PLACE PREVIEW - MAGPIES TAKE ON FORM CATS IN HUGE HOME GAME

MASSIVE HOME GAME FOR PIES AGAINST RESURGENT BROADBEACH

The Western Magpies have another massive game when they host an experienced Broadbeach Cats side at Chelmer on Saturday.

The Pies sit fourth on the ladder one win behind the third placed Cats and a win to the home team will set them up for a serious assault to finish in the top three of the QAFL at season's end. 

The Pies have made three changes to the side with two forced--Brenton Saunders gets his chance with Redlands after good form recently and Joe Murphy has an ankle sprain while Matt Mazarolle returns to the Reserves after playing his role last week.

Returning are Luke Mitchell from an ankle sprain, Aaron Maricic after missing last week with illness and Jack Goodall returns from Redland.  

The Pies breathed a sigh of relief last Saturday but pocketed the four points and will be keen to resurrect the first half of last week to enable them to match the Cats. 

The Broadbeach midfield brigade has been the main source of their winning run so the Pies midfield will need to be at their best to counter the Cats. Gareth Crawford is back to his best with plenty of hard ball gets in midfield and Logan Murray has hit his straps and also provides plenty of grunt at the contest.

Captain Drew Mitchell rarely has a bad game and in ruck youngster Aaron Highlands continues to match older and more credentialed opponents while Liam Dwyer has also played his part when on the ball and also when pushing forward.  

Charlie Pershouse, recently added to QAFL squad for the interstate match against WA Amateurs next weekend,  has been moved to full back to counter the Cats big forward Mitchell Brewer and he will need the support of the returning Luke Mitchell to mop up as well as inform half back duo of Harry Marshall and David Lewis.

Jack Goodall has been good for the Pies when he returns to play and he will start in the key forward position with Sam Copland and Matt Davis as other forward options. Goodall can also push to defence if needed and gives the Magpies added versatility.

Two rising stars in Billy Johnson and Riley Easton provide the pace and ability to apply forward pressure and leaque leading goalkicker Jake de Winter will likely push forward at some stage to give the Pies some added firepower.

The Magpies will need to bring their “A” gamefor a full four quarters and coach Brydan Morgan will stress the importance of a good start and a consistent effort for the whole 120 minutes.

It may not quite be an eight point game but this match is crucial for both sides as a victory sets up the season while a loss pushes the lower into the chasing pack.

Western Magpies v Broadbeach  at Chelmer on Saturday, June 3rd at 2 pm

B: Jake De Winter,  Charlie Pershouse, Luke Mitchell

HB: Dom Misso, Harry Marshall,  David Lewis

C: Lachie Dennis, Drew Mitchell ©, Chris Hunt

HF: Matt Davis, Jack Goodall, Billy Johnson

F: Sam Copland, Aaron Highlands, Riley Easton

Rucks: Liam Dwyer, Logan Murray

Rover: Ben Jaenke-Cain

I/C: Tom Ielasi, Gareth Crawford, Brodie Easton, Aaron Maricic

Coopers Friday footy - Woodsmen

Woodsmen take on Morningside in early finals preview

The Woodsmen head to Morningside tonight to take on a strong Morningside outfit fresh from a dominant victory over previously undefeated ladder leaders - Sandgate last week.

The Woodsmen held on earlier in the year for 7 point win at home and with a vastly different looking side will look to maintain their winning form away from home.

After naming a strong looking side on Thursday, the Woodies have been rocked by injury and illness with several key players now out of the side to add to those already unavailable - but with strong depth the Woodies are still looking the goods, with several players looking to put their best foot forward and keep those injured and ill out of the side next week.

The backline is again a strength for the Woodies, with Paul Eaton returning to full back and the ever green Sam Long in some vintage form across half back in recent weeks, filling the key centre half back role in the absence of Tim Green.  Blake Barkley is also in solid form this year, while Matty Prior has looked to build nicely after a late start due to injury.  Kiran Verma also moves from a wing to half back after a successful experiment earlier in the year.

In the centre, Lachy Woods returns after missing 3 weeks and on the wings will be debutant Elliot Heath and Lochie McDonald after a week out due to travel.  Making up the on-ball division will be Thomson in the ruck, Hockley in for his first game of the year and the in form Sam Curtis - creating a formidable midfield. 

