Anytime Fitness Preview - Colts test the 2017 waters

The Western Magpies Colts will test the waters when they have their first hit out of the season when they play  in their first practice match against Morningside at Morningside on Saturday at 9.30 am. The Colts competition this year has dropped from under 19 last year to an 18.5 year old age limit competitionbefore reverting to an 18 year old age limit in 2018.

The Pies are coached by dual premiership Western Magpies player in Reid Dobson and he is confident he has a strong squad this year.

The Colts are also aligned to the Senior competition this year.

Western Magpies Colts v Morningside Colts at Morningside on Saturday April 8th at 9.30am

B: Saxon Pobjoy, Hamish Campbell, Tristan Dowdy

HB: Sam Hartog, Zac Stegemeyer, Cameron Smith

C: Cal Grant, Josh Commons, Tom Cooper

HF: Jayden Johnson, Jacob Sheath, Daniel Grandy

F: Lewis Campbell, Whitlam Bishop, Tristan Jackson

Rucks: Jordan Bonney, Max Webber,

Rov:  Sam De Nys

Int: Abdullah Haddad, Will Gillespie, Hanley Milford, Finn Collison, Tom Slatter

CFMG Capital Coach Profile - Sam Long

Sam Long joins the club this year as forward coach, which is interesting in itself as he played most of his career as a back man!

How does that qualify you to be a forward coach?

Well, as Sam sees it, he has played on some of the best forwards in the QAFL so he reckons he has learnt a thing or two about forward positioning and what worries defenders the most about forwards and forward entries.

Sam arrived from Mt Gravatt where he coached the Vultures Reserves last year and was senior assistant coach there in 2014-15.

He moved across to the Western Magpies this year after Mt Gravatt decided on several changes within the club and he was offered the Colts coaching job but he preferred to stay in senior coaching ranks. 

Sam grew up in South Australia and moved to Queensland in the late 1980s with his family and played with UQ. He had a couple of seasons under Quentin Johnson when "Quince" coached the students in the 1990s.

He moved to Mt Gravatt in the early 2000s and played at full back in the Vultures 2002 premiership side.

He started his coaching career as playing coach of UQ Reserves in 2012-13 before moving back to Mt Gravatt to take on the assistants role.

He is pleased with what he sees at the Pies in 2017 and says the Pies more structured approach to training and the coordination between all the coaches across all grades in the club has been as good as he has seen. He is impressed with Senior Coach Brydan Morgan and the professional approach he and the club have taken to keep the Pies at the upper echelon of QAFL football. 

The Pies have lost some tall timber from the forward line this year so Sam has been working on a game plan to suit a fast and smaller forward group.

Although he has been in Brisbane for 30 years, he is still a loyal crow eater and follows the Adelaide Crows.

A mature aged footballer with good pedigree, Sam also immediately took the eye of the Woodsmen, and will be suiting up with the old boys on Friday nights!

Anytime Fitness - Meet your Colts Coach - Reid Dobson

Reid Dobson will coach the Western Magpies Colts in 2017 after coaching the Sherwood U17s last year.

Dobson is a celebrated past player at the Western Magpies, playing in two Senior Premierships, 2006 and 2012, and was awarded the Bill Ryan Medal for best on ground in the 2006 premiership victory over Noosa. He was a tough and strong running rover for the Pies.

He has played over 200 Senior and Reserves matches for the Magpies. He started as a Sherwood junior but played briefly with both Mayne and Mt.Gravatt after the Western Magpies were inexplicably relegated to Division 2 in 2004. 

It did not take long for him to return to his spiritual  home  and he has been a loyal and long serving player and coach at the club ever since. 

He played several years in Reserves and won two Reserves Best and Fairest awards in 2009 and 2010 and also won the League Reserves Best and Fairest Award in 2010. He was also in the club leadership group for several years.

He decided to play for The Woodsmen in 2014 having a stellar 2014 season where he won a Premiership, Best on Ground in the Grand Final and backed it up with the Nipperess Medal for Best & Fairest.  However, just as he was having a wonderful year in 2015 he injured his knee and required an ACL reconstruction which forced his retirement from playing. 

He has continued his coaching development over the past two years and has a strong looking squad primed for a new look Colts competition this year. The Colts competition is now aligned with the senior club and they will play at the same venue as the seniors either at 9.30 am or 4.45 pm under lights. 

For some further background Dobbo appeared in the club's "Blast from the Past" series in 2015 and part of that story is reproduced below.

