After weeks of excitement and hard training the first women’s team to run onto a footy field and represent NT Thunder (NT ThunderW) is now known.

And it’s packed with a great mix of local talent from Darwin and Alice Springs, as well as AFLW star power.

Three local NTFL Women’s Premier League captains, in Lucy Adam (Darwin Buffettes), Samantha Barnett (PINT) and Lisa Roberts (Waratah) will be part of the Club’s Round 1 VFL Women’s (VFL W) debut against Darebin Falcons in Melbourne on Saturday.

They’ll be joined by their Darwin-based teammates; Jasmine Anderson, Janet Baird, Tahlia Holtze, Morgan Johnston, Lauren O’Shea, Machaelia Roberts and Tayla Thorn.

Experienced AFLW players and Top End residents, Angela Foley, Jasmyn Hewett and Emma Swanson, will also take to the line-up. Foley will captain the side for the historic occasion.

Jordann Hickey, who was earlier this week named in the ThunderW leadership group, will miss out on Round 1 of the CAFL Women’s League in Alice Springs in favour of representing NT ThunderW this weekend.

A little south of the border, a strong AFLW contingent from Adelaide, headed by newly appointed ThunderW leader, Sarah Allan is raring to go.

With 92 AFLW games experience between them, the Crows’ contingent for Round 1 VFL W consists of Allan, as well as former NT-star Sophie Armitstead, plus Jessica Allan, Dayna Cox, Eloise Jones, Rhiannon Metcalfe, Chelsea Randall, Marijana Rajcic and Deni Varnhagen.

At 39-years-of-age Roberts is the oldest member of the Round 1 team, while NAB AFL Academy player, Baird is the youngest at just 18-years-old and will fill the role of the 23rd player.

Randall, the captain of the 2018 All-Australian team and reigning Adelaide Crows Women’s Club Champion, is arguably the most well-known and experienced player named for Saturday but ThunderW Head Coach Tim Weatherald said when the Thunder guernseys went on it was about the team doing the best they can for the NT.

“I am as equally proud as I am pleased with the way the three main training bases in Adelaide, Alice Springs and Darwin have prepared for this weekend,” he said.

“Each of the players has their history, come from different walks of life and various local clubs, but when they run out on Saturday, they are doing it as a united NT Thunder outfit.

“We have a tough challenge straight up as Darebin are an experienced and well-drilled group. I am confident though, that if we play our style of footy that we will give ourselves every opportunity to win,” Weatherald said.

VFL W Round 1

Darebin Falcons vs NT Thunder
12:00pm AEST
Saturday 5 May
Preston City Oval, Melbourne

B: Samantha Barnett, Sarah Allan, Morgan Johnston
HB: Dayna Cox, Tayla Thorn, Lisa Roberts
C: Deni Varnhagen, Chelsea Randall, Eloise Jones
HF: Marijana Rajcic, Rhiannon Metcalfe, Emma Swanson
F: Jordann Hickey, Jasmyn Hewett, Sophie Armitstead
FOLL: Jessica Allan, Angela Foley, Machaelia Roberts
INT: Tahlia Holtze, Lauren O’Shea, Lucy Adam, Jasmine Anderson, Janet Baird*
EMERGENCIES: Lauren Motlop, Renee Forth, Jemma Iacono, Katie Streader

* Indicates 23rd player