Baseball Northern Territory Announces 2026 NT Buffaloes Representative Teams

February 23, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Baseball Northern Territory Announces 2026 NT Buffaloes Representative Teams

Baseball Northern Territory (BNT) is proud to officially announce the 2026 NT Buffaloes Senior League and Little League teams set to represent the Territory at their respective championship events in April and June.

The NT Buffaloes program remains the pinnacle of the Baseball NT pathway, connecting grassroots participation to interstate and national competition. With continued investment in player development, coach education, and initiatives such as the NT Buffaloes Pathway Academy, the Territory’s representative program continues to build depth, resilience and opportunity for young athletes.

Senior League Emerging – QLD State Titles

10–12 April 2026
Ipswich Musketeers Baseball Club

The 2026 Senior League Emerging team will travel to Ipswich to compete at the Queensland State Titles, featuring an experienced core group with multiple players having previously represented the NT at the 2024 Australian Senior League Championships and the 2025 Australian Junior League Championships.

Leading the team is Nathan Mitchell, President of the Alice Springs Baseball Association, stepping into his first NT Buffaloes Head Coach role. He is supported by long-time Buff and respected Territory baseball figure Brian Vidler, alongside former Buffaloes representative Charlie Casey as Assistant Coach.

The team will be supported off the field by Executive Officer Nicole Jervis and Scorer Jonni Erickson.

Senior League Emerging – Players

  • Kaeden North-Palmer

  • Lucas Nixon

  • Hannah Fior

  • Jayden Alchin

  • Lucas Porambo

  • Chelsea Erickson

  • Shaun Erickson

  • William Corby

  • Steele Jervis

  • Robert Mackie

  • Hamish Sulley

  • Thomas Sleigh

Senior League Emerging – Staff

  • Nathan Mitchell (Head Coach)

  • Charlie Casey (Assistant Coach)

  • Brian Vidler (Assistant Coach)

  • Nicole Jervis (Executive Officer)

  • Jonni Erickson (Scorer)

Australian Little League Championships

5–11 June 2026
Blacktown, NSW

The NT Buffaloes Little League team will compete at the 2026 Australian Little League Championships in Blacktown, representing the Territory on the national stage.

This year’s squad is an exciting new wave of Territory talent, with only five returning players from last year’s campaign. Many athletes will experience interstate tournament baseball for the first time.

Returning as Head Coach is Ray Brown, who brings continuity and passion to the program.

“I am always excited to take away such a young, fantastic group of kids who are willing to work hard and develop their skills,” Brown said. “Once again, we’re taking away a very fresh group who have never experienced tournament play before — and the excitement on their faces when they first see the facilities always puts a massive smile on mine.”

Reflecting on last year’s growth, Brown added:

“We are always trying to build upon the achievements of the year before. Last year, each and every game our little team improved until they finally secured a win. I’m hoping our returning players won’t be so shell-shocked early this year and that we can compete from the get-go.”

On his overarching goal for 2026:

“My biggest goal is to continue building the kids’ love of the game. If we can ensure children in the Northern Territory remain part of our baseball community and spread the word, that’s a win for everyone. Of course, we would love to improve on last year’s results as well.”

Brown is supported by returning Assistant Coach Ethan Scobie and first-time Assistant Coach and ASBA Junior Coordinator Kevin Derr. The team will also be supported by Executive Officer Renee Brown and Scorer Marie Derr.

Little League – Players

  • William George

  • Zachary Zahnen

  • Blake Derr

  • Ayan Batra

  • Ted Dohler

  • Sam Follayttar

  • Caleb Brown

  • Trenton Brown

  • Kelvin Sleigh

  • Korey Sleigh

  • Tobias Howell

  • Finn Kleiner

Little League – Staff

  • Ray Brown (Head Coach)

  • Ethan Scobie (Assistant Coach)

  • Kevin Derr (Assistant Coach)

  • Renee Brown (Executive Officer)

  • Marie Derr (Scorer)

A Whole-of-Community Effort

The NT Buffaloes program continues to unite players and families from Darwin, Alice Springs and regional communities under one banner, reinforcing the strength of the Territory pathway.

Baseball NT Participation & Pathways Manager Kai Meuronen said the announcement of Buffaloes teams remains one of the highlights of the year.

“It is always an exciting time of year for our organisation,” Meuronen said. “The NT Buffaloes program brings our entire Baseball NT community together and creates a genuine sense of pride and anticipation around the teams preparing to compete interstate.

“These two teams are led by outstanding groups of coaches, volunteers and support staff who are deeply committed to both performance and player development. We are extremely proud of the athletes selected and look forward to watching them represent the Northern Territory with professionalism, resilience and passion.”

As preparations continue, the broader Baseball NT community will rally behind both teams as they represent the Territory in 2026. 🐃🧡

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