BLAST FROM THE PAST--2015

Reid Dobson played as an inside midfielder for the Western Magpies after brief stints at Mayne and Mt Gravatt Football Clubs. A Sherwood junior Dobbo played for the state at various junior levels and moved through The Western Taipans ranks onto QAFL footy. Dobbo has played a variety of roles including small back and forward as well as the occasional tag in his journey but it is the roving position that Reid flourished. He was instrumental in the clubs 2006 flag kicking multiple goals including one monster bomb from 55m (does get longer at club functions),in the 2012 he was rock solid in the engine room against Palm Beach and was willing to put his body on the line in extremely trying conditions. A loyal and popular member of the club, the  Art Teacher is now settled just up the road from the club and was recently married to long term girlfriend Jessica (McEvoy, so now fully embedded to the Magpies!!). He is still passionate about his footy and his club and a possible coaching path may lure him back to senior football down the track. Y

Place Profile - Craig Allen - Reserves Coach

Craig Allen will again coach the Western Magpies Reserves in 2017 after resuming the role last year a few weeks into the season when Quentin Johnson joined the senior coaching panel.

Craig and his family relocated to Brisbane in 2003 from Mt Gambier in South Australia.

Craig grew up in Mt Gambier and progressed from Colts to Seniors at North Gambier in the powerful Western Border League. He represented the league in Victorian country championships and played in North Gambier's 1989 premiership as a 187 cm ruckman. He was runner up in the club's B & F that season.

He then joined Kongorong in the neighbouring Mid-South East League in SA where he obtained the nickname "Grievous". You work it out!!

On arrival in Brisbane his boys started playing with Kenmore where he assisted in under 12s and under 14s. 

His eldest son Jackson joined the Magpies in 2007 and Craig also came across and was assistant coach in Sherwood U16s and then in U18s as Jackson rose through the age groups. 

Craig then became senior assistant coach to Paul Grentell in 2008-09-10. 

Another son Brady also joined the Magpies in U18s in 2012 and Craig became the 18's coach that season. In the same year Jackson was drafted to the Gold Coast, where he played 4 senior AFL matches in 2 years.

Craig had a year off in 2013 then rejoined the coaching ranks as Reserves coach in 2014, became a senior assistant coach in 2015 and after deciding he needed a break was about to have 2016 not coaching and simply watching his 3 sons play football but again stepped into the breach last year to almost lift the Pies Reserves to the finals after a slow start to the season.

Craig has an astute football brain and good man management skills and this season with an influx of youthful players will look to not only have the Pies Reserves  push for finals berth this year but also provide a positive and learning environment to develop players for senior football.  

Mack Trucks Media - Meet the Senior Coach - Brydan Morgan

Brydan Morgan comes to the Western Magpies with over 15 years experience within various levels of senior football. As a player and coach he has been directly involved in many successful teams across various levels of football. Most of his playing experience stems from Victoria with the Romsey Football Club and a stint at West Adelaide in the SANFL in 2006.  He was made captain of Romsey (Riddell DFL--just north of Melbourne) as a 21 year old and played over 100 games with the club over seven seasons.  Brydan enjoyed premiership success with Romsey in 2003 and made grand finals in 2005 and 2008 (Heathcote Football Club). 

At 27, ongoing shoulder injuries and a career opportunity in the fire service prompted Brydan to retire from football and move to Queensland. Prior to working in the fire service, Brydan was a Physical Education teacher for 5 years which he believes is a good training ground for the communication and organisational skills a senior coach needs to get the best from his players. 

After 5 years away from the game, Brydan served as an Assistant Coach with the Western Magpies in 2015. His influence in 2015 at the Western Magpies led to an assistant coaching role at the Aspley Hornets NEAFL in 2016, where the club made a preliminary final. 

Brydan believes the year spent under the wing of one of Queensland football’s biggest names in John Blair has equipped him with extra knowledge and confidence to be a top line coach as he prepares to take flight with the Western Magpies in 2017.

“He’s a great football person and man manager. He gets the best out of people,” Morgan said of Blair.

“I learnt from him that it’s not rocket science or amazing game plans that made Aspley successful — it’s just a strong, winning culture. That shocked me a little bit to be honest."

He says the culture at the Western Magpies is strong but success in the past is no guarantee of success in the top level of the QAFL. 

“It was good to be involved at Aspley but I wanted to take the reins myself. I’m really looking forward to that. It’s a tough gig as an assistant in some ways — you can look after the defensive group and they have a good day but still lose.”

“I took the (Magpies) job on knowing there would be a bit of change but the nucleus is there to still aim to finish in the top three."

The Pies finished second and third on the ladder in the past 2 years but had poor finals series in both years, a record he wants to address.

He has his players fit and has structured a game plan based on a strong defensive work ethic then to move the ball quickly into the forward line, which will be a smaller and faster unit this season. He will still have a strong midfield and the back line will also be largely intact this year. 

Returning to the Western Magpies with undeniable passion and knowledge of the modern game, and of the Western Magpies playing list. The club looks forward to the on going development of the Western Magpies Football Club under his tenure. 

Westpoint Autos - Junior Jumper Presentation

On Saturday 25 March, the Sherwood Magpies successfully held their jumper presentation and season launch.

