NT THUNDER DEFEAT GIANTS AFTER THE SIREN

HE was playing just his third game for the NT Thunder, but the ball could barely have found a safer kicker, with his team down by a point and the siren about to sound.

Francis “Wadeye Magic” Kinthari kicked truly from 40m out right on full-time to give his team a thrilling 15.7 (97) to 14.8 (92) win over GWS at Spotless Stadium yesterday.

“Probably besides Boof (Darren Ewing), Francis is the person you want to have lining up for goal in a pressure situation like that,” Thunder coach Andrew Hodges said.

“He’s 23 now, so has been around a bit (for St Mary’s in the NTFL), and he showed his maturity and composure.”

The Thunder players mobbed Kinthari after his goal, set up by the dash of captain Shannon Rioli in the midfield.

Despite the relief after the final siren, Hodges said his troops should not have let the Giants back into the game.

The visitors held a 22-point lead midway through the third quarter but the Giants clawed their way back to set up a seesawing final quarter.

“In patches we didn’t put together a four-quarter performance. Our decision-making let us down when we tried to get too cute,” Hodges said.

“And GWS had some experienced AFL players.”

Despite the inconsistent performance, Darren Ewing (five goals), Abe Ankers and Jack Shannahan ( two goals each) and club legend Cameron Ilett (one goal) were standouts for the Thunder.

“Cam was amazing at the stoppages, Abe Ankers and Matt Rosier were really good and Boof worked his backside off all day – five goals was a sound effort,” Hodges said.

There were some classic Thunder passages of play in a largely dominant first half.

In a second-quarter goal which put NT up by 29 points, Ilett took a spectacular hanging mark, Smith dropped the ball onto his left boot while being flung to the ground, and Kinthari and Justin Cooper showed brilliant athleticism to wheel around and find support.

Shannahan finished off the movement.