Steven Motlop has been named captain of the Northern Territory Football League's representative team for Saturday's clash against Central Australia in Alice Springs.
The ex-Geelong and Port Adelaide forward is coming off a strong season for NTFL club Southern Districts, which included playing in a premiership and finishing second in the competition's leading goal kicking.
Motlop has been a strong performer in the Top End competition since retiring from the AFL at the end of the 2022 season after a 14-year career that culminated in 217 games and 229 goals.
After initially returning to play for his junior club Wanderers, the 34-year-old joined PINT, following his brother Shannon's appointment as the club's first coach.
He joined Southern Districts at the beginning of the 2024/25 season and was a major contributor to the Crocs' flag triumph last month.
The Motlop family is synonymous with footy in the Top End, with five members reaching the AFL.
Steven's eldest brother Shannon is a premiership player with North Melbourne while his other brother Daniel played 130 games for both the Kangaroos and Port Adelaide.
His cousin Marlon Motlop featured in a couple of games for the Power and nephew Jesse is currently playing at Carlton.
Saturday's match will mark the first time the NTFL and CAFL have faced off in more than 40 years. The sides will be led by two Indigenous former AFL players – Shannon Rusca (NTFL) and Matt Campbell (CAFL).
Campbell said the game will be a celebration of Territory footy.
"It's not about the result, it's about the occasion and putting the spotlight on a game that will make Territory footy better instead of showcasing our best players against southern sides from the SANFL and WAFL and previously the NEAFL," Campbell said, the NT News reports.
"This is the real stuff for our best local talent, an opportunity to fully recognise the quality footballers we've produced."
Rusca said he was excited to unite a group of talented players to showcase their skills.
"I get to put all that talent together for a couple of hours and hopefully they get something out of it," Rusca said, via the NT News.
"These players have something you have to combat as a coach in season but now we get to embrace them all together in one squad.
"They've all put their hands up and brought in and the CAFL are coming into season so it will be a great contest we hope will embraced by the community and something Alice needs.
"The game will be played the Territory way both ways, fast and free flowing and hopefully we get one over Matt Campbell and his CAFL side."
There will also be a women's representative contest with the NTFL's best taking on a talented Central Australian outfit.
Janet Baird – who featured four AFLW games for the Gold Coast and Hawthorn – will captain the NTFL women's representative team.
