NT Thunder welcomes Damian Williams back into the fold and into the team for his first game with the club since 2017.
One of four changes to the side this week, Williams has been training with the squad for the past few weeks and is an impactful player that is set to provide a reliable target up forward.
He is one of two changes lodged with the NEAFL ahead of the list being finalised. The second change sees Darren Abbott of South Alice Football Club join the club with his debut game due shortly.
Joining Williams as an inclusion to take on the reigning premiers, Southport, is Trent Melville and Dylan McLachlan, who have recovered from foot and calf injuries, respectively.
Youngster Joel Stevens rounds out the changes after he was a late withdrawal last week. His replacement, Beau O’Connell retains his spot in the side, and so too does another NT Thunder Academy graduate, Brandon Rusca, who was a late swap for Adam Tipungwuti who has community business on the Tiwi Islands to attend to.
The knee injury Clinton Gallio suffered during the second quarter of last Saturday’s game has been confirmed as one that will sideline him for some time, while Nick Yarran has fallen ill this week and is unable to travel or play. Josiah Farrer and Phillip Wills are both unavailable, rounding out a total of four changes to Thunder’s team.
Experience and youth make up the listed emergencies for Round 13 with Richard Tambling and Marly McGregor, another NT Thunder Academy graduate, named.
Head Coach Darren Reeves said while the changes were minimal this week, the injury list was growing, but the team would look beyond that and dig deep.
“A growing injury list is a challenge faced by every club at one stage or the other, so we can’t be too caught up in that and need to be sure we focus on the task at hand.
“With some of the injury, the young guys get to show their talents again and develop at a level that is not necessarily natural to them but progresses them.
“Having Damo around the past few weeks has been refreshing for the group, and it’s great to see Dylan back in the side; hopefully he can pick back up where he left off because he was finding really good touch before doing his calf,” he said.
Last time Thunder met Southport was in Round 6, with only 11 points separating the two sides at the final siren.
“Southport is a class act and deserve to go in as favourites this weekend, our form is in stark contrast, but we get some confidence from knowing that we’ve got nothing to lose and that if we play our best footy that we can match it with,” Reeves said.
NEAFL Round 13
Southport vs NT Thunder
1:30pm AEST, Saturday 29 June
Fankhauser Reserve, Gold Coast
B: Joel Stevens, Nigel Lockyer, Kieren Parnell
HB: Ben Rioli, David Johnston, Daniel Weetra
C: Jess Budarick, Brodie Carroll, Ethan Liddle
HF: Chris Williams, Nathaniel Paredes, Kieran Delahunty
F: Dylan McLachlan, Trent Melville, Dylan Barry
FOLL: Jack Hannath, Cohen Thiele, Abraham Ankers (c)
INT: Damian Williams, Brandon Rusca*, Beau O’Connell, Ben Taylor, Jack Monigatti
EMERGENCIES: Richard Tambling, Marly McGregor
IN: Trent Melville, Dylan McLachlan, Joel Stevens, Damian Williams
OUT: Clinton Gallio (knee), Josiah Farrer (unavailable), Phillip Wills (unavailable), Nick Yarran (ill)
*Indicates 23rd player