Schwarze worthy of high ambition
HE is the kid who “wants to be on TV” and — playing in an AFL curtain raiser in front of a big crowd — Beau Schwarze only furthered his ambitions to play at the highest level.
The NT Thunder rookie forward was outstanding in his team’s 14.13 (97) to 13.7 (85) win over Aspley in Round 16 of the NEAFL at TIO Stadium yesterday.
Schwarze — just 17 and impressive for Southern Districts in the 2016-17 NTFL season — kicked two excellent majors in a pivotal second quarter, which saw the hosts shoot out to a 19-point lead.
His second was a beauty, showing great composure after bumping into teammate Francis Kinthari, to wheel around and kick a banana accurately off his right foot from close range.
Districts coach Shannon Rusca said Schwarze “wants to be on TV … the sky is the limit” and the NTFL was not too fast for him, after making his senior debut for the Crocodiles last year.
He also had the Hornets defenders at his mercy when supplied with plenty of ball in the second period.
“Early on he was really lively up forward, and when we were generating inside-50s he finished them off,” Thunder coach Andrew Hodges said.
Kinthari, known as the “Wadeye Magician”, also showed some brilliant touches in the forward line with under-18 Allies representative Adam Sambono unavailable.
Midfielder Abe Ankers — who racked up a stack of possessions yet again — showed his strength to shrug off two Hornets defenders and find Kinthari.
From there, the St Mary’s star showed superb athleticism to snap the ball off his right boot over his shoulder.
In what has been the story of the Thunder’s inconsistent season, the sixth-placed visitors held a surprising 12-point lead at quarter-time.
Some uncharacteristic errors and free kicks against five-time Thunder champion Cameron Ilett gave the Horn- ets their ascendancy, but the champion imposed himself on the game from the second term.
That was when the hosts — fourth on the NEAFL ladder — produced a match-winning quarter.
With Kinthari and Schwarze on fire, the Territory outfit booted six goals to one in this term.
The scoreboard in the third period moved at a slow pace, with the Thunder kicking three goals to one.
But the Hornets produced an admirable comeback in the final term, kicking five majors to one in a close finish, with question marks on the Thunder’s inconsistencies this season resurfacing.