The 2025/26 TIO NTFL season begins with a scintillating contest between the reigning premiers St Marys and Southern Districts on Friday night.
The Saints will be eager to launch their 2025/26 campaign in style, entering their clash with the Crocs as favourites. However, Districts have enjoyed a strong recruiting drive over the off-season with an influx of talent already signed. The Crocs emerge as one of the big improvers this year and toppling St Marys first-up would send a powerful message to the rest of the competition.
Saturday’s clash will see Darwin Buffettes up against last season’s wooden spooners, Wanderers. The Buffettes produced flashes of brilliance last season, showing they could mix it with the competition’s best. But inconsistency proved costly, leaving them just short of a finals berth.
For Wanderers, last season was a struggle as they went winless, but a new campaign brings fresh opportunities. The Eagles will be desperate to close the gap and prove they can match it with the rest of the competition.
On Sunday, Nightcliff will take on the Tiwi Bombers in the first of a triple-header of Premier League matches at TIO Stadium.
Nightcliff will enter the new season with unfinished business after last year’s heartbreaking one-point grand final loss to St Marys. The Tigers have strengthened their list with several key recruits – headlined by Waratah star Kierra Zerafa and a number of State League talents – and will be eyeing a statement win over the Tiwi Bombers to kick off their campaign.
The Bombers, however, won’t be easy to brush aside. Fresh from a final appearance last season, Tiwi have shown steady improvement and will be eager to prove they’re genuine premiership contenders.
The final game of the round features two traditional powerhouses of the Women’s Premier League, PINT and Waratah.
Waratah will be desperate to avoid a repeat of last year’s slow start, when it took until Round 9 to notch their first win. The Warriors finished the season strongly, though, stringing together three consecutive victories after Christmas and an impressive triumph over Darwin in the final round.
PINT, meanwhile, have been the benchmark side in recent years, but slipped slightly back to the pack last season. With their strong winning culture, the Greenants are expected to hit the ground running and will be eager to reassert themselves as the competition’s team to beat.
Catch the 2025/26 TIO NTFL Women's Premier League Action live on NT News and KommunityTV.