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).AFL's north east boost – AFL.com.au
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.
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.
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 Michael McLean 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 Jason Roe Darren Ewing (64) 2013 7th Lincoln Jenkin Jarred Ilett Daniel Archer Cameron Ilett Cameron Ilett Darren Ewing (94) 2014 4th† Lincoln Jenkin Jarred Ilett Xavier Clarke Cameron Ilett/Aaron Motlop Cameron Ilett Darren Ewing (73) 2015 1st^ Lincoln Jenkin Brendan Curry Xavier Clarke Aaron Motlop Richard Tambling Darren Ewing (87) 2016 5th† Lincoln Jenkin Xavier Clarke 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
2009 – Cameron Ilett 2010 – Cameron Ilett 2011 – Jake Dignan 2012 – Jason Roe 2013 – Cameron Ilett 2014 – Cameron Ilett 2015 – Richard Tambling 2016 – Cameron Ilett 2017 – Cameron Ilett
Grogan Medallists
The Grogan Medal was awarded between 2011 and 2013 to the best and fairest player in the NEAFL Northern Conference.
Cameron Ilett (2011)
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. Darren Ewing (2009) – 81 goals Darren Ewing (2011) – 115 goals Darren Ewing (2013) – 94 goals
NEAFL leading goalkicker The NEAFL leading goalkicker has been awarded since 2014 to the player who kicks the most goals in the NEAFL competition. Darren Ewing (2015) – 78 goals Darren Ewing (2016) – 58 goals Darren Ewing (2017) – 61 goals
NEAFL (Northern) Rising Stars The NEAFL (Northern) Rising Star was awarded between 2011 and 2013 to the best young player in the Northern Conference.
Ross Tungatalum (2011)
NEAFL Rising Stars The NEAFL (Northern) Rising Star has been awarded since 2014 to the best young player in the NEAFL competition.
Adam Sambono (2017)
Premiership coaches Murray Davis (2011) Xavier Clarke (2015)
NEAFL Coach of the Year The NEAFL Coach of the Year has been awarded since 2014 to the best coach in the NEAFL competition.
Murray Davis (2011) Xavier Clarke (2014)
QAFL Team of the Year representatives NT Thunder competed in the QAFL between 2009 and 2010 before joining the NEAFL. Darren Ewing (2009) Cameron Ilett (2009, 2010) Jarred Ilett (2009– captain) Peter MacFarlane (2009) Brett Goodes (2010) Zephaniah Skinner (2010)
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. Darren Ewing (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017) Cameron Ilett (2011– captain, 2013, 2014– captain, 2015– captain, 2016– captain, 2017) Shaun Tapp (2011) Ross Tungatalum (2011) Kenrick Tyrrell (2011) Jake Dignan (2012) Jason Roe (2012) Matt Rosier (2012) Chris Dunne (2013, 2014) Justin Beugelaar (2015) Richard Tambling (2015) Raphael Clarke (2016) Adam Sambono (2017)
AFL players The following is the list of NT Thunder players who have played at AFL level and the club they play(ed) for.
Jed Anderson – and Dom Barry – Jared Brennan – and Raphael Clarke – Nakia Cockatoo – Alwyn Davey – Nathan Djerrkura – and Brett Goodes – Nikki Gore - Women Steven May – Ryan Nyhuis - Andrew McLeod – Liam Patrick – Relton Roberts – Jason Roe – Zephaniah Skinner – Richard Tambling – and Troy Taylor – Austin Wonaeamirri – Joel Jeffrey -
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 Highest score for: 193 points Round 18, 2010 (Gardens Oval) – NT Thunder 29.19 (193) vs. 8.3 (51) Lowest score for: 28 points Round 17, 2017 (Sydney Cricket Ground) – NT Thunder 4.4 (28) vs. 25.24 (174) Highest score against: 174 points Round 17, 2017 (Sydney Cricket Ground) – NT Thunder 4.4 (28) vs. 25.24 (174) Lowest score against: 15 points Round 13, 2014 (TIO Stadium) – NT Thunder 19.11 (125) vs. 1.9 (15) Highest aggregate score: 287 points Round 4, 2009 (Victoria Point) – NT Thunder 20.11 (131) vs. 23.18 (156) Lowest aggregate score: 89 points Elimination final, 2014 (TIO Stadium) – NT Thunder 7.11 (53) vs. 5.6 (36) Lowest winning score: 53 points Elimination final, 2014 (TIO Stadium) – NT Thunder 7.11 (53) vs. Ainslie 5.6 (36) Highest losing score: 131 points Round 4, 2009 (TIO Stadium) – NT Thunder 23.18 (131) vs. Redland 23.18 (156) Greatest winning margin: 142 points Round 18, 2010 (Gardens Oval) – NT Thunder 29.19 (193) vs. Broadbeach 8.3 (51) Greatest losing margin: 146 points Round 17, 2017 (Sydney Cricket Ground) – NT Thunder 4.4 (28) vs. 25.24 (174) Longest winning streak: 13 matches Round 11, 2015 vs. Sydney University (Henson Park) to round 1, 2016 vs. (TIO Stadium) Longest losing streak: 3 matches (achieved four times) Round 15, 2009 vs. Redland (Traeger Park) to round 17, 2009 vs. (Carrara Stadium) Round 2, 2010 vs. Redland (Victoria Point Oval) to round 4, 2010 vs. Southport (Fankhauser Reserve) Northern conference grand final, 2012 vs. Brisbane Lions (Leyshon Park) to round 2, 2013 vs. Aspley (Graham Road Oval) Round 20, 2013 vs. Redland (Traeger Park) to round 22, 2013 vs. Aspley (TIO Stadium) Most goals in a match by an individual: 14 goals Darren Ewing, round 19, 2013 (Leyshon Park)
References
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