28 SPORT FRIDAY MAY 30 2014 Notable absences leave Thunder muted for clash with Swans By JESS WEBSTER in the curtain raiser to the the selection table for the Ter- test this season when they campaigners Ryan O’Keefe NEAFL Dreamtime at the G’ clash be- ritory with the return of leader come up against a Swans outfit and Lewis Roberts-Thomson. tween Essendon and Rich- Alwyn Davey, who was rested containing 20 AFL listed play- The Swans sit four points TERRITORY Thunder has mond at the MCG as part of for their last match against the ers and coming off a 131-point behind Thunder in second lost a bit of spark for its top-of- the AFL’s Indigenous Round. Brisbane Lions a fortnight ago. flogging of Eastlake. place on the ladder, but have the-table NEAFL showdown His cousin Willie will also Defender Jack Long will Tom Mitchell, who broke played one less game. with the Sydney Swans Re- against the WAFL last week – miss the clash against the Swans also return from a quad injury Champion Data records with The Round 10 clash at serves tomorrow. is out of the side to participate due to illness, while star mid- with Lachlan Argus and Sam 64 possession and four goals Drummoyne Oval will be Young defender Ben Rioli – in the Footy Means Business fielder Nathan Djerrkura won’t Goddenn added to an ex- against the Bombers, has been streamed LIVE on the NT who represented the NEAFL program in Melbourne. make the trip to Sydney. tended bench. named in the reserves again News website from 1.30pm NT in the representative match The 19-year-old will feature There was better news at Thunder will face its biggest with the likes of experienced time tomorrow. Time to step up for your team, Milestone or step aside FROM THE COACHES BOX man keeps WITH XAVIER CLARKE THIS week we head south on running again to take on a very good side in the Sydney Swans Re- serves on Saturday. By JESS WEBSTER Challenges present them- NEAFL DUNNE DEAL selves all the time in life and in football, and I am a true be- NT THUNDER forward Chris CHRIS DUNNE liever of if you don’t step up Dunne has reached his 50th Age: 27 you will step aside. game milestone as quickly as Games: 49 It takes courage, honesty, he has become accustomed to Goals: 127 hard work, the support of the Territory brand of football. Recruited from: Wanderers friends, family and teammates The 27-year-old, originally (NTFL) to get you through. from Drouin in country Vic- NEAFL NC grand finalist 2012 But sometimes it just re- toria, has missed only one NEAFL NC rep v SANFL 2013 quires the individual to take it game (when his appendix was NEAFL rep v WAFL 2014 upon themselves to decide removed) in over seven years. how they will overcome the Dunne relocated to Darwin challenge ahead. “for a change” in 2011 where he aged to play so much footy.” I’ve seen many teammates, joined Wanderers, and has Dunne hopes his kicking boots friends, family and players played back-to-back seasons in will be on tomorrow when the throw in the towel because it the NTFL and NEAFL ever Territorians face their biggest gets too hard, and then the ex- since, including two NEAFL test of the year against a star- cuses are never too far behind. representative matches against studded Sydney Swans Re- We have a young group of the SANFL and WAFL. serves side in a top-of-the- players at NT Thunder, from 17 He made his presence felt table blockbuster in Sydney. to 30, and people often ask me for NT Thunder from the out- Their last away match in how or what I can teach these set when he booted seven goals Round 7 produced a record players if I am only 30 myself? on debut in Round 1, 2012 and loss of 125 points against Asp- The answer is not much, re- has so far kicked 127 goals in ley, something Dunne said the ally. But the best classroom I his 49 games to be ranked sec- playing group is determined to ever had was on the training ond on the all time club record turn around. track, on game days, sitting in behind Darren Ewing. “Sydney have been up and match reviews, getting honest Dunne counts himself