NT Thunder will take a strong outfit to its second home in Alice Springs ready to take on the Southport Sharks in Round 13 NEAFL action on Saturday afternoon.
Thunder’s youngest player on the 2017 list and youngest NT player to have played a NEAFL game, Michael Mummery will make a long-awaited return after battling illness at the start of the season.
Having turned 17-years-old just last week, Mummery’s last game for the seniors was also against Southport in Round 21 last season.
Thunder came away as 56-point winners on that occasion and will be looking for much the same result after a convincing win over the Canberra Demons last weekend.
The team will be aided by the inclusion of stalwart defender Daniel Weetra who returns from a groin injury, as well as Katherine duo Richard Tambling and Kayle Kossack.
NEAFL Round 12 Rising Star Nick Yarran is a notable absentee, along with Braedon McLean, with both youngsters set to miss their first game of the season due to personal commitments.
Vice-captain Justin Beugelaar is also unavailable while Jonathan Peris will travel to Alice Springs as the emergency.
Head Coach Andrew Hodges said the team was keen to put its best foot forward in front of its Centralian fans.
“We only get one home game in Alice Springs this year, and we’re keen to do it right to show thanks to our loyal supporters there, as well as for the likes of the proud locals in Abe Ankers, Matt Rosier and their families.
“Being brought up in Alice Springs and playing my entire junior footy there they are footy mad, so there is a real excitement about this game amongst the boys,” Hodges said.
On Mummery, Hodges said it was great to see the youngster return to the field.
“Michael has had a couple of consistent weeks on the training track now, and he is ready to go. He is a livewire and should slot nicely into the forward line along with Boof (Darren Ewing) and Francis Kinthari,” Hodges said.
“We expect Southport to fire so we will be looking to play our brand of footy and to build on the performance we put in last week.”
NEAFL Round 13
NT Thunder v Southport
4:30pm ACT Saturday 24 June
TIO Traeger Park, Alice Springs
B: Tom Davies, Daniel Russell, Ben Rioli
HB: Daniel Weetra, Neil Vea Vea, Sam Smith
C: Sam Talbot, Abraham Ankers, Jack Shannahan
HF: Shannon Rioli, Hugo Drogemuller, Michael Hagan
F: Francis Kinthari, Darren Ewing, Tony Olango*
FOLL: Ryan Smith, Cameron Ilett, Matthew Rosier
INT: Michael Coombes, Richard Tambling, Kayle Kossack, Michael Mummery*, Jarred Erlandson
EMERGENCIES: Jonathan Peris, Scott McLeod
IN: Kayle Kossack, Michael Mummery, Richard Tambling, Daniel Weetra
OUT: Justin Beugelaar (unavailable), Braedon McLean (unavailable), Jonathan Peris (omitted), Nick Yarran (unavailable)
* Indicates 23rd player
You can live stream this game thanks to Tatts on ThunderVision