The following article from the AFLNT (AFL Northern Territory) summarises the growth of the game in the NT. The high points are the increase is higher than the national average – driven heavily by women’s footy – and in an extraordinary piece of data, the participation of people in the Northern Territory playing the game is around one in every five people, making the Northern Territory the highest per capita playing state/territory in Australia – an amazing achievement.

The following article comes from the www.aflnt.com.au website. 

The growth of women’s football in remote Northern Territory communities has directly contributed to participation numbers in Australian Football recording an all-time high in the NT. 

Today, AFLNT released its 2018 participation data, and for the first time since the record-keeping began, the NT has tipped over the 48,000 mark.

 

Adelaide Crows' Danielle Ponter and Collingwood's Sarah Dargan have been named the Rising Star Nominees in Round Four NAB AFL Women's.

Ponter has become the Crows first nomination for AFLW 3.0.

Image Source: AFC Media and Michael Dodge/Getty Images

The two matches in the NTFL Premier League finals series on Saturday have again seen the agony and ecstasy of a season finished or a season on a roll. Waratah kept their flag hopes alive and the Tiwi Bombers continued to be the form team in the league. Last year’s grand finalists, the Darwin Buffaloes, had an early exit and end to their season whilst the Southern Districts Crocs lost but can fight another day.

The Nightcliff Tigers watched on and learned as the other teams battled before them.

The first match of the finals at TIO Stadium saw Waratah and Darwin battle for the second successive week. Last weekend it was jostling for finals positions – this weekend it was sudden death to the loser. Remarkably, the script was eerily similar. A tight first quarter was followed by a big Waratah second quarter. At half time, Waratah were five goals up, also similar to last week.

North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos triumphed to a four-point win over Melbourne at Casey Fields in the South East of Melbourne in the humid conditions. 

It was North's first real test of this years competition in what was one of the best AFLW matches skill and pressure wise.

Hope and King guided North to the tough victory.

Image Source: Kelly Defina/Getty Images

The GWS Giants secured their first win of AFLW 3.0, as they narrowly defeated Collingwood by nine points in warm conditions at the Morwell Recreation Reserve.

It was the first ever AFLW match at Morwell.

Image Source: Michael Dodge/Getty Images

The Adelaide Crows were unstoppable against the Fremantle Dockers at the TIO Stadium, as they demolished the Dockers by 41 points in steamy and hot conditions in Darwin.

Image Source: Michael Wilson

The Brisbane Lions outclassed the Western Bulldogs at the VU Whitten Oval, as they demolished them by 33 points in great conditions in Melbourne.

It just was not the Dogs night with their sloppy disposals and skills compared to the Lions that were cleaner in all facets of their game.

Image Source: Scott Barbour

The Geelong Cats pulled off a hard fought five point win over Carlton at the GMHBA Stadium in a fine day in Geelong.

It was a top of the table Conference B clash between the Cats and Blues and the contest lived up to it all match long. 

Rochelle Cranston led the way in the midfield with her pressure for the Cats. 

Image Source: Darrian Traynor

 

Conor Walsh from the Essendon Football club website www.essendonfc.com.au looks at the rise of the Tiwi Bombers during the 2018.19 NTFL season. Early in the season, the Bombers were in a battle to even reach the finals, yet this weekend they are playing in a Qualifying Final as the form team in the NTFL. 

The Tiwi Bombers are flying and ready to explode in the TIO NTFL Finals on Saturday, entering the campaign as the form team of the competition.

The Bombers have won six of their last seven outings leading into the weekend’s qualifying final against Southern Districts, coming off the back of an 87-point thumping of St Marys last week.  

The dominant victory helped the side secure a second chance for the finals series, lifting them into third place by percentage, just 1.28 per cent clear of Waratah.