Northern Territory Football League

The Northern Territory Football League (NTFL) is an Australian rules football competition, operating in Greater Darwin and the Northern Territory, formerly run by the Northern Territory Football League Incorporated and, since 3 September 2001, is a business name of the AFL Northern Territory Limited. It operates a semi-professional senior men's competition as well as competitions for women (NTFL Women's) and underagers (U12-U18 boys and girls) (NTFL Juniors).

Northern Territory Football League

Formerly	Northern Territory Football Association (NTFA)
Sport	Australian rules football
Founded	1916
First season	1916; 109 years ago (1916)
No. of teams	15 (9 premier league, 6 reserves)
Region	Northern Territory
Most recent champion(s)	St Mary's (34th premiership) (2023/24)
Most titles	St Mary's (34)
TV partner(s)	Southern Cross Seven
Official website	sportstg.com/ntfl

It is one of few (and the highest level) Australian football competitions played during the Australian Summer with the season beginning in October and ending in March, because cricket cannot be played during the wet season, due to high levels of rain, resulting in the football and cricket seasons being swapped. It regularly attracts high-profile semi-professional players from interstate competitions due to its lack of salary cap and the timing of the season, which allows players to play extra matches during the off-season of other competitions.

History

Further information: Australian rules football in the Northern Territory

While most other Australian football competitions in Australia operate during the southern hemisphere winter, the NTFL chooses to play in the Northern Territory's 'wet season' from October to March, primarily due to hard playing surfaces and the need to play cricket during the 'dry season'.

The NTFL was founded in 1916 with The Wanderers Football Club and Waratah Football Club as founding members. Waratahs are the only club to have competed in every season of the NTFL. Darwin (Buffalos Football Club) was formed in 1917, Nightcliff in 1950, St Marys in 1952, Palmerston in 1972 (as North Darwin), Southern Districts in 1987 and the Tiwi Bombers in 2006 (with full entry in 2007).

The 1974-75 season was abandoned due to the devastation from Cyclone Tracy.

In the 1990s, it ran into financial problems primarily due to the Northern Territory government luring the league to the new purpose-built stadium at Marrara Oval after its construction in 1991. The move pushed its operating costs up drastically despite contrary promises from the NT government. On 3 September 2001, the businesses of the formerly independent Northern Territory Football League Incorporated, which had overseen Australian Football in the NT since 1917, were taken-over by the Melbourne-based Australian Football League (AFL),^[1] causing disquiet among supporters of Australian Football in the Northern Territory.^[2] The Northern Territory Football League Incorporated was subsequently wound-up and de-registered on 19 September 2002,^[3][4] ending its long history and local control of Australian Football. The name, Northern Territory Football League is now owned by the AFL and licenced to AFL NT as a registered business name.^[5][6] NTFL board member Darryl Window orchestrated the takeover.^[7]

Marrara Oval is now known as TIO Stadium, as part of a naming rights deal with NT health insurance company, Territory Insurance Office.

During its history, it has exported successful players to other Australian football competitions and leagues, notable players have included Michael McLean, Maurice Rioli and Michael Long.

In 2006, it was announced that a team representing the Tiwi Islands, called the Super Tiwis would be added to the 2006/07 season for eight games against teams that would normally have the bye. They became a permanent part of the competition in the 07/08 season as the Tiwi Bombers, clad in Essendon Football Club style guernseys of black and red.

There was also a push for an NTFL representative club to compete in the Adelaide-based South Australian National Football League (SANFL). The first of a series of trial matches was held in 2006, with a long term view of admitting a Darwin side into the SANFL. A strong crowd at Marrara Oval witnessed SANFL club North Adelaide defeat a composite NTFL squad by 27 points, demonstrating that a Darwin team could be competitive. There was a push to make the event an annual match,^[8] however, the NTFL decided on fielding a side in the AFL Queensland State League from 2009 (which became the Northern Conference of the North East Australian Football League in 2011) and the Northern Territory Football Club was formed.

In 2010 it was decided to merge the NTFL with the Top End Australian Football Association (TEAFA) to create a three division competition in which the NTFL would make the premier League whilst the NTFL reserve competition and clubs from the TEAFA would incorporate the First Division and Second Divisions.

