ILETT GROGAN MEDAL BLOW

Ilett will not miss a game in the Thunder’s crucial run to the semi-final, but his decision not to fight the bottom level charge rules him out of contention for the coveted medal.

A frustrated Ilett was reported for striking Morningside’s Sam Faure in last Saturday night’s crunch game in Darwin.

Winner of the inaugural NT Thunder B&F last year, Ilett was offered a fixed penalty of 125 points by the League for what was deemed to be level one contact – minor, intentional, in play and to the head.

The early guilty plea earned him a 25% discount, cutting the penalty to 93.75 points – below the 100 points that earns a one-match suspension.

So, he is free to play against the Western Magpies in Alice Springs on Saturday.

There was no further discount for a clear record due to prior incidents last year and in 2006.

And because the base penalty was in excess of 100 points he is ruled ineligible for the Grogan Medal.

This may be critical at the annual end-of-season awards dinner, when Ilett might otherwise have been among the most fancied contenders.

Indeed, if voting for the Syd Guildford Trophy is any indication it is a two-way race between Ilett, who topped the NT vote-count last year and finished 11th overall, and Southport captain Danny Wise, who has three top four finishes in the Grogan in the last four years.

After 13 rounds Wise leads the 2010 Guildford Trophy with 31 votes from Ilett’s 27.

Ilett, runner-up to Paul Shelton for the Zane Taylor Medal in Queensland’s magnificent interstate win over Tasmania last month, has won ‘QAFL Team of the Week’ selection no less than six times this season.

He’s also received Guildford Trophy votes six times, including four best afield five-vote ratings.

The mop-haired midfield tackling machine is one of six Thunder players not to have missed a game this season, alongside Jake Dignan, Darren Ewing, older brother Jarred, Bradley Palipuaminni and Luke Tyrrell.