The Northern Territory news Wed 7 Oct 2015
NT news
The Northern Territory news; NewspaperNT
2015-10-07
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English
Community newspapers -- Northern Territory -- Darwin; Australian newspapers -- Northern Territory -- Darwin
News Corp Australia
Darwin
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News Corp Australia
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00042
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/258542
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/502565
46 SPORT WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 7 2015 NTNE01Z01MA - V1 GREY MORRIS FROM BACK PAGE Solomon (pictured) takes over the chief executives role from the outgoing Tony Frawley today and has already hinted at a wider and more efficient exposure of Territory football to the rest of Australia. That includes embracing the general managers role at Thunder within the existing AFLNT administration. Its highly doubtful at this stage that we would have a head of football operations or a football operations manager and a general manager of Thunder, Solomon said. I think weve thoroughly established weve doubled up in resources with Joel there as well. Im not about to give people permanent roles when I know working with the board and the executive, we need to consider what we need to do to realign ourselves. LONG-SERVING St Marys defender Iggy Vallejo has hinted the 2015-16 NTFL centenary season will be his last in senior company. Now 34, Vallejo topped the 300-game mark last season, becoming the first St Marys player and only the fourth player in the long history of the league to achieve the mark. I wont say it will be my last season, but its probably headed that way with me at 34 years of age and a lot of talent coming through the club, Vallejo told the NT News. So in a lot of ways it will probably be a good time for me to hang up the boots when the season ends next year, depending on what happens. The 2008-09 Nichols medallist and eight-time premiership player has become a legend at St Marys since pulling on the boots at league level in 1997. Theres definitely been more ups than downs in my time at Saints, with the big highlight being able to play alongside and against so many legends of the Territory game, he said. Doubts over GM role in future Iggy Vallejo is preparing for what could be his final season in the NTFL premiership with St Marys NTFL - ROUND 1 Premier League Saturday: Tiwi Bombers v Waratahs at TIO Stadium (2pm), Palmerston v Darwin Buffaloes at TIO Stadium (4.30pm), Wanderers v St Marys at TIO Stadium (7pm) Sunday: Nightcliff v Southern Districts at PSC BM Oval (4pm) Ferreira keeps cool head over high hopes JORDAN McARDLE DAVIN Ferreiras whirlwind week continues tonight when he flies to Melbourne for the AFL National Draft Combine. Ferreira is one of 80 AFL hopefuls who will be tested on everything from kicking and handballing, to sprints, vertical jumps and agility, in the fourday combine from tomorrow to Sunday at Etihad Stadium. As many as five AFL clubs are interested in securing the Wanderers premiership player, who burst onto the SANFL scene this year with Norwood before injuring his ankle at the NAB AFL National Under-18s Championships playing for Northern Territory. But Ferreira (pictured) wont be taking anything for granted until he hears his name called out on draft day. Ive spoken with five clubs already, which is definitely a good thing, he said. Its one of those things though, you dont really know for sure until it happens. Im just trying to do my best and hopefully I get picked up. Im not really fussed where I go, as long as Im on an AFL list Ill be happy with that. St Marys livewire Daniel Rioli will feature in the national combine, while Ben Long is at the Melbourne state combine on Sunday. T h u n d e r duo Michael Hagan and Ryan Nyhuis will head to Sydney for their state screening on October 24, consisting of mainly NEAFL and academy products. Fitness-wise, Ferreira said he was feeling great thanks to the help of NT Thunder state academy coach Andrew Hodges and AFLNT high-performance manager Wally Gallio. Wally and Hodgy have done heaps for me, they got me back up to Darwin to train and have put me on a training program which has helped a lot, he said. Ive been doing different things everyday with the program and Im feeling heaps fitter. Ferreira was a key component in the Allies win over Australia Under-17s during Saturdays AFL grand final day at the MCG. The speedy forward slotted through a nice goal and gathered plenty of the ball, inspired