Northern Territory Football Club Explained

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Clubname:NT Thunder
Image Size:200px
Fullname:Northern Territory Football Club
Nicknames:NT Thunder
Colours: Black Ochre Yellow White
Dissolved:13 September 2019
League:NEAFL

Men's
VFLW: Women's

Ground:Marrara Oval, Darwin
Ground2:Traeger Park, Alice Springs
Capacity:12,000
Capacity2:10,000
Chairman:Lincoln Jenkin
Coach:Andrew Hodges
Captain:Shannon Rioli
Premierships:2 (2011, 2015)
Season:2017
Home&Amp;Away:5th
Afterfinals:5th
Topgoalkicker:Darren Ewing (61 goals)
Bestandfairest:Cameron Ilett
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Url:ntthunder.com.au

The Northern Territory Football Club, nicknamed NT Thunder, was a Northern Territory-based Australian rules football club that competed in the North East Australian Football League (NEAFL) between 2011 and 2019, and the VFL Women's between 2018 and 2019.

The club was disbanded at the end of the 2019 season, however its identity continues to be seen in the under-19s Talent League Boys and Talent League Girls competitions, where the Northern Territory Academy plays a handful of games each year.

History

NT Thunder was formed in 2008 and were invited to join the West Australian Football League, but instead opted to join the Queensland Australian Football League (QAFL). At the conclusion of the 2010 QAFL season, the Thunder were invited to join the newly formed North East Australian Football League (NEAFL).[1]

The Thunder finished the regular season with the best record in the Northern Conference and in doing so claimed their first ever minor premiership. The Thunder went on to prove their superiority by claiming the first ever Northern Conference NEAFL premiership by defeating the Morningside Panthers. A week later the Thunder defeated the newly crowned Eastern Conference NEAFL premiers, Ainslie Tri-Colours, to claim the first ever NEAFL premiership at Traeger Park.[2]

The Thunder won two NEAFL premierships and entered a side in the VFL Women's competition in Victoria. By the end of the 2019 season, AFL Northern Territory revealed it could no longer justify keeping the club afloat, and announced its cessation from both competitions.[3]

Honour board

Legend:
Premiers, Finals
Bold italics: competition leading goal kicker

Season Position Chairman CEO Coach Captain(s) Best and fairest Leading goalkicker (total)
2009 6th Paul Tyrell Stuart Totham Jarred Ilett Cameron Ilett Darren Ewing (81)
2010 4th† Paul Tyrell Stuart Totham Murray Davis Jarred Ilett Cameron Ilett Darren Ewing (78)
2011 1st^ Paul Tyrell Stuart Totham Murray Davis Cameron Ilett Jake Dignan Darren Ewing (115)
2012 3rd† Lincoln Jenkin Jarred Ilett Daniel Archer Cameron Ilett Darren Ewing (64)
2013 7th Lincoln Jenkin Jarred Ilett Daniel Archer Cameron Ilett Cameron Ilett Darren Ewing (94)
2014 4th† Lincoln Jenkin Jarred Ilett Cameron Ilett/Aaron Motlop Cameron Ilett Darren Ewing (73)
2015 1st^ Lincoln Jenkin Brendan Curry Aaron Motlop Darren Ewing (87)
2016 5th† Lincoln Jenkin Shannon Rioli Cameron Ilett Darren Ewing (58)
2017 5th† Lincoln Jenkin Andrew Hodges Shannon Rioli Cameron Ilett Darren Ewing (61)

Honours and achievements

Premierships


Club Champions

Grogan Medallists

See main article: Grogan Medal. The Grogan Medal was awarded between 2011 and 2013 to the best and fairest player in the NEAFL Northern Conference.

Ray Hughson Medallists

The Ray Hughson Medal was awarded in the QAFL until 2010, and in the NEAFL Northern Conference between 2011 and 2013 to the leading goalkicker.

NEAFL leading goalkicker

The NEAFL leading goalkicker has been awarded since 2014 to the player who kicks the most goals in the NEAFL competition.

NEAFL (Northern) Rising Stars

The NEAFL (Northern) Rising Star was awarded between 2011 and 2013 to the best young player in the Northern Conference.

NEAFL Rising Stars

The NEAFL (Northern) Rising Star has been awarded since 2014 to the best young player in the NEAFL competition.

Premiership coaches

NEAFL Coach of the Year

The NEAFL Coach of the Year has been awarded since 2014 to the best coach in the NEAFL competition.

QAFL Team of the Year representatives

NT Thunder competed in the QAFL between 2009 and 2010 before joining the NEAFL.

NEAFL Team of the Year representatives

Between 2011 and 2013, the Team of the Year representatives were from the Northern Conference. Since 2014, the representatives have been for the whole NEAFL competition.

AFL players

The following is the list of NT Thunder players who have played at AFL level and the club they play(ed) for.

Club song

The NT Thunder club song is "We are the Territory Thunder".

We are Territory boys/girls
We are Territory Thunder

Yellow, ochre, black and white
We are out for plunder

Premierships are on our mind
We’ll tear our foes asunder

We are Territory boys/girls
We are Territory Thunder

We are Territory boys/girls
We are Territory Thunder

Ngiya pumanyinga (I am Thunder)
Kuwa
Ngintha pumanyinga (You are Thunder)
Kuwa
Ngawa pumanyinga, Ngawa pumanyinga, Ngawa pumanyinga (We are Thunder)
Kuwa, Kuwa, Kuwa

Match records

Correct to the end of round 17, 2017

Notes and References

  1. https://web.archive.org/web/20101114122527/http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/105081/default.aspx AFL's north east boost – AFL.com.au
  2. https://archive.today/20240525122249/https://www.webcitation.org/61xRypgWZ?url=http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2011/09/25/262651_ntsport.html Thunder soars to take prized double - NT News
  3. Web site: Thunder no more: AFLNT confirms no NEAFL and VFLW teams. AFL.com.au. 12 September 2019.