NT Thunder stood up to the challenge when they defeated the first placed Sydney Swans Reserves by 38 points at TIO Stadium on Saturday night.
NT THUNDER 2.2 6.6 11.7 14.8 (92)
SYDNEY 5.1 5.1 7.2 8.6 (54)
GOALS
NT Thunder: C Ilett 4 L Bath 2 D Lewis 2 D Ewing 2 L Patrick S Rioli M Hagan J Brennan.
Sydney: J Rose 2 S Murray J Dawson B McGlynn N Reinhard M Wilson N Newman.
BEST
NT Thunder: C Ilett D Lewis N Vea Vea L Bath M Hagan J Beugelaar.
Sydney: B McGlynn J Laidler D Baron-Hay J Rose T Derickx H Marsh.
The ladder-leaders came out firing early and led by 17 points at quarter time, but a strong four-quarter performance from Thunder saw them control the game thereafter to claim the 14.8 (92) to 8.6 (54) win.
NT Thunder retains its fifth position on the NEAFL ladder after a convincing 38-point win over the red-hot Sydney Swans reserves at TIO. The visitors have never beaten Thunder at home and looked to settle the score when they started strongly, kicking five goals to two in the opening term.
Thunder played an inspiring quarter of footy in the second term when they kept the top team goalless for the first time this year. A spearing kick from playmaker Richard Tambling set up Daniel Lewis to put Thunder in front and never look back with a shot from fifty. On-baller Cameron Ilett was important in the contest, managing two goals before half-time and finishing off with a huge 35 disposals and another two majors.
Hard work up forward came from tall-timber Liam Patrick and Daniel Lewis, who both had a significant impact on the game with relentless tackling pressure. Lewis bagged two goals for the match but it was his high-flying leaps that took centre stage in the third when he took flight with two magnificent grabs.
NT’s constant pressure stopped the Swans in their tracks occasionally, restricting ball movement inside their defensive fifty and forcing turnovers. The visitors only managed a single goal in the third while Thunder kicked another five to extend the lead.
Luke Bath’s miraculous lucky-bounce goal was the highlight of the fourth when the Territory side out-muscled Sydney and kicked three goals to the Swans one to finish the match strongly.
NT Thunder Head Coach Xavier Clarke was pleased with the effort despite a slow start.
“I thought our effort was pretty good in the first quarter, and we probably didn’t get reward for that effort,” he said.
“The message at quarter-time was we just had to sustain that pressure for four quarters.
“I thought, to the boys’ credit, they turned up with a job to do. We didn’t do anything special with our structures; we just had the right attitude for four quarters.”
The Southport Sharks will host Thunder for the last game of the home and away season on the Gold Coast this Saturday. The Sharks have lost their last two matches to Sydney Uni and Gold Coast Suns reserves, consecutively.
By Levi Dobson