Grand Final Day Schedule
GET THE EDGE FOR YOUR TEAM. - Neafl.com
GET THE EDGE FOR YOUR TEAM. - Neafl.com
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y Peter Blucher<br />
Staunton, Louis Eggar, Nyubaru Kelly and Karl Lohde<br />
are the other members of the 2011 Cross-Conference<br />
premiership team not involved any more, having replaced<br />
Anderson, Kossack, Roberts and Watson for the club’s<br />
second grand final in as many weeks last year.<br />
Statistically speaking, NT utility player Matty Argus,<br />
who doubles as the Thunder’s Commercial Operations<br />
Coordinator midweek, will play his 100th QAFL/NEAFL<br />
game in the grand final.<br />
He played 50 games with Zillmere, 17 with Aspley and<br />
has played 32 games with the Thunder over the past<br />
three years.<br />
Rosier is set to become the sixth player to post 50 games<br />
for the Thunder behind Ewing (77), Cam Ilett (75), Jared<br />
Ilett (54), Dignan (53) and Palipuaminni (52).<br />
And Chris Dunne, with 49 goals in his first season with<br />
the club, is set to become the fifth player to post his halfcentury<br />
behind Ewing (340), Cam Ilett (102), Farrer (62)<br />
an Tungatalum (55).<br />
Assuming he kicks one goal in the grand final Dunne will<br />
become just the third player to kick 50 goals in a season<br />
for the club behind Ewing, who, in his four seasons at full<br />
forward has posted 81 goals (2009), 78 (2010), 115 (2011)<br />
and 66 (2012), plus Tungatalum, who kicked 55 goals last<br />
year to win the NEAFL Rising Star Award.<br />
Ewing and Dunne have been the Thunder’s primary goalkickers<br />
this year with Farrer (35), Cam Ilett (21), Patrick<br />
Heenan (20) and Brad Vassal (16).<br />
Cornelius, with 53 goals in 12 NEAFL games this year, will<br />
go into the grand final as the Lions’ No.1 goal-kicker from<br />
Lisle, who returns to the side having kicked four goals in<br />
five AFL games late in the season after posting 45 goals<br />
in 16 NEAFL games.<br />
Karnezis, with 22 goals in 13 NEAFL games, has also<br />
been a consistent avenue to goal along with Josh Dyson<br />
(19 in 19), Hawksley (15 in 14), Callum Bartlett (15 in 18),<br />
Buchanan (13 in 11) and Beams (10 in 11).<br />
The 18 listed players in the Lions side have played a total<br />
of 66 AFL games between them this year, headed by Jack<br />
Crisp (10), Niall McKeever (9), Beams (8), Cornelius (8),<br />
Yeo (8) and Karnezis (7).<br />
Lisle (5), Billy Longer (5), Hawksley (4), AFL 100-gamer<br />
Cheynee Stiller (3), Steve Wrigley (3) and Buchanan (1)<br />
also have played at AFL level in 2012.<br />
This leaves Bartlett, Justin Clarke, Sam Docherty, Dyson,<br />
Sam Michael and Patrick Wearden, yet to play at AFL<br />
level, to complete the AFL core of the Lions grand final<br />
line-up.<br />
The Lions will take a 2-0 head-to-head record against<br />
the Thunder this year into the grand final – both in the<br />
Territory.<br />
In Round 4 the Lions took an oversized line-up, with eight<br />
players 193cm or taller, to Alice Springs and returned with<br />
a 12-12 (84) to 11-10 (76) win.<br />
They kicked 5-1 to 1-2 in the first quarter and led 8-7 to<br />
2-4 at halftime but had to dig deep to hang on against a<br />
fast-finishing NT outfit in a game which may have gone<br />
the other way if it went an extra 10 minutes.<br />
Hawksley was the Lions’ best, slotting in as his side’s<br />
seventh defender, while Stiller, with 10 possessions in a<br />
critical final quarter contribution, was another standout in<br />
a run-with role on the dangerous Ilett. Wrigley also did a<br />
fine job on Dunne.<br />
Defender Julian Lockwood was best for the Thunder while<br />
Ewing kicked five goals and Dignan worked tirelessly in<br />
the midfield.<br />
The Grogan Medal votes went to Bartlett (3), Justin Clarke<br />
(2) and Stiller (1).<br />
In the major semi-final in Darwin a fortnight ago first-year<br />
rookie Sam Michael was best afield at centre half forward<br />
as the Lions beat the Thunder 17-10 (112) to 11-12 (78) to<br />
qualify for their first grand final since 2001.<br />
The Lions’ win ended a 10-game winning streak for the<br />
2012 Thunder, and a 24-game winning streak in Darwin<br />
dating back to the start of 2010.<br />
The defensive group headed by Justin Clarke, McKeever<br />
Wrigley, Docherty and Wearden were the keys as the<br />
Lions kicked 7-2 to 4-0 in the second term to take control.<br />
The Lions stretched the halftime lead of 21 points to 30<br />
points by three-quarter time, and after the NT cut the<br />
deficit back to 21 points at one stage in the final term the<br />
visitors kicked the last two goals to win comfortably.<br />
Half forward Bartlett was lively throughout and kicked<br />
three important goals, Karnezis topped the Lions<br />
possession count with 29 and kicked two goals, and<br />
Cornelius had 19 possessions, 10 marks and five goals at<br />
full forward.<br />
Back pocket and draft hopeful Ben Rioli was clearly the<br />
Thunder’s best player, while Tyrrell was a powerhouse<br />
in the ruck, Dunne worked hard for his four goals, and<br />
Dignan, Ilett, Rosier and Anderson did some good things<br />
through the midfield.