Great Western captain Nigel Sibson will spend his summer playing and coaching football in the Northern Territory.
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Sibson has signed on to play for the Tiwi Bombers in the Northern Territory Football League, while coaching the Bombers' affiliated division one side, Tracy Village.
Sibson said he was looking forward to the opportunity.
"It's going to be excellent," he said.
"I was up there last week to take the first week of pre-season training. It's a very different environment and conditions up there, but I'm looking forward to it and it should be fantastic."
Sibson has played in the NTFL previously with Waratah, and said it was exciting to once again test himself at the high standard of football.
"It's really good footy. Obviously being the off-season down here, a lot of guys from Victoria will go up and play there and the local guys are quite talented as well," Sibson said.
"It's a very different style of footy, very open and attacking, not much defensive sort of work.
"I'll probably be at half back again, but a few of the forwards might have a bit too much leg speed for me, so I might have to hide in the forward line a little bit as well."
However, before he ventures north, Sibson has his sights firmly set on the Mininera league's second semi-final at the weekend.
A spot in the grand final will be up for grabs as the Lions take on minor premiers Penshurst.
"If it stays dry that would suit us, with dry conditions and a bigger oval," Sibson said.
"But we'll still have to play our absolute best - they are the benchmark in the competition this season."
Last time the two sides met in round nine, Penshurst came away with a 59-point victory.
"We played them away from home on a wet day, and they are very hard to beat on their home ground," Sibson said.
"We'll be very close to full strength this time which will be nice. We had a few outs last time, but I think they did to.
"It should be a bit better indication of where both sides are at this time around."
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