A former AFL player has produced a starring performance in St Marys' win over Nightcliff in the Northern Territory Football League grand final at TIO Stadium on Saturday.

Ex-Port Adelaide player Joel Garner won the Chaney Medal after being judged best afield in the Saints' 5.14 (44) to 3.13 (31) triumph over the Tigers.

The Saints have been a dominant force in the NTFL since entering the competition in 1952 and it was the Top End juggernaut's 34th premiership win.

Plenty of rainfall during the week resulted in an atrocious playing surface, but Garner remained a class above with an excellent four-quarter performance.

The Marra man gathered 25 disposals, including 24 kicks, seven clearances and ten inside-50s in the Saints' 13-point win.

The game was an arm-wrestle early in the contest as both sides struggled with accuracy in front of goal.

Little separated either side for the majority of the match, apart from a short burst St Marys late in the second quarter and early in the third.

Garner spent four seasons on the Power's list after being selected by the club with pick 60 in the 2017 AFL National Draft.

He made his debut in 2019 against the Gold Coast Suns and managed three more games that season before ultimately being delisted at the end of the 2021 season.

The classy midfielder spent the 2023 season splitting his time between Footscray in the VFL and Outer East club Wandin, where he played a major role in leading them to a flag.

Garner recorded a number of huge statistical performances while at Wandin last year, including a mind-blowing 46-disposal and seven-goal effort.

He has signed to play for Richmond's VFL team for the 2024 season and will also take up a position as a development coach at the club.

Garner is already employed by the club's AFL program full-time as an Indigenous Player Development Manager.