by fellow Territorian Nakia Cockatoos best-on-ground performance last year. His day got even better in the afternoon, watching his beloved Hawthorn secure a historic three-peat. Nakia put a bit of a mark for us to perform, seeing as he played good and got drafted (by Geelong) in the top 10, Ferreira said. I think everyone went out there thinking that if they played good, they could do the same thing Nakia did. Triple premiership duo hang up boots HAWTHORN have wasted little time beginning the regeneration of the oldest premiership team in AFL history, with triple flag-winning stars Brian Lake and David Hale announcing their retirements. Lake, 33, had said after Saturdays 46-point win over West Coast that he wanted to play on for one more year. But with the Hawks looking to rejuvenate an ageing squad, the key defender was convinced it was time to end his career. Ruckman Hale, 31, had been expected to call time after Saturdays decider, in which he ended wearing the red substitutes vest. Lake played 251 games with the Western Bulldogs and Hawthorn while Hales career included 237 matches with North Melbourne and the Hawks. The Hawks have a ready-made replacement for Hale in Jonathan Ceglar, who was somewhat unlucky to miss out on the 2014 and 2105 grand final teams, with coach Alastair Clarkson preferring Hale and Ben McEvoy. Lake could be harder to replace, with his ability to take intercept marks in defence again on show in the big win over the Eagles. Four other members of Hawthorns 2015 flag-winning team are also aged over 30 captain Luke Hodge, Shaun Burgoyne, Josh Gibson and Sam Mitchell while Jordan Lewis turns 30 in April. All are expected to play on in 2016. Vallejo tosses up ending his career Russell Jeffrey, Jason Cockatoo and Bruce Jarmyn stand out in opposition sides, then you look at your own side and theres Cyril (Junior) Rioli, Mick Athanasiou, Noel Long and Dennis Dunn, the list just goes on. So Ive been pretty fortunate to be on a footy ground with those blokes around me, its been a great journey. Vallejo grimaced when asked if the great St Marys side, with 30 Premier League premiership pennants already hanging from their belt, would be a force again this season. A devastating grand final loss to bitter rivals Wanderers and a reduction from a torrent to a gentle flow of junior talent has the potential to derail the Saints express. Actually weve got some very good juniors coming through who should be ready for senior football and its intensity, Vallejo said. A lot of people dont realise your Jack Williams, Jack Musgroves, Tony Olango, Nick Yarran and Daniel Rioli are all quality kids. They can all step up to senior footy, were all looking forward to that happening. GREY MORRIS MICHAEL McLean wants another shot at coaching at Premier League level. The former Western Bulldogs and Brisbane star has been out of the coaching merry-go-round since standing down as Southern Districts senior coach in 2012. He will make a return to coaching ranks with Division 1 side Tracy Village this season, McLean aims to lift Tracy Village amid higher goals but the league competition remains his ultimate goal. At one stage I was going to mentor the coaches at Tracy Village while supporting Southern Districts as well, he told the NT News. As it turned out the coach Nick Abbott had other commitments and Im happy to fill the void for 12 months. I want to get back into the Premier League as soon as possible, of course it wont be this year. McLean is keen to put his footprint on Tracy Village, a club already well established in the lower grades after crossing from the old TEAFA when it merged with the NTFL in 2010. This is a good way to get me back into the groove again, he said. I know its a different level, but I want to get the club the respect it deserves in the wider community. Tracy has got a focus, I can see a cast of thou sands out on the oval now and theyve got aspirations I would expect of playing in the Premier League one day. Premier League is the only grade they have not got in the competition. If we can become super competitive the foundation stones have been set. My instruction is get back to the basics and do the basic things well. We want to be competitive as a team and a club and if you do that, you gain respect and thats what Im on about. McLean knows there is a gap between the top four Division 1 sides Banks, PINT, Waratahs and Nightcliff and the rest. And he is aiming to close it. That leaves us fighting for fifth spot I reckon, but Im hoping I can get a bit more from the players if they are prepared to work hard, he said.