24 Fit - Ressies Review

PIES RESERVES BOW OUT WITH BIG LOSS

The Western Magpies Reserves were given a football lesson by a slick Surfers Paradise team which is finals bound while the Pies finish in seventh place on the ladder--probably where they deserve to be after an inconsistent year.

In a match which the Pies had to win to give themselves a chance of reaching the five they rarely fired a shot and after quarter time were overrun by a fast and confident Demons outfit. As it turned out a win either last week or on Saturday would have seen the Pies in the finals but they just couldn't quite get it done last week, and were comprehensively outplayed this week.

It was as if the Pies effort to push Morningside last week took it out of them and they looked a deflated lot after quarter time on Saturday. The Pies went down by a 100 points in their worst defeat of the season, 6.7-43 to 22.11-143.

Blake McClennan returned after a week away and played a solid game in the middle of the ground and he has been a consistent player in the latter half of the season.

Ricky Dudley was carrying a niggle into the match and answered coach Craig Allen's plea to play and he was solid in defence and had plenty of work to do.

Hunter Heath had another good game on a wing and half back as did Aaron Maricic on half back who will have pleased the selectors with his effort and could be back in the Senior selection mix next week.

Likewise Richard Wenham, back from injury, who had a good game trying hard to give the Pies driveand Joe Murphycontinued his good form in the midfield since joining the club 4 weeks ago.

Western Magpies 2.2 - 14 | 3.3 - 21 | 4.4 - 28 | 6.7 - 43

defeated by

Surfers Paradise 6.1 - 37 | 11.3 - 69 | 18.8 - 116 | 22.11 - 143

Best: McClennan, Dudley, Heath, Maricic, Wenham, Murphy

Goals: Farrell 3, Hockley, Billing, De Nys