The 2012/2013 season saw Banks Bulldogs and the Central Australian Football Club placed on a four-match trial in the premier League, for possible full-time inclusion. The Bulldogs, originally a part of the TEAFA competition, would stay in the NTFL Division One competition. But the CAFC team would continue their trial run in the premier League, the number of games extended to 10 for the 2013/2014 season. However, the side did not become a permanent team in the competition.

Competition structure

The competition consists of both junior and senior divisions.

The A Grade competition is known as the NTFL Men's premier League and has nine clubs: Darwin, Nightcliff, Palmerston, PINT, Southern Districts, St Mary's, Tiwi Bombers, Wanderers, and Waratah.

The reserves are divided into two divisions known as Division 1 (B Grade) and Division 2 (C Grade): Divisions 1 and 2 include thirds teams of the premier League clubs, except for the Tiwi Bombers (Palmerston are affiliated with former TEAFA club University), along with the senior teams of two other clubs which were formerly in the TEAFA competition in Banks and Tracy Village, and the Jabiru Bombers.

The A Grade Women's competition has consisted of the nine Men's premier League clubs since 2023.

The junior division is broken into age groups: Under 18's, Under 16's, Youth Girls, Under 14's, and Under 12's, with all age groups split into two divisions except for under 18's and Youth Girls. The Under 18's is the only junior division with a fixed number of clubs, including all Premier League clubs except for the Tiwi Bombers (replaced by Big River Hawks); thile the rest of the junior divisions vary based on participation levels each year, there are ten clubs with juniors, the nine Premier League clubs and Tracy Village.

Clubs

Darwin^[b]

Palmerston

Jabiru

Tiwi

Location of participating clubs across the Northern Territory

Gardens Oval^[d]

Marrara Oval^[f]

Nightcliff

Palmerston

Southern Districts

Tracy Village

Location of participating clubs in Greater Darwin urban area

Current clubs

Colours	Club	Nickname	Men's Senior Grades	Women's Senior Grades	Home Ground	Location	Joined
	Banks	Bulldogs	Premier Reserves, Division 1	Division 1, Division 2	Gardens Oval	The Gardens	1978
	Darwin	Buffaloes	Premier Seniors, Premier Reserves	Premier Seniors, Division 1	Marrara Oval	Marrara	1916
	Jabiru	Bombers	Division 1	Division 2	Brockman Oval	Jabiru	1982
	Nightcliff	Tigers	Premier Seniors, Premier Reserves	Premier Seniors, Division 1	PSC BM Oval	Nightcliff	1950
	Nightcliff	Spartans	Division 1		TIO Oval No. 2	Marrara	2011
	Palmerston	Magpies	Premier Seniors, Premier Reserves	Premier Seniors	Asbuild Oval	Durack	1972
	Palmerston	Rats	Division 2	Division 2	TIO Oval No. 2	Marrara	1989
	PINT	Greenants	Premier Seniors, Premier Reserves, Division 1, Division 2	Premier Seniors, Division 1, Division 2	DXC Arena (Marrara Cricket Ground)	Marrara	1981
	Southern Districts	Crocs	Premier Seniors, Premier Reserves, Division 2	Premier Seniors, Division 1	Norbuilt Oval	Freds Pass	1987
	St Mary's	Saints	Premier Seniors, Premier Reserves, Division 1	Premier Seniors, Division 1	Marrara Oval	Marrara	1952
	Tiwi	Bombers	Premier	Premier	Tiwi Oval	Wurrumiyanga	2007
	Tracy Village	Razorbacks	Division 1, Division 2	Division 1	Tracy Village Oval	Lyons	1978
	Wanderers	Eagles	Premier Seniors, Premier Reserves	Premier	Marrara Oval	Marrara	1916
	Waratah	Warriors	Premier Seniors, Premier Reserves, Division 1	Premier Seniors, Division 1, Division 2	Gardens Oval	The Gardens	1916

Uniforms

Banks	Darwin	Jabiru	Nightcliff Tigers	Palmerston Magpies	PINT
Southern Districts	St Marys	Tiwi Islands	Tracy Village	Wanderers	Waratah

