Only a few home games are scheduled for the Under 18s girls' and boys' teams and our new women's team, which will spend most of their wet season weekends on the road to Darwin.

Our new Big Rivers women's team was ready for their first hit out on the NT's premier league competition with an opening match against St Marys at TIO's No.2 oval at the weekend.

It was a hot initiation into the big league with the Hawks starting slowly but finding their feet after the first quarter.

St Marys was a tough first up opponent especially as the Hawks were down to just one on the bench.

St Marys use of handball was a feature in their well-drilled game, and they used it well to break away from stoppages.

Final scores: St Marys 11.11 (77) d Big River Hawks 2.7 (19).

The Hawks' first goal came from a scrappy but opportunistic piece of play in the square in the second quarter.

They came home stronger in the final term with another goal and a few missed opportunities, kicking one goal and four behinds.

The women's team returns to TIO next week but this time on the main arena to take on the Darwin Buffettes, who had a big win over Tracy Village on Saturday in the game after the Hawks.

The first home game for the women's team is in Katherine on November 16.

The Big Rivers boys' team will take on the Wanderers on the TIO No. 2 oval on Saturday, October 12.

The boys will also play at home in the sixth round, on November 16.

The girls' team is scheduled to play Palmerston Magpies on Saturday, October 12, before the boys' game.

They also have to wait for November 16 for the triple header at Nitmiluk Oval in Katherine.