Top four sides Southern Districts, St Mary's, Darwin Buffaloes and Waratah sent big statements to the rest of the competition after season defining wins in Round 7 of the 2023/24 TIO NTFL's Men's Premier League.
Ladder leaders Districts got into an early shootout with Wanderers before kicking 14 goals to five after quarter-time to record a definitive 72-point win and the Buffaloes ran over Nightcliff from midway through the second quarter in a confidence boosting six-point win.
St Mary's won their fifth game in a row when they doubled their opponent the Tiwi Bombers' score at Gardens Oval, booting 10 goals to three in a last quarter goal avalanche to win by 73 points.
And Waratah kicked 13 goals to two in the first half on the way to their second century-plus win at the expense of a Palmerston side unable to cope with the red and whites' fast transfer of the football.
Districts midfielder Jed Anderson repaid his new club's investment in him with a superb four-quarter performance in the Crocodiles fifth consecutive win since losing to St Mary's in Round 2.
Anderson, lionhearted ruckman Wyatt Ryan and Beau Schwarze through the middle and up forward were among a group of Crocodiles too strong for a Wanderers side that lost inspirational skipper Mitchell Taylor to Achilles soreness early in the game.
It was difficult to find a passenger in Districts' win, with every player contributing to the win, including acting captain Michael Bowden, who starred in an unaccustomed goalkicking role in the second half.
"We've hit a good patch of form where we've kept everyone together and it's showing out where we're working for each other,'' Anderson said post-match.
"It doesn't matter who kicks the goals or who is doing the hard work, we're all working together and winning the contests where it really counts.''
The Darwin Buffaloes showed they are made of the right stuff in a come-from-behind win over Nightcliff in their clash at Darwin Mazda Nightcliff Oval.
Nightcliff's four-goal burst early in the second quarter looked to have set up a comfortable win over their old rivals.
But a courageous Buffalo revival inspired by Brisbane Lions trio Rhys Mathieson, Blake Coleman and Mitch Robinson and best on ground Nick Yarran secured the four points.
The Buffaloes' 12.5 (77) to 11.5 (71) win fired a warning shot across the bows of their rivals with the Christmas break fast approaching.
Coach Cameron Stokes watched his players work their way back into a contest where the Buffalo spirit showed out after a scrappy start.
"It was pretty tough going halfway through the second quarter, but the experienced midfield group of Mathieson, Robinson, Jarrod Stokes, Nick Yarran and Blake Coleman were able to work us back into the game." he said.
St Mary's continue to go from strength to strength under first year skipper and Nichols medallist Dylan Landt after their comfortable 73-point win over the Tiwi Bombers at Gardens Oval.
The 22.14 (146) to 10.1 (73) win was Saint's fifth in a row since losing to Nightcliff in the opening round.
The floodgates opened in the last quarter when ruckman-forward Tex Khorewah, Landt and big spearhead Jackson Calder went up a gear after the last lemon break.
Coach Anthony Vallejo said the Tiwi’s had pushed his side for three quarters despite the 12-goal win, proof the islanders were well coached by former Western Bulldog and Richmond utility Patrick Bowden.
"We've mentioned these games we should win but actually going out there and performing with some little things we've worked and getting the seven "ins" we had up to speed, took a bit of work," he added.
Former Sydney and North Melbourne utility Ryan Clarke had a day out in Waratah colours when the reigning premiers booted 21 goals to four against the Palmerston Magpies at TIO Stadium.
The Magpies were without Covid-19 affected coach Josh Heath, but even his presence would not have stopped the runaway express train with 22 red and white players on board.
Clarke, skipper Dylan Collis and seven-goal spearhead Jayden Magro took their own footballs to the ground in a 21.15 (141) to 4.8 (32) win that lifted Tahs into the top four with a percentage of 219.
Tahs' precise use of handball, hard running and kicking to position was a feature of their third win in a row since a shock one-point loss to PINT in Round 3.