NT Thunder’s defensive stocks have received a boost with experienced backs, Sam Dyke and Daniel Weetra re-signing with the club for the 2019 NEAFL season.

Just shy of 189 centimetres, Dyke represented the club for the first time in 2018, playing every game after making his debut in Round 2.

The 27-year-old who plays for the Tiwi Bombers in the NTFL is known for his no-nonsense approach but has been kept sidelined since early December after suffering a hand injury.

At 28-years-of-age, Weetra is back for his fifth season with the club, where he is looking to add to the 32 games he has amassed so far.

One of the NTFL’s most respected defenders he is a 2015 NTFL and NT Thunder premiership player, who has the great ability to adapt his style of play to match up on both tall and small opponents.

NT Thunder Head Coach Darren Reeves said he had bigger plans to push Weetra further up the ground this season.

“I’m very excited to get to work with Daniel because he’s an outstanding talent that makes excellent decisions and is a great ball user.

“Like all of our players, I’m impressed by his desire to improve and play to the best of his ability. We know he can play halfback and wing roles, but we’re also keen to give him a challenge and push him into the midfield to see what else he can do,” he said.

On Dyke, Reeves said he saw him as one of the players to lead Thunder’s defensive unit in 2019.

“I love Sam’s attitude and work ethic, he gets stuck into his work and does it with minimal fuss. Even now, when he is not training to full capacity because of his hand injury, he fronts up to every session and gets on with it.

“He will compete strongly for the key defensive posts, and we have no doubt he will be a strong part of driving our team standards,” Reeves said.

The signings of Dyke and Weetra takes NT Thunder’s NEAFL squad to 23. A full list of the players already announced can be viewed here: https://www.ntthunder.com.au/football/neafl/2019-signings/