Former clubs

Former Premier League clubs

Colours	Football Club Name	Nickname	Entered competition	Premierships	Left competition
	Garrison	Soldiers or Keros	1934/35	2 (1936/37, 1938/39)	1940/41
	Rovers/Magpies	Magpies	1925/26	1 (1927/28)	1928/29
	Mobile Force	Unknown	1939/40	1 (1939/40)	1939/40
	Wallabies	Wallabies	1935/36	0	1935/36
	Air Force	Unknown	1938/39	0	1941/42
	AIF Regiment-Artillery	Unknown	1941/42	0	1941/42
	Machine Gunners	Gunners	1941/42	0	1941/42
	Navy	Unknown	1941/42, (re:1948/49)	0	1948/49
	R.A.N.	Unknown	1946/47	0	1946/47
	R.A.A.F.	Unknown	1946/47	0	1946/47
	Winnellie	Unknown	1947/48	0	1947/48
	Army/Navy	Unknown	1947/48	0	1947/48
	Army/RAAF	Unknown	1948/49	0	1948/49
	Services	Unknown	1949/50	0	1950/51
	Katherine	Roos	1987/88	0	1987/88

Other former clubs

Colours	Football Club Name	Nickname	Entered competition	Premierships	Left competition
	Mindil	Sharks	1991	1	2019

Northern Territory Football League club songs

Colours	Football club name	Nickname	Name of the football club song	Basis/tune of the football club song
	Banks	Bulldogs	Dogs Of The North	Sons Of The Sea
	Darwin	Buffaloes	Old Buffaloes Never Die	Shuffle Off To Buffalo
	Jabiru	Bombers
	Nightcliff	Tigers	We're From Tigerland	Row, Row, Row From Ziegfeld Follies
	Nightcliff	Spartans
	Palmerston	Magpies	The Magpies Are A Mighty Club	When Johnny Comes Marching Home
	Palmerston	Rats
	PINT	Greenants
	Southern Districts	Crocs	The Red, Black And White	Notre Dame March
	St Mary's	Saints	When The Saints Go Marching In	When The Saints Go Marching In
	Tiwi Bombers	Bombers
	Tracy Village	Razorbacks
	Wanderers	Eagles	Good Ol' Wanderers Forever	Battle Hymn Of The Republic
	Waratah	Warriors	It's A Grand Old Flag	You're A Grand Old Flag

Coverage

Media

Television

In 2006, NTFL premier league matches were broadcast nationally for the first time ever on ABC2 each Sunday afternoon from February to March. Previously the matches had only been shown in the Territory on ABC Darwin. In 2008, it reverted to local broadcasting. During the 2014/15 season, the Saturday 3.00pm premier league match was broadcast live on ABC in Darwin. During the 2017/18 season, Southern Cross TV broadcast one game a week on Sunday afternoons. Since then National Indigenous Television (NITV) broadcasts nationally replays of one game a week throughout the week starting Sunday afternoons.

Radio

During the 2014/15 season, one premier league match was broadcast on ABC Local Radio, the match was either the late or early Saturday game and was an alternate match to the TV-broadcast game. In 2017/18, ABC will continue to broadcast one game a week on the digital radio frequency 105.7FM with a commentary team including Dominic McCormack, Natasha Medbury and Kieran Davis.

Internet

Internet broadcasting commenced through YouTube during the 2012/2013 season, followed by its inclusion on the ABC iView on-demand service the 2013/2014 season which uses the recordings taken from the match day broadcast. The TV broadcast match was simulcast live on ABC Grandstand on YouTube during the 2014/15 season.

Attendance

The NTFL attracts strong local crowds. The 2005 Grand final attracted a crowd of over 5,000 people. One of the biggest crowds was the 2010/11 Grand Final between St Mary's and Wanderers, with the Wanderers prevailing with a 28-point win, which attracted an over 9,000 crowd.