Held in conjunction with the first hitout for the senior playing group in an intraclub practice match, it was a great day at the Nest with junior and senior players all buzzing about the club and interaction between players, parents, volunteers, coaches and sponsors great to see.

During the jumper presentations, guests were addressed by various junior coaches - the Junior President - Scott Matthews and Senior Coach Brydan Morgan also spoke to junior players and their parents about all working together and how Sherwood will really be known as a 'teaching club' focused on developing all players to be the best they can be as footballers and great citizens off the field.

It was also great to see the newly appointed Senior Captain Drew Mitchell, involved with fellow senior players to present youngsters their new Magpie jumpers and conduct a coaching clinic.

No doubt Drew as a Sherwood Junior himself was able to pass on plenty of useful tips about growing up around this great club!

Place Update - Western Magpies unite as 'One Club' in 2017 and beyond

The Sherwood Football Club Board of Directors have instituted a strong and united "One Club" Policy, with the Sherwood juniors, Western Magpies Seniors and the Woodsmen all to wear the traditional Sherwood guernsey as worn by the juniors in recent years and the Magpies seniors from 1963 to 1996. The Woodsmen, who have spent 7 seasons as a separate entity will also be re-incorporated into the overall Sherwood club structure.

The Woodsmen will now be also known as the Western Magpies in the rapidly growing Friday night competition and will return to the black and white stripes while still retaining the Woodsmen logo on their guernseys as a nod to their history. The Western Magpies will also retain the 'Western' Magpie logo on their guernseys.

The club has decided to retain the Western Magpies name for the Senior playing group as Sherwood Football Club plays an important role as a pathway club to QAFL football and beyond for other clubs in the western suburbs of Brisbane and the name was retained to reflect that.

This new initiative is not just reflected with on-field apparel, but is also reflected in all aspects of the club.  The junior and senior clubs will be working together in a more coordinated manner and sponsorship, events, fund raising and more will all be incorporated under one banner.

Senior and Junior coaches to develop coordinated approach to coaching throughout the club

As part of the policy a much closer relationship between the senior and junior clubs will occur with senior coaches under Senior Head Coach Brydan Morgan working closely with junior coaches to develop consistent guidelines for coaching throughout the club.

The club will adopt consistent coaching guidelines and "speak the same language" throughout all grades within the club.

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITY - SIGNAGE

Mack Trucks - Meet the Directors # 8 - Scott Matthews

MEET YOUR DIRECTORS

SCOTT MATTHEWS

VICE-PRESIDENT and JUNIOR CLUB CHAIRMAN

Board Member 2016-2017
Vice President and Junior President 2016-2017

Junior Coach – 2013-2016

Scott’s passion for AFL began in his early childhood when growing up in Victoria.  A keen Collingwood Football Club supporter, Scott continued his love for the game after his family relocated firstly to Cairns, then Brisbane.  Although primarily a basketball player in his youth, Scott is proud to say he was a member of the undefeated U13 Sherwood premiership side of 1989!

A graduate of a Bachelor of Economics and Commerce at the University of Queensland, Scott is the Joint CEO of Austral Plywoods.

Scott and his wife Sonessa continue to proudly support the Sherwood Juniors and enjoy watching their two sons Toby and Jack play footy in the black and white.

Place Graceville - Meet the Directors #7 - Peter McClennan

MEET YOUR DIRECTORS

PETER McCLENNAN

DIRECTOR OF FOOTBALL

Board Member 2013-2017
Director of Football 2013-2017

Senior Coach 2011-2012 (Premiership 2012)

Reserves Coach 2008-09-10

Peter is looking forward to continuing his role at the Western Magpies as Board Member and Football Director. His background and achievements in both business and sporting environments will underpin his effectiveness for the Western Magpies going forward. His extensive background in business includes:

• General Management experience in a leading advisory/consulting software technology and development company to the global mining industry
• Fifteen years management and operational experience in the logistics sector
• Thirteen years Senior/Executive Management in the environmental waste management sector, strategic development and marketing sectors
• Seven years experience as Transpacific Industries ($2.2b) Group Sales-Marketing and Strategic Development Manager.

Peter was born in Brisbane and brought up on AFL football, and attended various schools where the only option was to play Rugby League or Rugby Union, and of course Cricket in the summer. Peter is proud father of four sons, who also enjoy and participate in playing all sports (including AFL--son Blake was Reserves B & F winner in 2016 and will push for senior selection in 2017). Peter has represented Queensland in both Australian Rules Football and Rugby Union as a school boy. Peter has a long family history associated with Mt Gravatt AFC. He was involved at Mt Gravatt as a player and coach, with the oval being named after his father.

Peter joined the Western Magpies in 2008 as Reserves Coach and then became Senior Coach in 2011-2012, guiding the Magpies to the 2012 Premiership.

