ntnews.com.aulllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll lllllllllllllllllllllll SPORT Saints too strong Hodge close to fitness Italy beat England on penalties ST MARYS scored a valuable 2-1 win over league HAWTHORN captain is close to returning ITALY dominated but needed a penalty shoot-out to leaders NUTS in the Darwin Hockey men’s to lead the run to the AFL finals. Sidelined since overcome a humbled English side at the Olympic competition at Marrara. Damian Mullagh’s goal at the damaging a knee medial ligament in Round 6, he Stadium in Kiev on Sunday after their Euro 2012 21-minute mark of the second half was the joined the main group for training at Waverley Park quarter-final ended in a 0-0 draw. England’s Ashley difference and cut the Tigers’ gap at the top to two yesterday. Hodge said ‘‘the knee is right to go’’, but Young hit the crossbar and had his effort points. In the women’s clash, NUTS had only its he needed ‘‘run in the legs’’. ‘‘No, it won’t be this week saved by , as Alessandro Diamanti second win of the season, thanks to a 2-1 success. (against Carlton on Friday).’’ Hodge, who yesterday scored the final penalty to set the Azzurri up for a Sam Pangquee was the hero with a double, including re-signed with the Hawks for another season, said he classic semi-final with Germany in Warsaw the match-winner with one minute remaining. needed a few more sessions of running and kicking. on Thursday. Thunder’s magic

FOOTBALL ing’s 2004 side beat Tas- he said. ‘‘I sort of sensed on the footy field and off it.’’ or it will be decided on a back in. ‘‘Willie Rioli, who By GREY MORRIS mania, and something special about the Toy took a rare backward countback.’’ has probably been our best NSW-ACT to the summit. players we have got this year step when asked if his side Toy said there would be forward and Sam Autio who TERRITORY Thunder Toy played down his side’s and that’s how it’s turned could win the Territory’s changes to the side that thra- has given us a lot in the under-18 coach Brenton Toy winning chances last night out. first U18 title for eight years. shed NSW-ACT by 83 points ruck and up forward are knew the 2012 playing group while admitting the players ‘‘You hear them say one of ‘‘I know it’s a cliche but all on Saturday. big chances to come in to had a touch of greatness under him had a special aura their teammates is a gun or we’re really focusing on is ‘‘It’s pretty hard after a the side. about it. about them. someone like Damian Wil- our next game against performance like last ‘‘Braedon McLean rolled The 18s can win the Territ- ‘‘From a coaching point of liams will say Ben Rioli is his Queensland on Saturday,’’ weekend to make changes,’’ his ankle in the NSW game ory’s third Division 2 nat- view I’ve said to the boys I favourite. he said. he said. and looks like he might miss ional title next week and the haven’t believed in a group of ‘‘There’s a lot of love with- ‘‘If we can win the next two ‘‘But there is a few quality the Queensland game, but first since Richard Tambl- people like this for awhile,’’ in the group and it’s showing games we’ll either win it players in the mix to come will be right for .’’

NEAFL ROUND 13

LABRADOR 4.2 10.4 17.8 18.8 (116) MT GRAVATT 5.4 10.8 10.10 16.11 (107)

GOALS — Labrador: T Notting 6 R Davey 3 A Clarke 3 J Ashton-Place 2 S Boxsell M Clarke J Brown J Goldsmith. Mt Gravatt: G Grose 6 R Estall 3 J Pennycuick 2 B Stewart J Murphy A Scott M Schultz. BEST — Labrador: A Clarke M Clarke T Notting R Davey C Talbot J Cavanagh. Mt Gravatt: C Bernasconi A Scott J Furfaro R Lake G Grose T Overington.

BRISBANE LIONS 7.2 13.6 20.9 24.18 (162) SOUTHPORT 1.1 7.1 11.4 13.5 (83)

GOALS — : A Cornelius 5 J Polec 4 J Dyson 3 J Lisle 3 J Hawksley 2 C Beams 2 R Newell 2 J O’Brien C Stiller P Karnezis. Southport: C Hughes 4 J Baxter 3 J Milani 2 H Kiel 2 S Seddon F Pope. BEST — Brisbane: C. Beams S Clarke J Dyson J Polec P Wearden S Wrigley. Southport: D Weymouth D Wise S Seddon W Mills F Pope B Headland.