Men Premier League premiership tally

Club	Premierships	Runners-up	Premiership years	Runner-up years
St Marys	34	19	1954/55, 1955/56, 1958/59, 1959/60, 1961/62, 1965/66, 1966/67, 1971/72, 1977/78, 1978/79, 1983/84, 1984/85, 1985/86, 1986/87, 1987/88, 1989/90, 1990/91, 1991/92, 1993/94, 1994/95, 1995/96, 1996/97, 2002/03, 2003/04, 2004/05, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2012/13, 2013/14, 2015/16, 2016/17 2021/22, 2023/24	1960/61, 1962/63, 1963/64, 1967/68, 1968/69, 1969/70, 1970/71, 1972/73, 1976/77, 1981/82, 1982/83, 1992/93, 1997/98, 1998/99, 2005/06, 2010/11, 2014/15, 2019/20, 2020/21
Darwin	23	30	1921/22, 1924/25, 1925/26, 1926/27, 1931/32, 1933/34, 1934/35, 1935/36, 1948/49, 1949/50, 1950/51, 1951/52, 1962/63, 1963/64, 1967/68, 1968/69, 1969/70, 1970/71, 1972/73, 1975/76, 1979/80, 1988/89, 2005/06	1919/20, 1929/30, 1930/31, 1932/33, 1936/37, 1937/38, 1938/39, 1940/41, 1946/47, 1947/48, 1952/53, 1953/54, 1954/55, 1956/57, 1958/59, 1959/60, 1961/62, 1964/65, 1966/67, 1971/72, 1983/84, 1986/87, 1987/88, 1989/90, 1990/91, 1991/92, 1993/94, 1994/95, 2000/01, 2017/18
Waratah	16	16	1920/21, 1928/29, 1929/30, 1930/31, 1932/33, 1937/38, 1940/41, 1946/47, 1947/48, 1952/53, 1953/54, 1973/74, 1976/77, 1998/99, 1999/00, 2022/23	1916/17, 1917/18, 1918/19, 1922/23, 1923/24, 1925/26, 1927/28, 1931/32, 1933/34, 1934/35, 1950/51, 1955/56, 1996/97, 2006/07, 2007/08 2021/22,
Wanderers	12	14	1916/17, 1917/18, 1918/19, 1919/20, 1922/23, 1923/24, 1957/58, 1981/82, 1982/83, 1992/93, 2010/11, 2014/15	1920/21, 1921/22, 1924/25, 1948/49, 1949/50, 1951/52, 1980/81, 1984/85, 1988/89, 2004/05, 2008/09, 2013/14, 2015/16, 2016/17
Nightcliff	6	9	1956/57, 1960/61, 1964/65, 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21	1957/58, 1965/66, 1973/74, 1978/79, 1985/86, 2001/02, 2003/04, 2011/12 2023/24
Palmerston	3	5	1980/81, 2000/01, 2001/02	1975/76, 1977/78, 1979/80, 1999/00, 2002/03
Southern Districts	3	3	1997/98, 2006/07, 2017/18	1995/96, 2018/19, 2022/23
Tiwi Bombers	1	2	2011/12	2009/10, 2012/13
PINT	0	0	N/A	N/A

Wooden Spoon tally

Club	Total	Season/s
Wanderers	28	1930/31, 1931/32, 1932/33, 1933/34, 1935/36, 1946/47, 1953/54, 1954/55, 1955/56, 1956/57, 1963/64, 1964/65, 1965/66, 1966/67, 1967/68, 1968/69, 1969/70, 1970/71, 1971/72, 1976/77, 1979/80, 1989/90, 1997/98, 1998/99, 1999/00, 2000/01, 2001/02, 2007/08
Waratah	23	1919/20, 1921/22, 1924/25, 1926/27, 1936/37, 1949/50, 1951/52, 1957/58, 1958/59, 1959/60, 1961/62, 1962/63, 1975/76, 1977/78, 1978/79, 1980/81, 1982/83, 1983/84, 1984/85, 1988/89, 1993/94, 2014/15, 2015/16
Darwin	16	1916/17, 1917/18, 1918/19, 1920/21, 1922/23, 1923/24, 1927/28, 1928/29, 1960/61, 1996/97, 2006/07, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14
Palmerston	11	1972/73, 1973/74, 1981/82, 1985/86, 1986/87, 1990/91, 1994/95, 2004/05, 2017/18, 2019/20, 2023/24
Nightcliff	5	1950/51, 1952/53, 1992/93, 1995/96, 2010/11
S. Districts	4	1991/92, 2002/03, 2003/04, 2005/06
Tiwi	4	2016/17, 2020/21, 2021/22, 2022/23
St Marys	1	2018/19
PINT	Nil	N/A

Competition timeline

Women's Premier League

The Woman's NTFL competition was all started in 2004 and currently has 10 teams enrolling.^[9]

Teams

Premier League Clubs

Club	Nickname	Premierships
Big River	Hawks	0
Tracy Village	Razorbacks	0
PINT	Queenants	3 (2020/21, 2022/23, 2023/24)
Darwin	Buffettes	2 (2016/17, 2021/22)
Nightcliff	Tigers	0
Palmerston	Magpies	1 (2010/11)
St Mary's	Saints	5 (2004/05, 2005/06, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10)
Southern Districts	Crocs	1 (2019/20)
Wanderers	Eagles	0
Waratah	Warriors	8 (2006/07, 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14, 2014/15, 2015/16, 2017/18, 2018/19)