Apart from business and sport, Peter loves the opportunity to travel, has a passion for good food and wine, and loves to relax on the beach.

As Football Director, Peter has driven the club to be more professional and has set high standards for on and off field behaviour and attitudes at the club at both junior and senior levels. His dream is for the Western Magpies to be the club of choice for players in the western suburbs and for players moving to Brisbane from other regions. 

Bodykey Chiropractic - Meet the Directors # 6 - Chris Dennis

MEET YOUR DIRECTORS

CHRIS DENNIS

DIRECTOR—INFRASTRUCTURE and FACILITIES

Board Member 2011-2017
President 2015

Vice President and Junior Chairman 2012-2014
Junior Clubman of the Year 2011
AFLBJ – Club Volunteer of the Year 2014

Chris grew up in Melbourne and played early football with Beaumaris then played in SA, Queensland and NT, as work took him to these places. Chris loved playing the game and have kept involved, coming to Sherwood in 2006 and has been a junior coach at the club for five years.

Chris worked in banking and finance until he was 25, and then moved to a national painting contracting business as GM in Victoria. Relocated to Brisbane in 2001 as State Manager for Higgins Coatings, overseeing the growth of the business to now include four offices and 250 staff.

Chris lives in Sherwood and it was a pleasant surprise to find an AFL club down the road and the rest is history. Chris is married to Rhonda with two teenage children (Alexandra & Lachlan) who both participate in sport, with Lachie playing for Sherwood as a junior and making his Senior debut for the Western Magpies in 2016 and is listed with the Lions NEAFL side n 2017.

Interests include AFL, golf, surfing, reading a good book, watching sport at any level, being involved at local AFL level and rowing. Passions include grass roots footy in providing a program that encourages people of all genders and ages to participate.

At Sherwood, it is a goal of Chris, and many others, to ensure that we continue to play at the best level in SE Queensland, and we are seen as a like minded community club that attracts people to play at the club because we offer the best programs, facilities, grounds and coaching in the western suburbs.

Chris believes Sherwood should not be just known as a football club, but should be promoted as a ‘Community Minded Sporting Club’, and as such, has been actively involved in achieving grants for the development of facilities at the club.

Charles Kemp Group - Meet the Directors #5 - Andrew Thomson

MEET YOUR DIRECTORS

ANDREW THOMSON

DIRECTOR - SPONSORSHIP

Board Member 2015 - 2017

Woodsmen President 2013 - 2016

Premiership Player 2009 & 2014

Andrew was born in Bendigo and grew up in country Victoria with a passion for Australian Football & cricket and is an avid follower of Collingwood Football Club.

At the age of 14, the family relocated to Queensland where Andrew attended Ipswich Grammar School and was an keen sportsman.

After completing studies at IGS, Andrew attended the University of Queensland and Kings College where he continued to play cricket & rugby at an elite level, but regrettably lost touch with his preferred sport of Australian Football.

Graduating from UQ, Andrew has held senior roles in property & financial services at a variety of organisations in Brisbane and is the current General Manager for a boutique Funds Management & Development Company.

Despite going 10 years with no involvement in Australian Football, Andrew maintained his passion for the sport via his support for Collingwood and working in marketing for a major sponsor of the Brisbane Lions for a number of years.  Upon moving to the Chelmer area to start a family, Andrew found himself continually drawn down to the Chelmer Ovalto watch the club play in his beloved black & white and was eventually drawn out of sporting retirement to play for the Western Magpies in 2008 before being involved in the formation of affiliate club Woodsmen AFC, which is now back under the Western Magpies banner.

Andrew is married to primary school teacher Lauren, and has 4 children - Charlotte 10, Harry 8, Georgia 5 & Sam 3.  Harry currently plays U/9's for the Sherwood Magpies and loves his footy.

Andrew looks forward to working with the newly formed Western Magpies Board and assisting in marketing the club and securing long term sponsors for a sustainable & successful presence at the highest level of Queensland Football and a positive and inclusive environment for young footballers in the local area, including his own children in the future.

He also hopes to keep playing for a few years yet!

CFMG Capital - Meet the Directors #4 - Martin Sinfield

MEET YOUR DIRECTORS

MARTIN SINFIELD

DIRECTOR--FINANCE

Board member 2017

Martin grew up in Melbourne and has been a keen footy fan since childhood. Although sports such as tennis and cricket took centre stage in his youth, he took every opportunity to pull on the boots during his school years.  He moved to Brisbane in 2007 with his young family and has lived in the local area throughout that time.

 The Club have been a constant part of their lives over the past five years. All three sons, Archie, Elliot and Adam, love playing junior footy with the Magpies and cheering on the Seniors on a Saturday afternoon. During this time, Martin feels privileged to have had the opportunity to coach each of them, with the support of wife Rebecca as team manager. 