lucky about the whole season and feedback about my perform- to reach 50 games. have been a big powerhouse in ance, giving feedback about “I do count myself lucky, es- the eastern conference the past someone else’s performance, pecially when I look around few years,” he said. overcoming not being selected, and see some blokes finding it “Obviously looking back overcoming injuries, experi- hard to string together games,” two or three weeks ago when encing the highs of a win and he said. we travelled we had a pretty the depressions of a loss – all “I struggle to sit still at the flat game, so we want to come these teach our young men best of times so I reckon it’s out of this game with different more than what any coach can. probably handy that I’ve man- fortunes.” At some point as individuals NT Thunder forward Chris Dunne will play his 50th milestone match in a top-of-the-table NEAFL they will decide if they will step SYDNEY SWANS blockbuster against the Sydney Swans in Sydney this weekend. Picture: JUSTIN SANSON up or not, but I do know if 22 V young men step up on game day the weight of numbers is NT THUNDER with us and will give us the best Last quarter slaughters ‘flattering’ opportunity to win the game. NEAFL ROUND 10, SATURDAY MAY 31 AT DRUMMOYNE OVAL, 1.30PM SYDNEY Swans Reserves But Crouch, who played 223 absolute best to stay competi- P SYDNEY SWANS NT THUNDER I Xavier Richards coach Jared Crouch said their AFL games with the Swans, tive in the game.” Best under 23 Darren Ewing crushing scorelines in the said they “weren’t great” in a The Swans have never beat- proudly supported by Shane Biggs Aliir Aliir NEAFL competition are 131-point flogging of Eastlake en NT Thunder in two clashes Liam Patrick Matthew Rosier “flattering” ahead of a top-of- prior to the representative bye – both played in the NT – but Roberts-Thompson Abe Davis Jordan Lockyer the-table showdown with NT last week. head into the 1.30pm (NT Shannon Rioli Chris Dunne Abe Ankers Thunder this weekend. “The scoreline didn’t show time) match at Sydney’s EACH week head coach Xavi- Dean Towers Daniel Robinson The Swans sit four points what the result deserved to be,” Drummoyne Oval as favour- er Clarke awards votes 3, 2 and Julian Lockwood Cameron Ilett behind NT Thunder in second Crouch said. ites in what is shaping as one of 1 to the best under-23 player. place, having played one less “I guess what happens when the matches of the revamped A cash award of $500 will be Toby Nankervis Ryan O’Keefe Shaq McKenzie Aaron Motlop game, with a whopping per- you do play some of the Can- NEAFL season. presented to the player with centage of over 270. berra sides is they run out of “I want my players to do the most votes at the end of the Gary Rohan Brandon Jack Most telling, the Swans legs, and most of our guys are whatever they need to do to season. Brad Vassal Alwyn Davey have kept opposition sides professional athletes, so you do play football that will ultimat- Rd 17 v Brisbane Lions: Harrison Marsh Lloyd Perris Patrick Mitchell goal-less in the last quarter expect them to come good ely get them senior games,” Neil Vea Vea 3, Shannon Rioli Jack Long Mitchell Taylor Errin Wasley-BlackINTERCHANGE four times this season. towards the end. Crouch said. 2, Jake Roe-Duggan 1 INTERCHANGE Neil Vea Vea Tommy Walsh Tom Mitchell Zak Jones In their previous two “The scorelines can some- The match will be streamed Progressive: S Rioli 10, B Jack Musgrove Sam Naismitch Jake Roe-Duggan Pierce Liddle matches against Eastlake and times flatter us a little bit, but live on the NT News website. Rioli 8, E Wasley-Black 6, W Lachie Argus George Hewett Tim Membrey the GWS Giants, Sydney piled we know how good NT Thun- Log on to ntnews.com.au/ Rioli 4, A Ankers 4, N Vea Vea Sam Godden Isaac Heeney on 13.3 to 0.0 and 7.6 to 0.0 der are and we are certainly thunder from 1.30pm (NT 3, J Roe-Duggan 3, S McKen- Justin Beugelaar Steven Miles respectively in the last quarter. going to have to be at our time) tomorrow. zie 1. NTNE01Z01MA - V1.