LIAM PHILLIPS
RIDING shotgun in a tiny, shaking
plane, drawing the centre
square onto the field using flour,
and running laps with Cyril Rioli
was all part of Nick Hooker’s
experience playing for the Tiwi
Bombers in this past summer’s
Northern Territory Football
League season.
Hooker, 21, was a key member
of Gawler Central’s 2020 A-grade
premiership, and after previously
exploring the idea of playing a wet
season up north, he decided to take
the plunge.
“Initially I got the contact through
(the Tigers’ Schluter Medallist
teammate) Charlie Molyneux of
the guy who was the co-ordinator at
Tiwi last year – I’d always liked the
idea of playing up there,” he said.
“Connections up there were able
to tee up some work for some of the
boys doing furniture removal, and
I’ve got some family and friends up
that way as well who I could stay
with, so it all just worked out – except
for losing every single game.”
Hooker was one of only a few
“southerners” playing for the
Bombers, and said it was initially
difficult to gel with his teammates
for a number of reasons.
“It was tough because the southerners
stay in Darwin while all the
boys live on the island,” he said.
“It’s a two-hour ferry to get to
the island, so we would train with
Banks – which is essentially Tiwi’s
feeder club – and then the boys
would usually fly over on Friday
night or Saturday morning for a Saturday-
afternoon game.
“We could only really bond on
game day, so I spent the first few
games just learning the players’
names – and nicknames, because
they’re definitely not easy names to
pronounce.
“I definitely felt like it took a few
weeks for the boys to trust us southerners,
but eventually their personalities
started to come out and I
really can’t say enough good things
about them as people.
“A few of the boys love their
dancing and celebrations – they
even got me into my first TikTok,
which the boys down here hopefully
never get their hands on.”
On the field, with games being
played in the middle of the afternoon
in near 100 per cent humidity,
Hooker said it was like nothing he
had ever experienced.
“The first couple of games you’d
come off basically needing a breathing
apparatus,” he said, half-jokingly.
“It’s not just hot either, it’s
unbelievably fast.
“Because it’s so humid out there
it becomes really tough to keep running
and hold your shape, which
opens plenty of running lanes, and
because of how sweaty it is every
game is played in wet-weather conditions.
“When you grow up playing in
those conditions you develop some
ridiculous skills, especially with a
wet ball.”
Hooker saw a product of that
unique environment when Hawthorn
legend Rioli stopped by for a
session with the locals, and it was
just one of a long list of memorable
moments from his summer.
“Cyril came out for our first session,
and he came up and introduced
himself saying “Hey mate I’m Cyril”,
and I was like “I know”,” he
said.
“He started doing the running
session with us, but after the first
block he decided to just have some
snap shots at goal while the rest of
us kept running – he’s Cyril Rioli,
so he can do what he wants, really.
“I remember that training clearly,
and when I think about it there were
a few other moments that stood out
as times where I really took in how
different it was.
“We played one game on the island,
and we basically had to take
a paper plane to get there – I ended
up sitting in the co-pilot seat and
when it was all shaking around it
was probably the first time I really
thought ‘what have I got myself
into?’.
“On the island, the centre square
wasn’t painted on or anything before
our game, so the locals went
around with a bag of flour to get
it ready – it was normal for them,
but the conditions were obviously a
massive culture shock for us southerners.
“Players up there are playing premier
division footy and they’re having
to borrow boots before a game
– you’d think the competition could
be doing more to support them, but
who knows whose responsibility
that is.”
The Tiwi Bombers are wellknown
to spend the first six-eight
weeks of each season playing themselves
into shape, often giving up a
fitness edge to start the year against
the mainland sides with proper
off-season programs.
While things usually turn around
halfway through the season, it just
never happened for the Bombers in
2021 – eventually going 0-18 – but
Hooker said he is keen to head back
up later this year to give it another
shot.
Despite the winless season, it
proved to be a valuable experience
for more than just cultural reasons,
with Port Adelaide scouts spotting
Hooker and inviting him down to
Alberton to train with the SANFL
side.
“I’d be lying if I said the exposure
wasn’t part of the decision to go and
play up there,” he said.
“I know there are guys up there
who have solid contacts all over
Australia with clubs looking to recruit
from the NTFL, but I was still
surprised to get a call from Port Adelaide.
“I’m a Crows’ man at heart, but
I’d love an opportunity to run out
for the Magpies this season.”