Grand Finals

Years	Premiers	GF Score	Runner-up	Date	Location
2004/05	St. Mary's (1)	7.5.47 - 0.3.3	Darwin Buffettes (1)	2005	Marrara Stadium
2005/06	St. Mary's (2)	8.11.59 - 3.2.20	Waratah (1)	2006	Marrara Stadium
2006/07	Waratah (1)	3.1.19 - 2.5.17	Darwin Buffettes (2)	2007	Marrara Stadium
2007/08	St. Mary's (3)	7.2.44 - 5.4.34	Waratah (2)	2008	Marrara Stadium
2008/09	St. Mary's (4)	9.12.66 - 4.4.28	Palmerston Magpies (1)	2009	Marrara Stadium
2009/10	St. Mary's (5)	9.5.59 - 3.6.24	Waratah (3)	2010	Marrara Stadium
2010/11	Palmerston Magpies (1)	6.5.41 - 4.7.31	St. Mary's (1)	2011	Marrara Stadium
2011/12	Waratah (2)	9.8.62 - 2.1.13	St. Mary's (2)	2012	Marrara Stadium
2012/13	Waratah (3)	13.5 (83) - 8.4 (52)	St. Mary's (3)	Saturday, March 9, 2013 (1:15 pm)	Marrara Stadium
2013/14	Waratah (4)	6.7 (43) - 3.6 (24)	Darwin Buffettes (3)	Saturday, March 8, 2014 (4:00 pm)	Marrara Stadium
2014/15	Waratah (5)	9.4 (58) - 0.4 (4)	Tracy Village (1)	Saturday, March 7, 2015 (4:15 pm)	Marrara Stadium
2015/16	Waratah (6)	6.14 (50) - 4.8 (32)	Wanderers (1)	Saturday, March 12, 2016 (4:30 pm)	Marrara Stadium
2016/17	Darwin Buffettes (1)	6.9 (45) - 4.3 (27)	Waratah (4)	Saturday, March 11, 2017 (1:30 pm)	Marrara Stadium
2017/18	Waratah (7)	9.5 (59) - 4.0 (24)	Darwin Buffettes(4)	Saturday, March 10, 2018 (4:30 pm)	Marrara Stadium
2018/19	Waratah (8)	3.3 (21) - 0.3 (3)	Southern Districts (1)	Saturday, March 9, 2019 (4:30 pm)	Marrara Stadium
2019/20	Southern Districts (1)	6.3 (39) - 3.3 (21)	Waratah (5)	Saturday, March 7, 2020 (4:30 pm)	Marrara Stadium
2020/21	PINT (1)	7.4 (46) - 5.5 (35)	Darwin Buffettes (5)	Saturday, March 20, 2021 (4:00 pm)	Marrara Stadium
2021/22	Darwin Buffettes (2)	4.10 (34) - 2.4 (16)	Nightcliff (1)	Saturday, March 19, 2022 (4:00 pm)	Marrara Stadium
2022/23	PINT (2)	12.8 (80) - 6.4 (40)	Waratah (6)	Saturday, March 18, 2023 (4:15 pm)	Marrara Stadium
2023/24	PINT (3)	4.3 (27) - 3.4 (22)	St. Mary's (4)	Saturday 16 March 2024 (4:15pm)	Marrara Stadium

See also

• AFL Northern Territory
• Australian rules football in the Northern Territory

Notes

1. Darwin, Nightcliff, PINT
2. Darwin, Nightcliff, PINT
3. Banks, Waratah
4. Banks, Waratah
5. Darwin, Nightcliff, PINT, St Mary's, Wanderers
6. Darwin, Nightcliff, PINT, St Mary's, Wanderers

References

1. AFL Northern Territory Limited, Marrara (2001—) National Redress Scheme
2. Opinion: The AFL should pay for an NT team, not expose Territorians to high financial and social risks by Opinion 20 July 2024
3. ABN Lookup
4. ASIC register
5. ABN Lookup
6. ASIC register
7. Darryl Window AFLNT Hall of Fame - Administrator
8. NTFL vs North Adelaide
9. "Women's Premier League Premierships".

External links

• Official website
• Official Twitter
• NTFL pages on Full Points Footy^[usurped]