The Ngukurr Bulldogs will be a formidable inclusion in the Big Rivers Football League should bio-security areas be abolished after the June 18 review.
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The AFL-crazed community east of Mataranka is raring to reassert itself in the league after being forced to withdraw for lack of resources in 2015.
The team further built its renown as winners of the AFL NT Regional Challenge late last year and coach Paul Amarant says expectations will be high.
"We've been accepted so if they lift the travel ban we will be back in the league, and we are just ready to go," he said.
"We don't have a lot of big bodies but we're extremely fast, very skilled and the pressure the boys put on the ball is intense so we generate a lot of chances.
"We went up and won the challenge in Darwin last year despite only finding out about it last minute so everybody knows what we can do when we're going.
"I expect for us to challenge for the title straight away," Amarant said.
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Ngukurr players will be fresh off the success of their reignited local league which only finished its season in March, compared to the Katherine teams which haven't played since September last year.
Having re-organised its football system with the support of Yugul Mangi Development Aboriginal Corporation, their future is now frustratingly out of their hands.
The Bulldogs are one of a group of community-based teams relying on bio-security zones being opened after the Federal government review to take place on June 18.
Stakes are high for the Big Rivers league as it would be reduced a pool of just five teams should restrictions remain in place - Tindal Magpies, Kalano Bombers, Katherine Camels, Katherine South Crocs and Eastside Blues.
2019 grand finalists Arnhem Crows would be unable to challenge again this year, as would Northern Warlpiri and Beswick.
Katherine Camels committee member Tom Watkins highlighted the important of these community teams to the league, and said for Ngukurr in particular to re-enter would be a game-changer.
"The great thing about our league up here compared to Victoria is there's good teams from all over the place and everyone plays in completely different ways so it's really interesting," he said.
"Arnhem Crows re-entered last year and of course went pretty close to winning the whole thing, you'd really only expect them to improve again with another year.
"If Ngukurr were to return - they're a really good, dangerous side.
"They're quick and would be a real challenge for everyone if they can get back into the league," Watkins said.
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