 When time allows, Martin loves cycling, golf, tennis and getting away camping with the family.  He has also thoroughly enjoyed recently taking up AFL9s with a group of mates from the Club and local area - reacquainting himself with the cardiovascular demands of the game!

 As a Chartered Accountant and experienced Finance Manager, Martin hopes to help the Board to achieve the Club's ambitions through providing sound financial management and advice. Having previously served as Treasurer with other organisations, he is also keen to ensure that processes are in place to help maintain strong financial management and simplify the workload for future Club Treasurers and volunteers."

Metis Wealth - Meet the Directors #3 - Gabe McKinnon

MEET YOUR DIRECTORS

GABRIEL McKINNON

DIRECTOR—GOVERNANCE and COMPANY SECRETARY

Board Member 2017

Gabriel was born and grew up in Brisbane but his family are from Adelaide and he started playing football at Sherwood in the Under 12s.

He has been at the club for over 20 years and he played his 200th Senior match for the Magpies in 2015. He was a member of the Magpies 2006 Senior premiership side and the Reserves flags in 2005 and 2007.

He has been a loyal player for the club and was deservedly awarded Life Membership in 2015. 

He continues to serve the club on and off the field as he joins the Board this year as Company Secretary.

He is a partner at Blackston Lawyers, practising commercial and property law and was previously a board member of the Spring Hill Chamber of Commerce and Director of Spring Hill Alive street festival.

Place Graceville - Meet the Board #2 - Adam Edwards

MEET YOURDIRECTORS

ADAM EDWARDS

Board Member 2016 – 2017

VICE-PRESIDENT

Junior Coaching Coordinator 2015-2016

Junior Committee Secretary 2016

Junior Coach 2011 – 2017

Coach of the Year 2011

Adam is a Civil Engineer who has enjoyed a 20 year career in construction and engineering across the resources, energy and infrastructure sectors throughout Australia.  He is currently a General Manager with Monadelphous Group Limited, an ASX listed multi-national engineering construction and maintenance provider and over the past 9 years has had responsibility for the companies construction operations throughout the east coast of Australia and PNG.  Adam is also a Director of Zenviron Pty Ltd, a specialist provider of engineering, procurement and construction services to the renewable energy sector throughout Australia and New Zealand.

 Originally Victorian, Adam was brought up on VFL/AFL football and played for many years as a junior throughout Victoria, NSW, ACT and QLD.  He is married to wife Suzanne and has two boys, Samuel and Jacob, both of whom are up and coming footballers within Sherwood’s junior ranks.  The family joined the Sherwood Football Club in 2010 and both Adam and Suzanne have volunteered their time in various roles within the Club ever since.

Adam is passionate about the Club continuing to play a key role in the development of young men and women not only as footballers but also as the future leaders within our community. 

Mack Trucks - Meet the Board #1 - Mark Blackberry

MEET YOUR PRESIDENT

MARK BLACKBERRY

Board member 2015 & 2017, President 2017

Mark Blackberry is the new President of Sherwood DAFC, being elected unopposed at the club’s AGM in December.

Mark joined the Board in 2015 and has organised the club’s major fundraiser the Alchemy Night for a number of years. He has been able to attract a number of Lions players and coaches to these eveningsusing his contacts with the Brisbane Lions where he has been a key member of Lionhearts which works closely with young Brisbane Lions players.

He is married with 4 children and son Sam has come through the Sherwood ranks but suffered osteitis pubis and missed most of last year. He has been a part of theBrisbane Lions Academy.

Mark has been involved as a coach and Junior Committee member at Sherwood for a number of years.

He was born in Hobart and played for North Launceston in the Tasmanian State League and represented Tasmania in one match. He was a Hawthorn development player and as part of that played in Darwin but he ruptured his ACL x2 which brought his career to an end.

He moved to Brisbane in 1996 and developed his Sunchip Group business in logging and timber and it has grown to have 120 employees.

He is also involved in a number of other businesses in South-East Queensland and in total he employs 200 people in all his businesses. He is also a key part of the Simon Black Academy developing young AFL players in Queensland.

Mark brings a wealth of football knowledge as well as business and corporate know-how to the football club and with him leading the club it looks forward to continuing to grow and consolidate as a strong AFL presence in the western suburbs of Brisbane.

WESTERN MAGPIES LIFE MEMBERSHIP

ROB LAWSON-- LIFE MEMBERSHIP

Rob Lawson has been awarded Life Membership of the Sherwood/Western Magpies AFC at the 2016 AGM.

Rob has fixture at Chelmer since 1964 when he played for Sherwood in under 15s and was in the first under 17 team in 1965 and was also the first Sherwood junior player to sign up for senior football when the senior teams were formed in 1968. He was a member of the Under 17 premiership team in 1966.

He played senior football for 6 years, being a member of the club's 1970 and 1973 premierships.

