players from down south who played in the NTFL, and I see maybe one or two possible AFL draftees, both of which will more than likely have to go down south to get a chance to get drafted.
Unfortunately, the likes of Relton Roberts and Zeph Skinner (two players drafted directly from Thunder) have created a status quo in that clubs are afraid of investing time into Territory (especially Indigenous) youngsters due to the chance of them getting homesick. Most of the top Territory prospects playing in the AFL today went down south in order to get drafted: Brandan Parfitt went to North Adelaide, Daniel and Cyril Rioli played at St Patrick's and Scotch College respectively, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti moved to Melbourne at a young age. Willie Rioli and Matthew Stokes are examples of players who moved down in their 20s, excelled at SANFL level, and then got drafted. Our only players drafted last year were Zac Bailey (Norwood) and Tony Olango (Box Hill). They were nominally trained by Thunder, but undoubtedly served more by their time down south.
It may be completely coincidental, but the only player drafted directly from NT Thunder with no southern experience in the last 5 years has been Ryan Nyhuis, who is not Indigenous, and even he spent a year on a rookie list before getting his opportunity. Last season, two of the Territory's most draftable prospects in Adam Sambono and Francis Kinthari both failed to make even the rookie draft. Kinthari, at one point, had signed for Frankston this season, but it fell through, and Sambono is playing at NEAFL level again. I don't expect either of them to get drafted, whereas Liam Holt-Fitz, the best prospect in the NT right now, will be heading to boarding school in Victoria, where he will be greatly served.
It's a real shame, because I reckon on average, NT players are the most skillful and exciting in the country. What lets us down is the professionalism and determination, and that's a league wide thing in terms of the NTFL. In order to prove themselves able to play AFL, players now need to head down south and play WAFL, SANFL or TAC Cup. Playing NEAFL against east coast reserve sides and living in Darwin just isn't cutting it anymore.
Unfortunately, the likes of Relton Roberts and Zeph Skinner (two players drafted directly from Thunder) have created a status quo in that clubs are afraid of investing time into Territory (especially Indigenous) youngsters due to the chance of them getting homesick. Most of the top Territory prospects playing in the AFL today went down south in order to get drafted: Brandan Parfitt went to North Adelaide, Daniel and Cyril Rioli played at St Patrick's and Scotch College respectively, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti moved to Melbourne at a young age. Willie Rioli and Matthew Stokes are examples of players who moved down in their 20s, excelled at SANFL level, and then got drafted. Our only players drafted last year were Zac Bailey (Norwood) and Tony Olango (Box Hill). They were nominally trained by Thunder, but undoubtedly served more by their time down south.
It may be completely coincidental, but the only player drafted directly from NT Thunder with no southern experience in the last 5 years has been Ryan Nyhuis, who is not Indigenous, and even he spent a year on a rookie list before getting his opportunity. Last season, two of the Territory's most draftable prospects in Adam Sambono and Francis Kinthari both failed to make even the rookie draft. Kinthari, at one point, had signed for Frankston this season, but it fell through, and Sambono is playing at NEAFL level again. I don't expect either of them to get drafted, whereas Liam Holt-Fitz, the best prospect in the NT right now, will be heading to boarding school in Victoria, where he will be greatly served.
It's a real shame, because I reckon on average, NT players are the most skillful and exciting in the country. What lets us down is the professionalism and determination, and that's a league wide thing in terms of the NTFL. In order to prove themselves able to play AFL, players now need to head down south and play WAFL, SANFL or TAC Cup. Playing NEAFL against east coast reserve sides and living in Darwin just isn't cutting it anymore.
