2019 SEASON PREVIEW: NT Thunder

NT Thunder will usher in a new era in 2019 with several new faces aiming to create their own legacy. Can the two-time premiership winners get back to their brilliant best?

2018 SUMMARY

NT Thunder’s 2018 campaign started brightly with a new-look side defeating defending premier Brisbane in a one-point thriller in Round 1, before travelling to Brisbane and overrunning finals contender Aspley by 28 points. But the wheels soon fell off, as Thunder lost eight of their next nine games to send their season into a tailspin. Their only two victories in the run home came against bottom-placed Redland as a combination of injury, inexperience and fatigue contribution to NT Thunder’s lowest ever finish to a NEAFL season. On the positive side, Abraham Ankers was a star, earning NEAFL Team of the Year honours as well as winning the club’s best-and-fairest in a breakout year.

WHATS’S NEW IN 2019?

NT Thunder has undertaken a revamp in the off-season with a new coach and playing roster hoping to ignite a new era without club legends Cameron Ilett and Darren Ewing. Darren Reeves replaces Andrew Hodges as coach, and spearheaded a recruitment drive which included former Fremantle ruckman Jack Hannath, SANFL Reserves Magarey medallist Jacob Templeton and NTFL stars Will Farrer, Nathaniel Parades, Clinton Gallio, Dean Staunton and Adam Tipungwuti.

FIRST MONTH

NT Thunder faces an interesting first month, kicking off with a blockbuster Saturday night clash with Brisbane at TIO Stadium in Round 1. Last year these two sides produced an epic, with NT Thunder holding on to win by a point in thrilling fashion.

Round 2 sees a trip to Sydney to face bogey side Sydney University. Thunder hasn’t beaten the Students since the 2015 Preliminary Final in Darwin, and will have a point to prove after Sydney Uni dished out a 109-point trashing in Round 21 last year.

A by follows in Round 3 before NT Thunder battles Redland in their annual ANZAC Round showpiece clash at Scottsdale Park, where both sides will want an early season confidence boost. 

2019 WILL BE A HIT IF…

Their new midfield can fire. In 2018, NT Thunder ranked last in the competition for contested possessions, contested marks, and clearances, despite the dominant year from Ankers. There is a big job ahead for NT Thunder’s new recruits to shoulder the load – ruckman Jack Hannath and midfielders Clinton Gallio, Jacob Templeton, Nathaniel Parades and Brodie Carroll will be crucial to their success.

2019 WILL BE A MISS IF…

NT Thunder’s defensive pressure doesn’t improve. We all know when NT Thunder gets going in attack, they are hard to stop. Despite finishing down the bottom of the table last year, NT Thunder was ranked second in the competition for scoring accuracy. However, they were last for tackles – nearly 500 behind the top ranked side in Sydney – and conceded on average 106 points per game.

STAR POWER

One of the stories of the NEAFL season last year was the emergence of Ankers, producing some ridiculous numbers in the midfield on his way to a first NEAFL Team of the Year selection. But NT Thunder fans should be looking forward to seeing who else can put their hands up in 2019. After missing most of last year with injury, Phillip Wills bounced back in style during the NTFL season to win the Nichols Medal and guide Nightcliff to a flag, and will hope to carry his sensational form in to a new season. Two-time St Marys best-and-fairest winner Parades is ready to be unleashed at NEAFL level, and forward Will Farrer will be the new spearhead in attack.

ROOKIE WATCH

There is no shortage of emerging talent to keep your eye on this year. Kieren Parnell – after a horror run of injury – will be making his return to the field this year and is one player AFL recruiters have been tracking for some time. Elsewhere, under-18 squad member Malcolm Rosas is one of the brightest prospects in the NT. He made his NEAFL debut in 2018 and has remained in impressive form, winning the 2018/19 NTFL Rising Star Award. Watch for this young gun to feature at NEAFL level after Academy and Allies duties are complete.

TO KICK THINGS OFF

Round 1 – April 6

NT Thunder v Brisbane Lions at TIO Stadium, 6.30pm.