Sport

Goulburn Valley gun makes Northern Territory Football League representative squad

By Marcus Beeck

Feb 23, 2025

Matt Shannon gets tackled during his time at Shepparton. Photo by steve Huntley

Goulburn Valley football talent is everywhere you look.

Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content

Even as far up as the Northern Territory Football League, there is a former Goulburn Valley League star who has been selected as part of a preliminary 37-man representative squad.

Matt Shannon, a former player for Shepparton, Tatura and Congupna, has had a stellar season for the Southern Crocs in the Northern Territory Football League's Premier Division.

The star midfielder-forward has kicked 31 goals from 16 games and has featured in the best 10 times in the top-tier competition that features a large quantity of ex-AFL and VFL players.

Shannon himself has recently been a key part of Queensland club Southport in the VFL after moving from Carlton’s VFL side at the end of 2022.

The gun footballer last appeared in a Northern Territory Football League representative side in 2023 when it took on WAFL club South Fremantle.

Shannon last played football in the Goulburn Valley when he played a one-off game for Congupna in 2022.

Northern Territory Football League will take on Central Australian Football League in an interleague match on Saturday, April 5, in Alice Springs.

The preliminary 37-man squad’s selection process required each player to have played at least 30 games in the Northern Territory Football League and they couldn’t be a fly-in player as the competition looked to showcase local talent.

A number of notable names feature in the squad, with former AFL players Steven Motlop, Jed Anderson, Brandan Parfitt, Ashton Hams, Ryan Nyhuis and Jayden Davey being selected.

Former Shepparton United star and regional football gun Brodie Filo also made the squad.