Thunder players recognised at 2018 NEAFL Awards

27.08.18 00:16

Three NT Thunder players have been recognised for their performance in the 2018 season collecting accolades at the annual NEAFL Awards in Sydney on Sunday night.

Abraham Ankers and Cameron Ilett were named in the NEAFL Team of the Year while exciting forward Liam Patrick was awarded Mark of the Year.

Ilett was named in the team on the half back flank for a staggering seventh time after previously being named in 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017.

Named the NEAFL MVP Runner Up in 2017, Ilett came out of a short lived retirement to play 17 out of a possible 18 games in the 2018 NEAFL season.

Ball magnet Ankers was named on the interchange and played in all 18 games for NT Thunder in the home and away season travelling from his home in Alice Springs every weekend to represent the Territory.

He kicked 16 goals and this is the first time he has been named in the NEAFL Team of the Year after playing in the NEAFL Representative Team against Tasmania in 2017.

Liam Patrick took out the NEAFL Mark of the Year Award after taking a massive ‘hanger’ in Round 14 against the Redland Bombers.

Known as ‘the Lajamanu Lightning Bolt’ in recognition of his origins from the remote community and his exciting style of play, the mark was taken in Patrick’s first game back for the club this season.

Ankers also polled well in the NEAFL MVP voting racking up 55 votes for the season finishing in ninth place .

Matthew Payne from the Aspley Hornets won the award on 95 votes. It is the third time Payne has won the award in three times in five years after success in 2014 and 2016.

And in a nice touch, 100-game NEAFL players were honoured for their dedication to helping develop the League.

Thunder’s Ben Rioli received this recognition for reaching the milestone in Round 8.