Northern Territory Football Club

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).

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

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

Main article: Grogan Medal

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

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. (12 September 2019). "Thunder no more: AFLNT confirms no NEAFL and VFLW teams". AFL.com.au.