The Big River Hawks women's team has been withdrawn from the TIO NTFL Women's Premier League for the remainder of the 2019/20 TIO NTFL season.

The team made history in October last year as the first from Katherine to play in the NT's elite premier league competition.

The women's team, and the girls and boys Under 18s sides, have all struggled to find the numbers willing to travel and play in the Darwin-based competition since the season resumed again in 2020.

A succession of forfeits, including Saturday, saw the Katherine team in breach of AFLNT rules.

"Where any team forfeits a total of three minor round matches in any one season, that team will be removed from the competition in which it is participating," the rules state.

The boys side managed to cobble together a team of 15 to play Nightcliff in Darwin on Saturday and avoid the three forfeits rule.

Katherine teams struggle each year to compete in wet season elite competition when increasingly few home games are scheduled.

This year there was just two home games scheduled meaning players have to be drawn from right across the Katherine region and leave early Saturday mornings for the Darwin-based games.

Unfortunately for the women's premier league, the withdrawal of the Hawks, means teams scheduled to play against them in Rounds 15, 16, 17 and 18 will now be given a bye.

AFLNT manager of Community Football, Emily Wastle-Hopkins said AFLNT would meet with the Big River Hawks to plan for the future.

"We understand that a variety of unfortunate reasons but namely player unavailability led to the Big River Hawks forfeits in the Women's Premier League.

"At the time of their submission to be part of the competition we had no reason or evidence to suggest that they'd be unable to play the full season.

"We are planning to get down to Katherine in the coming weeks so we will meet with the club and draw on the strategy work we've already done in the region, which talks to how best to strengthen local footy. We will also unpack what needs to happen to allow for future NTFL ambitions or the like.

"Internally, we will also look at our NTFL submissions process and tighten what we can," she said.

Women and girls AFL football enjoys strong and increasing support in the local competition during the dry season.

Big River Hawks Football Club treasurer Thomas Manning said Katherine has to have a Women's AFL team in the NTAFL.

"The NTAFL and the Big River Hawks Committee thought having a Women's Premier League Team in Katherine would have a strong positive impact and help towards addressing some of the social issues. We think in the future there needs to be more community support," Mr Manning said.

"It's a big ask to travel regularly and a game becomes a whole weekend away from families for players. It's a bus trip sometimes leaving early in the morning and returning late at night. It's a big commitment and it's hard for many players, with some travelling over 600kms return each weekend.

"There are real challenges for some of our players, coming from communities throughout the region who have to travel on a weekly basis to get to games. It's been a real challenge for some of our players and this lead to us having to sadly forfeit games. Everyone knows the challenges our young players face at home.

"It's not just a team, it takes a significant group of community support and volunteers to make this happen and on behalf of the Big River Hawks Committee, I'd like to say thank you to all those that helped us throughout the season and continue to support the U18 Boys team.

"Our 18 Boys haven't finished their season and we're focused on supporting them this Sunday at Garden's Oval as they play against the Waratahs in the curtain raiser before the Men's Premier League Game.

"We're going to be meeting with the AFLNT in the coming weeks to resolve the issue and plan for the start of the Big Rivers Football League.

"The community needs to come together and start talking about what we need to do for the future to make this happen."

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