Jack Banister from The Guardian has written an amazing story which plumbs the depths of how important football is to the people of the Tiwi Islands, north of Darwin. Built around the Tiwi Bombers club, playing in the NTFL, the story shows how sport can transcend into something far greater and noble than a mere contest. Sport has the capacity to change people and their lives in profound and far-reaching ways.

There is no word for suicide 

The words are scrawled across the bottom of a whiteboard in the Tiwi Bombers’ changing rooms at Norbuilt Oval, 30km south of Darwin. The underdogs are preparing to play the second-placed Southern Crocs. 

Overhead, rusty fans aren’t coping with the heavy January air. The benches creak, the showers leak. A small speaker pumps out upbeat saltwater R&B by a seven-piece outfit called B2M, which stands for Bathurst to Melville, the two main islands that make up the Tiwis.

Carlton notched up a narrow five-point victory over a brave Collingwood in muggy conditions at the Ikon Park in Melbourne.

The two old foes played a thrilling contest that could of gone either way, as the Pies gave it their all and led the match in the second and third quarters.

This win marks the Blues first win at home. 

Image Source: Michael Dodge/Getty Images

The Geelong Cats won convincingly by 27 points in mild conditions at the Moreton Bay Central Sports Complex in Brisbane.

The Cats troubled the Lions with their uncompromising pressure especially with their defensive acts and as a result the Lions could not play their brand of football.

This impressive win is the Cats first win on the road in their inaugural AFLW season and the Cats sit atop of Conference B with the win. 

The Lions recorded the lowest ever AFLW score.

Image Source: Albert Perez/Getty Images

 

Image Source: AFL Women's 

Round 5 teams have been released below

Brisbane vs Geelong, Saturday 2nd March 4:45pm at Moreton Bay Central Sports Complex

Brisbane Lions Squad

Position	Name	#	Name	#	Name	#
Backs	M.Dowrick	33	L.Kaslar - C	11	S.Campbell	20
Half Backs	S.Virgo	5	K.Lutkins	13	E.Bates	1
Centreline			B.Koenen	3
Half Forwards	E.Zielke	8	J.Tawhiao-Wardlaw	30	L.Arnell	16
Forwards	J.Wuetschner	23	J.Keeffe	27	J.Zanchetta	7
Followers	S.Frederick-Traub	14	N.Exon	15	A.Anderson	18
Interchange	A.Clarke	21	G.Collingwood	28	M.Hunt	6
	K.McCarthy	9	J.Yorston	25
Emergencies	N.Grider	17	E.Pittman	19
	EMG4	EMG4_NO

In: - L.Kaslar

Out: - N.Grider (Omitted)

Geelong Squad

Position	Name	#	Name	#	Name	#
Backs	A.Teague	40	R.Goring	44	M.McMahon	24
Half Backs	M.Hickey	18	M.McDonald	11	D.Taylor	27
Centreline			R.Cranston	30
Half Forwards	D.Orr	2	K.Darby	8	S.Van De Heuvel	27
Forwards	M.Clifford	7	P.McWilliams	23	J.Ivey	5
Followers	E.Hoare	46	M.Keryk	16	O.Purcell	16
Interchange	R.Caris	1	R.Garing	12	G.Clarke	17
	J.Crockett-Grills	6	C.Blakeway	4
Emergencies	G.Rankin	10	M.Fogas	13
	EMG4	EMG4_NO

In: - K.Darby, R.Caris

Out: - A.O'Connor (Suspension), M.Boyd (Suspension)

The following article from the AFLNT (AFL Northern Territory) summarises the growth of the game in the NT. The high points are the increase is higher than the national average – driven heavily by women’s footy – and in an extraordinary piece of data, the participation of people in the Northern Territory playing the game is around one in every five people, making the Northern Territory the highest per capita playing state/territory in Australia – an amazing achievement.

The following article comes from the www.aflnt.com.au website. 

The growth of women’s football in remote Northern Territory communities has directly contributed to participation numbers in Australian Football recording an all-time high in the NT. 

Today, AFLNT released its 2018 participation data, and for the first time since the record-keeping began, the NT has tipped over the 48,000 mark.

 

Adelaide Crows' Danielle Ponter and Collingwood's Sarah Dargan have been named the Rising Star Nominees in Round Four NAB AFL Women's.

Ponter has become the Crows first nomination for AFLW 3.0.

Image Source: AFC Media and Michael Dodge/Getty Images

The two matches in the NTFL Premier League finals series on Saturday have again seen the agony and ecstasy of a season finished or a season on a roll. Waratah kept their flag hopes alive and the Tiwi Bombers continued to be the form team in the league. Last year’s grand finalists, the Darwin Buffaloes, had an early exit and end to their season whilst the Southern Districts Crocs lost but can fight another day.

The Nightcliff Tigers watched on and learned as the other teams battled before them.

The first match of the finals at TIO Stadium saw Waratah and Darwin battle for the second successive week. Last weekend it was jostling for finals positions – this weekend it was sudden death to the loser. Remarkably, the script was eerily similar. A tight first quarter was followed by a big Waratah second quarter. At half time, Waratah were five goals up, also similar to last week.

North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos triumphed to a four-point win over Melbourne at Casey Fields in the South East of Melbourne in the humid conditions. 

It was North's first real test of this years competition in what was one of the best AFLW matches skill and pressure wise.

Hope and King guided North to the tough victory.

Image Source: Kelly Defina/Getty Images

The GWS Giants secured their first win of AFLW 3.0, as they narrowly defeated Collingwood by nine points in warm conditions at the Morwell Recreation Reserve.

It was the first ever AFLW match at Morwell.

Image Source: Michael Dodge/Getty Images