b'47The Nathan Buckley CollectionNorthern Territory 1989-92After graduating from Salesian College at the end of 1989, Nathan Buckley returned to Darwin, where he had spent time growing up. It would be the start of an intense footballing period, playing in the Darwin football seasons that went from October to March, backed up by seasons in the SANFL that went from March to September.His father, Ray, was appointed coach of the Southern Districts team for the 1989-90 season and Buckley followed him there. He started out in the under-18s, quickly graduated to the reserves and even managed a few games with the seniors before going back to the under-18s and being best on ground in their Grand Final win.By the next season, 1990-91, Buckley had become a regular senior player with Southern Districts. At that time the dream for players in the Northern Territory Football League (NTFL) was to be chosen in the representative team that would play a visiting AFL team on 26 January each year. In 1991 it was Hawthorn, and while Buckley was selected he saw only limited action before being taken from the ground. His selection in the NTFL team of the year (at centre half-forward) was scant consolation.It was a different matter in 1992, however, when the NTFL team played Geelong. This time he was given a whole game, starting on a wing before being moved to centre half-forward, where he found himself opposed for some time to the great Gary Ablett Snr. And while Geelong cruised to a thumping win, and Ablett showed the youngster how far he still had to go, Bucks came away reasonably satisfied with his performance.Buckley would return for one final stint in the Territory for the 1992-93 season, culminating with yet another appearance with the NTFL representative side against Melbourne early in 1993.174 178174Southern Districts Football Club guernsey worn by Nathan Buckley while playing for Southern Districts in the Northern Territory Football League, 1990-91. Framed & glazed. .$5001,000175Southern Districts Football Club white T-shirt with caricatured crocodile kicking a footy $100150176Northern Territory News Team of the Year guernsey, 1991. Red sleeveless guernsey with yellow #2 on white patch on reverse. Presented to Nathan Buckley for being chosen in the newspapers Team of the Year. Northern Territory News and Winfield Team of the Year 1991 badging on front. Unframed. .$400500177NTFL representative training guernsey, c1992. Black with white collar and edging. Oval NTFL badge in centre of jumper, ochre with steer horns. NT Government Tourist Bureau badging. 2 examples issued to Nathan Buckley. (2) $300500178NTFL representative side 1992. Guernsey worn by Nathan Buckley while playing for the NTFL representative team in the game against Geelong, 26 January 1992. Framed & glazed. .$5001,000'