Round 15 of the 2025/26 TIO NTFL season begins with a Friday night blockbuster between St Marys and PINT at TIO Stadium.
St Marys enter off the back of a brutal 128-point demolition of Wanderers and will be desperate to produce another strong showing for inspirational skipper Dylan Landt’s 100th game. Landt was again outstanding last weekend, finishing with 38 disposals and three goals, while Nate Paredes and Josh Smithson wreaked havoc through the midfield and across half-forward.
PINT, meanwhile, were good enough to get the job done against the Tiwi Bombers, with prolific midfielder Archie Stevens dominant at the coalface. Cameron Wilson and Jye Barry also stood tall for a Greenants team who may welcome back a handful of important inclusions for Friday night’s contest.
With plenty at stake, the battle of the Green and Gold shapes as the match of the round.
Saturday afternoon’s game between Tiwi and Darwin shapes as a must-win for the Bombers if they are to keep their slim finals hopes alive.
Tiwi had a crack last weekend in tough conditions against a quality opponent in PINT. Braedon McLean provided invaluable class and experience, while Karlson Kantilla and Nigel Lockyer also produced strong performances.
The Buffaloes, however, won’t make it easy and will be quietly encouraged by their efforts against Nightcliff and Southern Districts over the past fortnight. The double blues will view Saturday afternoon as a golden opportunity to convert strong performances into four points. For the Buffaloes, there is plenty to play for, with skipper Jarrod Stokes set to officially break the record for the most senior games played for the Darwin Football Club.
Palmerston will host Nightcliff on Saturday night at Cazalys Arena.
The Magpies have looked a much-improved outfit post-Christmas, registering a confidence-boosting win over Wanderers before producing a competitive showing in difficult wet conditions against Waratah last weekend. Liam Cavanagh and Cam Nyko have been excellent across the past fortnight and will again be crucial if the Magpies are to challenge one of the competition’s heavyweights.
Nightcliff return from a bye following an underwhelming outing against Darwin and will be keen to reassert themselves and make a statement as the pointy end of the season approaches.
The traditional Foundation Cup clash rounds out the weekend.
Wanderers have endured a tough couple of weeks, going down to Palmerston before being comprehensively beaten by St Marys last round. Despite their struggles, there were still some honest performances, with Tyler Phillips battling hard in the ruck to finish with 11 tackles, while Cody Leggett and Billy Shanks continued to work tirelessly through the midfield.
Waratah secured a hard-fought win in trying conditions against a gallant Palmerston last weekend. Big man Arnold Kirby and key defender Dan O’Dwyer were both instrumental in the nine-point win.
The Warriors will see Saturday night’s game as an opportunity to bank another important win, but the Eagles will be determined to respond.
Stream all matches in the 2025/26 TIO NTFL Men's Premier League season live via the NT News and KommunityTV, with the PINT and St Marys clash available to be streamed live and free.