REDLAND 4.1 10.6 17.12 25.13 (163) MORNINGSIDE 5.2 7.2 8.4 11.6 (72)

Goals — Redland: J Pullman 7 S Clouston 5 A Bielski 3 J Webster 2 D Steven 2 B Passfield A Oxley B Rees S Taylor D Dzufer J Bain. Morningside: K Abey 5 J Starcevich 2 S Faure B McNiece R Holman H Joyce. Best — Redland: B Rees A Bielski M Thomson J Pullman S Taylor D Steven. Morningside: K Abey R Holman A Nash B McNiece J Elliot N Price

Byes: ; NT Thunder; Aspley; Broadbeach. Jessica Hewitt is heading to Adelaide next month for the National 16s AFL School Sport Championship Picture: JUSTIN SANSON LADDER TEAM P W L D F A % Pts BRISBANE 11 9 2 0 1403 782 179.4 36 Schoolgirls set sights on sporting goal SOUTHPORT 12 9 3 0 1254 939 133.5 36 NT THUNDER 11 8 3 0 1238 923 134.1 32 By IAN BUTTERWORTH In her debut as a coach at spread around the Territory, only girl among the 25 not eli- LABRADOR 12 8 4 0 1252 1086 115.3 32 AFL national level, Taylor is it has been difficult to get gible for the indigenous stud- REDLAND 12 7 4 1 1326 1271 104.3 30 TERRITORY schoolgirl AFL realising a long-time am- training continuity — seven ent grant (EITAAP). GOLD COAST 11 6 5 0 1014 839 120.9 24 players are gearing up in bition, but is under no il- of the girls are from the Dar- ‘‘Jess will be one of our BROADBEACH 11 5 5 1 1086 1171 92.7 22 preparation for the National lusions about the task ahead. win area, and we alternate leaders, and I would love to ASPLEY 11 3 8 0 1008 1250 80.6 12 MT GRAVATT 11 3 8 0 898 1289 69.7 12 16s School Sport Champion- ‘‘I have been wanting to do training between Millner use her both in the midfield MORNINGSIDE 11 1 10 0 901 1415 63.7 4 ship in Adelaide, beginning this for some time now, and and Palmerston.’’ and down back, but because NEXT WEEK on July 21. have gained my AFL Level II The squad includes players of the nature of the opposit- Round 14 — Saturday, June 30: Morningside v Tuggeranong at A squad of 25 players from Coaching Accreditation, and from Darwin, Alice Springs, ion, we will need to shore up Esplen Oval, 1pm; Aspley v Broadbeach at Graham Rd, 1.30pm; NT across the NT will take on when the position was adver- Tennant Creek, Katherine, our defence,’’ Taylor said. Thunder v Gold Coast Suns at TIO Stadium, 6pm. Sunday, July 1: teams from the ACT, SA, Vic- tised, I jumped at it and was Groote Eylandt and the Tiwi ‘‘She has great commit- v Mt Gravatt, 11am. toria and WA. Coach Beckie successful,’’ she said. Islands, but predominantly ment to the team, but is the Taylor said it was an oppor- ‘‘We have selected a squad at the younger end of only girl not eligible for fin- tunity for Territory girls to of 25 players after conducting group. Taylor expressed ex- ancial travel and accommod- test themselves against the a series of development citment about Mataranka’s ation assistance, and is work- best in the country. camps and with the girls Jess Sullivan, 16, who is the ing at raising funds.’’ Winning last term for Demons Lions from spoon to the moon

TIWI Islander Ross dropped out of the top three its first win of the season. BRISBANE Lions continued highest score this season, brothers were standouts for Tungatalum finished on the after the loss. The Swans reserves their rise from paupers to coasting home 24.18 (162) to the Tigers, with small for-

losing side in the NEAFL’s Tuggeranong caused the remain the team to beat in millionaires by thrashing 13.5 (83). ward Adam best on ground PUB: eastern conference when boilover of 2012 NEAFL the east after thrashing Syd- NEAFL northern conference Labrador jumped back into by a whisker from running LO-R:NTNE-WS-26-J37KTE:GE:MDA-Y-C-CO- his Hills Eagles were over- eastern conference season ney Uni by 148 in Friday flag favourite Southport by the top five with its brave half-back Mat. run by Eastlake. when it beat the UWS night’s curtainraiser to the 79 points on Saturday. nine-point win over Mt Redland beat bottom side The Demons trailed at GIANTS by 29 points on Sydney-Geelong AFL match Last season’s wooden- Gravatt on Saturday. Morningside by 91 points at every change on Saturday Saturday. at the SCG. spooners are now on top of The Gold Coast-based Point. before booting six goals to None of the experts gave The Queanbeyan Tigers the ladder with nine wins Tigers outfit had lost three The Bombers kicked six, nil in the last term to win by the Hawks a chance, but fired out a warning to the and two losses. games on the trot but beat the seven and eight goals in the 32 points. Tuggeranong showed great rest of the competition by The Lions led 20.9 to 11.4 at Vultures on the back of a second, third and fourth Tungatalum kicked two fighting spirit to produce a mauling last season’s prem- the last change before kick- seven-goal to nil third- quarters to win 25-13 (163) to goals for the Eagles, who 10-goal second half and grab ier Ainslie by 47 points. ing on to the equal third- quarter feast. The Clarke 11-6 (72). www.ntnews.com.au Tuesday, June 26, 2012. NT NEWS. 37