Across half forward Garland will start on a flank, changing on the bal, Gerard Moore returns to Centre Half Forward and dual Premiership skipper Sean Toohey will be on the other flank to add skill and experience up front.

Deep forward will be player coach Mihalopoulos and Greg Matthews in the pockets with Jay Baker willing the key post in his 2nd game back from injury.  Baker looked dangerous last week in his return and will relish being closer to goal.

It will be an important game for ladder position, and the Woodies will be looking to get on top of their younger opponents early.

Get down to Jack Esplen for a look!

ONE2ONE Plumbing - Ressies Preview

RESERVES CHANCE TO PUSH INTO THE FIVE

The Western Magpies Reserves have a big opportunity to slip into the five when they play Broadbeach at home on Saturday. The Cats have only one win but have been very competitive in most matches this season so any less than their best could be costly for the Pies. 

The Pies have improved in each outing this year, and with a nice mix of experience and youth are starting to play consistent football. 

The leadership roles for the season have been finalised with 200 game veteran Gabe McKinnon named as captain and other well credentialled players in Sean Mewing, Bryce Crossley and Sean McEvoy taking on the joint vice-captain roles. 

In from last week comes Matt Mazarolle from the Seniors, Jake Farrell and James Gainford and out are Matt Cowton (injured), Will Burgess (work) and Dom Morrison (family funeral). 

The team looks solid and with key defenders in Matt Dillon and Tom Hall both to come back into the team in coming rounds after missing again with work commitments, the team is looking better every week.

McKinnon and tall youngsters Kurt Vine and Jeremy DeRooy were on fire up forward last round and will be keen to again get their names on the scoreboard.

The young half back line of Damon Allen, Tristan Dowdy and Sam Hartog was impressive last week and Dowdy and Hartog, still eligible for Colts, showing plenty of promise on debut last week.

Josh Uebergang in ruck gets better each week and Dom Beer adds ruck power to the Pies and he will be a key player on Saturday.

Jake Farrell adds strength up forward and with smart headsin Sean Mewing and Bryce Crossley and young rovers Rory Johnson and Joshua White  in midfield the Pies have a strong midfield contingent.

The Pies cannot afford to let this one slip and will be keen to push further up the ladder.

Western Magpies Reserves v Broadbeach at Chelmer  Saturday, June 3rd at 11.30 am

B: Rohan Smith, Sean McEvoy, Jamie Page

HB: Tristan Jackson, Damon Allen, Sam Hartog

C: James Gainford, Bryce Crossley, Matt Mazarolle

HF: Jake Farrell,  Gabe McKinnon (C), Tom Roderick

F:  Kurt Vine,  Jeremy DeRooy, Dom Beer

Rucks: Joshua Uebergang, Sean Mewing

Rover: Rory Johnson

I/C: Thomas Luke, Joshua White, Will Lloyd, Sam Taylor

Metis Wealth Match Preview - Colts

COLTS KEEN TO CONSOLIDATE IN TOP THREE AFTER A BREAK

It's been a long wait but the Colts are back and raring to go this week against an in form Broadbeach Cats. Due to the scheduling of the Seniors Toowoomba match, the Colts have had a two week wait to make amends for their close loss to Labrador in Round 4. Over the past fortnight the young Magpies have trained really well, working hard on key points that let them down that week to make sure they are in the best nick possible for their Round 7 home game.

Sam Hartog and Tristan Dowdy have kept their spots in the Reserves this week and the Colts welcome back Ethan Sivijs from Senior footy and young Harry Keenan from way out west gets an opportunity to play his first game for the Magpies. The Colts have a host of inclusions this week as they look to ensure that everyone on their list continues to get an opportunity to show their wares.

The boys will be looking to improve on their ball movement forward of centre this week in order to give their talented forward line every chance to kick a winning score. The backline has been solid as a rock all year led by key defensive player Whitlam Bishop, who is having a fine season at CHB. Caleb Franks was a valuable inclusion against Labrador, and will be an integral part of a quality on-ball brigade that welcomes back Will Gillespie and Josh Commons this week.

The Pies sit fourth on the ladder with a 3-1 record and Broadbeach are second with a 4-1 record. The Colts will need to be ready to go this weekend against a quality team sitting above them on the ladder. The Colts are starting to understand that there is no such thing as an easy game this year and that they have to be raring to go for a full four quarters if they want to get out with the 4 points.

