World Footy News

Northern Territory Football League traditional powerhouse, St Mary’s have won this season’s premiership with a come from behind 31 point victory over the Tiwi Bombers.

The premiership is the 29th for the Darwin club, putting it 6 flags clear of their nearest rivals the Darwin Buffaloes. What makes this more remarkable is that the club only entered the league in 1952. This year marked their 60th anniversary, and this premiership makes it a mathematically amazing average of almost one premiership every two years.

This remarkable effort is easier to understand when their list of notable players includes Maurice Rioli, Michael Long, Peter Burgoyne, Raphael and Xavier Clarke, Scott Chisholm, Ronnie Burns, Austin Wonaeamirri and currently Cyril Rioli.

The game was played over four entirely different quarters. Scores were level at quarter time at 3.2 (20) apiece. A five goal to one second quarter by the Tiwi Bombers saw them ahead by 19 points at the main break, and a goal 15 seconds into the third quarter made an upset a very real possibility.

But from then on it was one-way traffic as St Mary’s piled on 11 or the next 13 goals to run over the top of the tiring Bombers.

This was a fitting result for the victors who lost their Round One match to the Central Australian Redtails by just 4 points, then won 19 matches in a row, including tonight, to dominate the season.

The Tiwi Bombers played a wonderful first half and never gave up, even though the tide of the second half went against them. Their dream of back to back flags is over, but they can regroup ready for next season.

The final score saw St Mary’s 16.6 (102) defeat Tiwi Bombers 11.5 (71).