He was a nimble left footed winger in those premiership teams. He was transferred to Rockhampton in 1975 and returned in 1977 when he played in the Reserves losing grand final in that year.

After he stopped playing, he continued to contribute to the club as a junior coach and was on the club committee in the early 1990s.

He has continued to contribute to the club with ground preparation and maintenance, a huge job he has done for many years. 

His son Michael was a Sherwood player in the 1980s and his grandsons Jai and Chai also played for the Black and White. Jai is coaching Sherwood juniors after not being able to play due to a badly broken leg and Chai played in the Pies undefeated Under 17 premiership in 2015 and played Under 19s in 2016. 

Rob has been a fixture at Chelmer for over 50 years and much of what he does now with the oval maintenance is often unseen but it is a vital part of the the clubs management.

He is a deserved Life Member.

PAUL GRENTELL -- LIFE MEMBERSHIP

Paul Grentell has been awarded Life Membership of the Sherwood/Western Magpies AFC at the 2016 AGM.

Paul moved from Wagga with his family in the late 1970s and his father Allan, a celebrated half forward/rover from Turvey Park in Wagga, was Chairman of Selectors in a number of Sherwood’s premiership years in the 1980s. Allan was also involved in the early years of the Western Magpies.

Paul commenced at the club in 1980 in Under 7s and played junior football through to Under 17s--he played in 5 losing grand finals as a junior (un-Sherwood-like!!).

He then played for West Brisbane First grade 1991-95 (amalgamation of Western Districts and Sherwood)

He moved to Victoria and coached Omeo 1997-99 (B& F 1997, RU in league B & F 1999)

He moved back to Brisbane in 2000 and was one of the instigators of the formation of the Western Magpies and was also First grade captain 2000-01 and was Captain-Coach of the Reserves in 2004.

He was appointed First grade coach in 2005 and coached until 2010 (5.5 years)(replaced half way through 2010). He was a dual Premiership coach in 2006 and 2008 and coached the Pies when they were runner up in 2007. 

He was awarded Queensland coach of the Year 2005.

He became Assistant-Coach at Morningside 2011 (when in NEAFL so did not coach against his believed Pies!!) and then moved to Assistant Coach at Brisbane Lions Reserves 2012 to present where he was involved in 2 Lions premierships

Paul is still involved with the Magpies and is willing to help the club in any way he can (despite his sacking in 2010), being involved in coach selection panels, academy coaching  and assisted with player reunions in the past few years. 

He is still Black and White "through and through".  

He has been involved as a player and coach for Sherwood/Western Magpies for 34 years, 16 years in Senior football. He is still involved in coach selection panels and is a confidante of coaches and Board members for his vast knowledge of the game of Australian football, especially in South East Queensland. 

Paul will be involved at Sherwood and the Western Magpies for some time to come as his 8 year old son Bodhi will be playing in  under 9s this year and Paul will be assistant coach. He and his wife Kirsty also have a 2 year old son Gabriel, so Paul and the Black and Whites will still be an item for many years to come.

Paul is a deserved Life Member. 

COOPERS - MAGPIES 2017 QAFL DRAW A MIXED BAG

The QAFL draw for 2017 has been released and with a nine team competition the Pies will play 16 matches with three byes throughout the year.

The Western Magpies will start their season with only 1 match at their Chelmer home in the first 6 rounds and then finishing the last three matches against QAFL powerhouses in Palm Beach-Currumbin, Labrador and Morningside before a round 18 bye. 

The Pies have a home match at Toowoomba when they play Surfers Paradise in a round 6 encounter with the Pies being proactive in moving a home game to promote the club and the game in the Toowoomba region.

The Pies also do not meet Morningside until round 12 then play against the Panthers 5 weeks later in round 17.

The Pies again travel a short distance down the highway to meet old foes Mt Gravatt in the first round and the Pies first home match will be against another close rival in Wilston Grange in round 3. This will be a much awaited clash as the Pies coach for much of 2016, Nathan Clarke, has joined his original club as co-coach. Clarke was highly regarded at the Pies and all at the Pies wish him well as he returns to the club where he started and where his father Barry became a Gorilla and QAFL legend. 

2015 and 2016 QAFL Premiers Labrador are the Pies round 4 opponent in an early test of the Pies 2017 credentials. 

All the Magpies matches are on Saturdays and all start at 2 pm except the round 9 match at Wilston Grange which is slotted for a 1 pm start and at Toowoomba for a 2.30 pm start.

