SATURDAY MARCH 31 2018 SPORT 83 THE BEST IN LOCAL SPORT TERRITORY SPOTLIGHT Tiwi stars boost for Thunder Another

CARL PFEIFFER

THE NT Thunder will have a significant flavour has about them when they kick off their 2018 NEAFL campaign next Saturday. After not having a solitary Bombers player in their 2017 squad, the Thunder have added six Tiwi players to their a chance line-up this season. Brilliant forward Ross Tun- gatalum, speedy midfielders Dion and Jack Munkara, tough onballer Patrick Heenan, defender Sam Dyke and versatile ruckman Jack to shine Monigatti will add a dose of class to the Thunder line-up. After enjoying an excellent CARL PFEIFFER and now Rioli. There’s not a season for the Bombers in the and CHRIS PIKE heap of experience there but NTFL, which ended with the it’s exciting,” Simpson said. side making the elimination ANOTHER Rioli will be un- “The exposure we are giv- final, Heenan said he was ex- leashed on the AFL tomorrow ing these young forwards is cited to pull on the black, yel- with West Coast livewire really exciting.” low and ochre jumper this Willie set to join cousins ’s journey even to get season. and Daniel in lighting up the to West Coast from the 2016 The tough inside midfielder competition. AFL Draft is a remarkable has played 47 games for the The former Tiwi Bomber one. Thunder through several will play alongside fellow Way back in 2013, he was stints, including its inaugural excitement machine Liam significantly overweight at season in 2009. Ryan in the Eagles’ forward WAFL club South Fremantle. “I’ve been hearing a lot of line against the Western Bull- He returned to Darwin to good things about the club and dogs at Eithad Stadium. play for the Bombers in the with my performances for the Rioli will join Ryan, Water- NTFL but it was when he went Tiwi Bombers this season I man and at to Glenelg in South Australia thought it would be a good Etihad Stadium in a forward that he began to make the time to come back in,” he told line that has played three AFL most of his talent. the NT News. games together, but West After two seasons of “I wanted to reach my 50- Coast coach is SANFL football, the Eagles game milestone and that was excited about what they can took a punt on him and after one of the big things for me to deliver. injury ruined his 2017, Simp- come back.” “(Rioli) was almost avail- son is ready to reward him Heenan said he would walk able last week so it’s not a with a debut. taller knowing he had some punt at all,” Simpson said. “He’s always had AFL qual- Bombers teammates by his “He has done all the num- ities and it feels like a short side. bers to catch up really well journey but he missed 10 or 12 “Having Dion and Jack as and his pre-season form with weeks last year with a ham- well as Rocco (Tungatalum), training and the couple of lit- string injury,” Simpson said. we are all living back home at tle snippets of games he “Battling to get fit and keep Bathurst so having big Sammy played, was good. fit has been a bit of a struggle and big Jack Monigatti here, it “He got some really good when you have injuries like makes it easier for us,” he said. minutes in at AFL-like inten- that but he’s a bit more ma- Thunder coach Andrew sity, so he’s ready to play.” ture-aged than most recruits. Hodges said the Tiwi additions Simpson said he had been “He’s 23, has a long-time would add significant flexi- forced to unveil a new-look partner and a child so he’s a bility to the squad. forward six given the injury to man. He has been all over the “That’s the beauty of having gun spearhead Josh Kennedy, country playing football so I Paddy and some of the guys we who is only due back at Round don’t see him as raw as a 17- have signed this year – (it) is 5 at the earliest. year-old just out of home. they can genuinely play any- “It’s funny how different “His journey is short in the where on the ground he gives Willie Rioli of the Eagles tackles Nathan Fyfe of the Dockers during a JLT Community Series match our front half looks with AFL but he’s had a long jour- us that versatility,” he said. last month Picture: PAUL CANE/GETTY IMAGES Ryan, Venables, Waterman ney to get here.”

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