‘Flash’ Francis Kinthari has put to bed rumours of moving down south by committing to NT Thunder for season 2018.

A mid-year signing for Thunder last season, Kinthari had an immediate impact in the five games he played, most famously kicking the winning goal after the siren in Round 14 against GWS GIANTS.

Hailing from Port Keats, approximately 400 kilometres southwest of Darwin, he is also commonly known as the ‘Wadeye Magician’ and is well recognised for his fast pace and a goal sense that troubles opposition players.

In his first season for St Mary’s in the local NTFL competition he kicked 47 goals in 15 Premier League outings and has added a further seven games and 12 goals so far this season.

NT Thunder Head Coach Andrew Hodges said he was impressed with the maturity Kinthari had displayed in recent times and was pleased he wanted to continue his Thunder journey.

“There’s no hiding the fact Francis is an outstanding talent that rightfully attracted a lot of attention, but to his credit, he had an open dialogue with us and believes staying in the NT close to his young family and support networks, while playing quality footy is the right decision.

“What’s more, he knows as do we, that the Thunder program has his best interests on and off the field at hand, and with a consistent year there’s no limit to what he can achieve,” he said.