The Western Magpies draw is below:

Saturday April 22-- Rd 1 v Mt Gravatt at Mt Gravatt at 2 pm

Saturday April 29 - Rd 2 v Sandgate at Sandgate at 2 pm

Saturday May 3 --  Rd 3 v Wilston Grange at Chelmer at 2 pm

Saturday May 13 --Rd 4 v Labrador at Labrador at 2 pm

Saturday May 20-- Rd 5 --bye

Saturday May 27 --Rd 6 v Surfers Paradise at Toowoomba (home game) at 2.30 pm

Saturday June 3 -- Rd 7 v Broadbeach at Chelmer at 2 pm

Saturday June 10-- bye--representative football weekend

Saturday June 17-- Rd 8 v Palm Beach-Currumbin at Palm Beach at 2 pm

Saturday June 24 - Rd 9 v Wilston Grange at Stafford at 1 pm

Saturday July 1  --  Rd 10 v Mt Gravatt at Chelmer at 2 pm

Saturday July 8 --  Rd 11 v Sandgate at Chelmer at 2 pm

Saturday July 15 -- Rd 12 v Morningside at Chelmer at 2 pm

Saturday July 22 -- Rd 13 v Broadbeach at Broadbeach at 2 pm

Saturday July 29--  Rd 14 v Surfers Paradise at Surfers at 2 pm

Saturday August 5 --Rd 15 v Palm Beach-Currumbin at Chelmer at 2 pm

Saturday August 12 --Rd 16 v Labrador at Chelmer at 2 pm

Saturday August 19 --Rd 17 v Morningside at Hawthorne at 2 pm

Saturday August 26 --Rd 18 --bye

Sat-Sun September 2-3 -- Elimination/Qualifying Finals

Sat-Sun September 9-10 -- First/Second Semi Finals

Saturday September 16--Preliminary Final

Saturday September 23-- Grand Final

Saturday September 30--  AFL Grand Final

STUDIO 99 - AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL - OUR GAME, A LONG AND PROUD HISTORY

Growing up in the Riverina of NSW where there was fierce competition between the football codes, especially between what we then called Australian Rules football - my game- and rugby league and rugby union and now living in Brisbane, I often heardpeople who are not followers of Australian Football often criticise the game because it is not truly international and is only popular in a few southern states of Australia.

Well stick this up your pipe and smoke it!!

 Melbourne Football Club was established in 1858 making it the oldest existing football club of any code in the world. Melbourne FC is 4 years older than the oldest existing soccer club and was formed well before any rugby union, rugby league, gridiron or gaelic football clubs came into existence. We should spruik this loud and clear and be proud of our game and its long history. 

 Australian Football has been a huge part of the life of our country and is the glue that holds many communities together in the small towns and farming districts of Australia. 

 Castlemaine is the second oldest club, forming in 1859 just before Geelong. Castlemaine was then a large town of 15 000 people in the midst of the gold rushes in Victoria. 

 Indigenous Australian’s were reported to have played a game named "Marn Grook" with a possum skinned "ball" in the Port Phillip District when it was settled by Europeans in the 1840s. This game involved kicking and catching the "ball" . The founders of Australian Football, Tom Wills and Henry Harrison,  created the game as a means to keep cricketers fit in the winter. It is likely that Wills and Harrison applied the best aspects of ‘Marn Grook’, gaelic football, rugby union and soccer to create the our great game of Australian Rules Football. 

 The games' rules were defined in 1859 and the basics are no different to today's rules. These can be seen written on a wall at the MCG. These rules include kicking, marking, tackling, the distinctive hand balling and either bouncing or touching the ball to the ground after running 10 yards. 

 At the same time in history when Melbourne FC was formed an early form of soccer and rugby union was played in England and the beginnings of Gaelic football was being played in Ireland. These early games of soccer, rugby union and Gaelic football often did not resemble today's modern versions of the sports. There are allegedly older rugby union and soccer clubs but they do not have a continuous existence like Melbourne FC.

 Australian Football became very popular in Melbourne and Victoria during the gold rush era of the 1850s and 1860s. After the gold rush ended in the late 1860s, many of the gold diggers dispersed to other parts of Australia and took the game with them to other colonies on the continent. 

 In the 1880s in Queensland and NSW, hybrid games were played between rugby union clubs playing the "English Rules of football" (rugby union) and those that played the "Victorian Rules of football". 

 In the mid 1880's the NSW rugby union had a vote to decide which rules to adopt and by one vote went for the "English" rules as colonial rivalry was very strong and NSW did not want to adopt the Victorian rules.

 Until the 1880s the Victorian Rules of Football was the most popular game in Queensland but the parochialism of Queensland came to the fore early as the local independent schools voted to use the English rules (rugby union) as they thought that using Victorian rules did not sit well with Queenslanders!

What might have been? 

 In addition in NSW and Queensland, Australian football and rugby union voted to go into recess during World War I, but rugby league, then in its infancy,  continued their competition which led to the rise of rugby league as the most popular football code in these states.

 The Australian public needs to understand that Australian Football has been around a very long time. Followers of our game should be proud of the long history our unique game and its huge contribution to Australia and the Australian identity.  

 And remember that Melbourne, Castlemaine and Geelong Football Clubs are much older than Manchester United, New England Patriots, Randwick, South Sydney  and any other football club of any football code in the world!

