62 SPORT SUNDAY APRIL 8 2018

Ben Rioli doing his best to control the football Buddy’s late for NT Thunder as opponent NT THUNDER V Ethan Hunt appears on the scene in NEAFL goals seal the BRISBANE LIONS premiership action at TIO Stadium last night Ilett on Picture: FELICITY ELLIOTT deal for Swans THUNDER 7.2 9.3 11.6 16.9 105 left it late to LIONS have a scoreboard impact, but 4.1 6.8 11.10 15.14 104 had the final and decisive say as beat GWS by 16 GOALS NT Thunder: D Munkara 4 D Ewing 3 R points in their AFL derby at song for Tungatalum 2 P White 2 C Williams 2 the SCG last night. M Campbell S Rioli J Stokes; Brisbane Both sides enjoyed periods Lions: B Keays 3 B Starcevich 3 Z Bailey 2 T Bell 2 J Quint C Beams C of momentum in a scrappy Ballenden C Lyons R Bastinac game before Sydney finally BEST broke it open in the second NT Thunder: C Ilett D Munkara J half, kicking seven straight Stokes S Rioli B McLean B Rioli; Brisbane Lions: T Bell B Keays C goals either side of the last Thunder Beams R Bastinac J Barrett Z Bailey break to set up a 16.7 (103) to UMPIRES 12.15 (87) win. J Galbraith, J Strybos, M Baigent In one final shift, GWS CARL PFEIFFER us. They were big and strong slashed a 33-point deficit to 10 but we knew we had the with four-consecutive goals, A MASTERCLASS from defen- speed.” before Franklin soothed the sive general Cameron Ilett and Chaney medallist Jarrod nerves of Swans supporters a dazzling four-goal perform- Stokes picked up where he left and ended the Giants’ charge. ance from excitement machine off in the NTFL Grand Final, The previously scoreless Dion Munkara has helped NT gathering 18 disposals and forward settled the issue with a Thunder secure a thrilling one- standing out with his poise booming kick of almost 60m. point victory over Brisbane at and pinpoint kicking, while goaled again TIO Stadium last night. captain Shannon Rioli (20 soon after and Franklin closed Thunder’s NEAFL season- possessions) and brother Ben the show with a second major opener was a high-scoring Rioli (19 touches) were both to add to his 22 possessions shootout against the premiers, influential. and 10 marks. with both sides exceeding the Spearhead Darren Ewing kicked 100-point barrier and going kicked all three of his majors in three goals for Sydney, while goal-for-goal until a dribbling the first quarter but was well Franklin, Hayward, Tom Pa- major from Munkara late in held for the rest of the game, pley, Gary Rohan and Sam the final term sealed the deal. while Tungatalum and Patrick Reid all finished with two. Ilett was an architect for White (four goals between Sydney’s won Thunder off half back, repel- them) had their moments up the Brett Kirk Medal for best ling countless Brisbane attacks forward. on ground, tallying 26 posses- and providing valuable re- Big-bodied midfielder Tom sions. For the Giants, Nick bound for his side. Bell was dominant for the Haynes finished with 28 and He finished with 28 dispos- Lions picking up 33 posses- 27. als – including 24 kicks – 12 sions and two goals to vie with marks and 119 AFL Fantasy Ilett and Munkara for best on points in a commanding per- ground honours. formance. AFL teammate SYDNEY V GREATER Munkara excited with his was sublime off a wing and WESTERN SYDNEY dash and flair, booting four kicked three goals to go with SWANS goals and gaining valuable 25 touches, while Ryan Basti- 3.4 7.4 12.5 16.7 ground for NT with his run nac (27 possessions), Jake Bar- 103 and carry. rett (25 touches) Claye Beams GIANTS The fleet-footed utility, who (21 disposals) found plenty of 2.5 5.10 7.13 12.15 87 provided several exhilarating the pill in the middle for Bris- GOALS line-breaking surges for his bane. Sydney: C Sinclair 3 G Rohan 2 L side, said he was rapt to kick Territory product Zac Bai- Franklin 2 S Reid 2 T Papley 2 W Hayward 2 I Heeney J Kennedy L the matchwinner. ley demonstrated his power in Parker; Greater Western Sydney: J “Ross (Tungatalum) hand- the contest with two eye- Cameron 3 D Lloyd 2 M De Boer 2 H balled, I was going to go catching goals to go with 22 Himmelberg J Hopper J Patton R Lobb S Coniglio. straight (with the kick) then possessions he gathered for the BEST someone came at me so I had Lions. Sydney: C Mills I Heeney J Kennedy C to go the banana and then it Thunder were soundly Sinclair L Parker S Reid G Hewett went bounce, bounce, bounce beaten in the ruck department, Greater Western Sydney: S Coniglio D Shiel N Haynes M De Boer J Cameron J and through and then I got a with Brisbane tall duo Oscar Hopper bit cramped,” he laughed. McInerney and Archie Smith UMPIRES “It was a good game, Bris- combining to smash out 58 hit T Pannell, R Chamberlain, R O’Gorman bane are the premiers and we outs compared to Thunder’s CROWD knew they would come hard at measly 11. 34,711 at the SCG Palmerston hits ‘em for sixes

JOSH SPASARO Darwin thrashed them by “It was our nine wickets in the final, but EVEN a score of “only” 58 it was a massive improve- was not enough to faze the first hit of ment after finishing second- Ken Vowles Cazalys Palmer- the year and last in 2016. ston team on its way to win- “We’ve got a few more ning the inaugural Darwin a good boys on board this year so Sixes pre-season cricket hopefully we can go one bet- tournament. way to start ter,” McCann said. The Palmerston outfit – the season” “This tournament was featuring star import leg- about getting out there with spinner Kyle Gardiner – your mates on the field.” bounced back to bowl tidily big coup for last year’s Prem- Competition organiser and defeat the Pacific Warri- ier Grade runners-up after Udara Weerasinghe was de- ors at Wanguri Oval. coming across from PINT. lighted with the number of It then triumphed with “It was our first hit of the participants – there were 10 ease over Spice Gardens in year and a good way to start teams in total. the final. the season,” McCann said. “It was a great turnout All-rounder Todd Mc- “The competition wasn’t and the tournament went Cann starred for Palmerston (Premier Grade standard) well,” he said. with a whopping 12 sixes in but it was nice to hit a few. “Hopefully we can con- the five-overs-per-inning “It’s only going to get big- tinue this as an annual event tournament. ger and better.” next year. Robbie Van Der Meulen Palmerston possibly over- “It looks like everyone en- was another standout player achieved making last year’s joyed it and there was a very for Palmerston, and he is a Premier Grade final. good community spirit.” The victorious Ken Vowles Cazalys Palmerston team that sealed the Darwin Sixes title yesterday

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