PLACE - WESTERN MAGPIES 2016 HIGHLIGHTS

On Field – Playing Group Highlights

•Our senior team finished the home and away season in third position

•For the first time in over 30 years, we beat Labrador at their home ground

•For only the third time, we played Finals in the Tier 1 competition

•We introduced five players between 16-17 who made significant contributions

•Three players were named in the “Team of the Year” – Luke Scott, Gareth Crawford, Callum Carseldine

•Three players were named as “Rising Stars” – Will Fletcher, Sam Copland, Rhys Bridge

•Four players were regularly selected for the Brisbane Lions NEAFL reserve side – Charlie Pershouse, Lachie Dennis, Sam Copland, Will Fletcher

•The Club had a significant on field signing with Ex Lion and WCE premiership player, Brent Staker, playing senior football at the Western Magpies in 2016

•Callum Carseldine (Joint Captain) and Matt Sondergold (On-Baller) finished in the top six of the Grogan Medal count for the Best and Fairest in the QAFL competition

•Coaching was significantly improved through teaching, game day analysis and the use of match footage with group and one on one feedback

•Off field support was improved through strength and conditioning appointment, football orientated coaching, trainers, fitness and rehabilitation volunteers that has had a positive impact on providing training plans for individuals and our team

•We have gained Respect – The Club set out to be respectful and to have the respect of other Clubs, we are considered one of the benchmarks of the competition by AFLQ

•The Reserve Grade Team narrowly missed out on competing in the Final series

•We fielded a Colts side in the U/19 competition, finishing the year in 4th position

•Fielded 10+ Under 17 boys to Colts and Reserve football throughout the season

•Consolidation of the Woodsman, our spiritual Old boys’ team, playing Friday night fixtures at Chelmer finishing 4th in the Division 3 Central competition

Junior Highlights

•2016 was a year of growth - 18 teams; 270 registered Sherwood players   

•U15 and U17 Sherwood competed in the Division 1 final series

•Individual achievements at 2016 AFL Brisbane Juniors Gala Awards

•Benjamin Finke   Best & Fairest Winner U13 Division 1

•James Ward   Best & Fairest Winner U15 Division 1

•Ashleigh WrightEXIMM Junior Club Person of the Year

• Jack Gersekowski represented Queensland in the U12 State team

•Strong Senior player involvement with the Juniors led by Callum Carseldine

•Lead all AFLQ Clubs in implementation of Ground Marshall accreditation program

Off field highlights

•The Club hosted the Brisbane Lions Family fun day in February 2016

•The Club held a BCC “Movie in the Park” night in February 2016

•The Club celebrated its 60th Year with a Gala event held at the Club which was a successful evening

•The “Alchemy” event was held in July at Alchemy Restaurant, the event was well supported, contributing greatly to the end of year finances

•We acknowledge the contribution of Peter Sherwood generous donations during the 2016 season

•The Club is greatly assisted by Volunteer workers who support the Board with oval mowing and maintenance, in particular Rob Lawson, Bruce O’Neill, Michael McEvoy and Warren Vine

•Finances – The Club has made significant inroads into outstanding debts

•Simon Black Academy – 12 month contract

•Junior supporter’s day was a great success and a wonderful day for the Sherwood

Football Club

Financial highlights

•Revenue increased 26% to $275k (excluding grants)

•Operating expenses increased 43% to $276k as a result of …

•Repaid $41k in debt

•Cash position improved 87% to $43k

•Received $89k in Government grants towards ongoing infrastructure improvements

Strategic Direction 2017 and Beyond

•Corporate Partnerships & Sponsors:

•Focus on renewal of current partnerships and addition of new Corporate partners:

•Have entered into two long term sponsorship agreements with fitness providers who will utilise Club facilities

•Facilities Improvement:

•Consolidation of an additional field to enable pressure to be taken off the main oval - develop plan and finalise with AFLQ for use of CJ Greenfields site during 2017

•Initial works being completed to ground via BCC Grant $45k Works are in progress and will be completed by December 2016

•Encouraged to apply for future funding under BCC building stronger communities grants program for $100k with a further $25k contribution from AFL, will see the balance of the oval completed October/November 2017

•Expect that this will allow the Club to keep playing at the oval for another three years until it is fully capped and resurfaced

•Entered into initial discussions with AFLQ, Ambrose Treacy College, Kenmore AFC on a “one precinct model” to further develop the Sherwood and Western Districts facilities

·         Club and Player Development

•Implementation of a Women’s Team competing in a senior competition at AFLQ level within three years

•“One Club” Strategy

•Reconstitution of Board of Directors (Junior, Senior and Woodsmen representation)

•Senior player participation with Junior teams

•Western Magpies Summer Coaching Academy

•Player Development Pathway

•Integration of Social Club and Football Club within 24 months