The game starts at 9:30am sharp at Chelmer and the Colts heirarchy will be looking for a few helpers to run the boundary and assist with some odd jobs.

Western Magpies Colts v Broadbeach at Chelmer on Saturday, June 3rd at 9.30 am

B: Saxon Pobjoy, Zac Stegmeyer, Hanley Milford

HB: Ethan Sivijs,  Whitlam Bishop, Cameron Smith

C: Cal Grant, Sam DeNys, Dan Edwards,           

HF:  Jack Austin,  Jayden Johnson, Jacob Sheath

F: Christopher Jenkins, Finn Collison, Jordan Bonney,

Rucks:  Caleb Franks, Max Webber

Rover:  Harry Keenan

Int: Josh Commons, Will Gillespie, Tom Slatter, Daniel Grandy  

Sponsor Update - Genuine Garage Door Solutions

The Western Magpies welcome local business Genuine Garage Door Solutions as a new community partner in 2017 and beyond.

Founder and Managing Director Josh Ormesher is a club junior and current player at the Woodsmen and is proud to associate with the club, seeing great benefits to his business.

At Genuine Garage Door Solutions, Josh is dedicated to providing exceptional garage door servicing, emergency repairs and new installations to all areas of Brisbane. He believes in exceeding expectations and guarantees fast response times and a premium standard of workmanship. Genuine Garage Door Solutions are here to give you the best solution for your needs and requirements. The team is proficient in all aspects of installation, maintenance and repair. When Genuine Garage Door Solutions started trading, Josh Ormesher set down a bold direction for the companies values and goals. Alongside market leading service, value for money & a high quality product. From the start he wanted to give back to the community setting aside a Minimum of 10% of the company's annual profit to give back to the community, helping sporting clubs & schools around Brisbane & Greater Ipswich Regions and the Western Magpies are proud to be part of this program.

If you need a new door, or servicing contact Josh at Genuine Garage Door Solutions

http://www.genuinegds.com.au

info@genuinegds.com.au

0411 357 332

MACK TRUCK MATCH REVIEW - PIES HOLD ON IN BATTLE OF THE BUSH NAILBITER

MAGPIES HOLD ON TO WIN THE "BATTLE OF THE BUSH" IN A NAILBITER.

The Western Magpies nearly squandered a 10 goal half time lead to hang on in a tense and thrilling last quarter to win by 2 goals over a fast finishing Surfers Paradise in the "Battle of the Bush" at Toowoomba on Saturday.

In a game of two halves , the Pies dominated in the first half to kick 11 goals to one with a run of 10 unanswered goals in a row from late in the first quarter into the second.

They then stopped doing all the things that had allowed them to dominate and with half a sniff the Demons were able to mount a spirited comeback. For Magpie supporters the last 15 minutes of the match was like watching a slow train wreck with visions of a loss after leading by 60 points causing the faithful to start having nightmares.

It was akin to 15 minutes of fingernails scratching the blackboard—excruciating!!. The clock seemed to stop for the Pies as Surfers Paradise closed to 6 points then looked to have leveled the scores at the 30 minute mark with a scrambled goal which was signaled as a goal by the goal umpire before the goal was deemed to be touched off the boot in a desperate dive from Billy Johnson. With a 5 point lead it was anyone’s game but Joe Murphy won a couple of crucial possessions in midfield and the ball landed in Liam Dwyer’s arms and he kicked truly from 40 metres on a 45 degree angle to give the Pies breathing space. The siren sounded at the 33 minute mark to the relief of the Magpies as they held on for a 12 point victory, 14.13-97 to 12.13-85.

The emotions of the game are interesting –a 12 point win in a seesawing tussle would be celebrated wildly while this win was greeted with a big sigh of relief!!  Still the four points are in the bag and the Pies sit in fourth place on the ladder with another big match on Saturday at Chelmer against the third placed and in form Broadbeach.

The Pies small and medium forwards ran riot in the first half, fed by a winning midfield who delivered the ball well into the forward line. With Gareth Crawford, Lachie Dennis  and Logan Murray well on top in the middle, the likes of Brenton Saunders (4 goals), Sam Copland and Jake De Winter ( 3 goals each) fed on the ample supply of football.

The Magpies were probably a bit too cock-a-hoop at the long interval as they stopped running and chasing and this allowed the Demons to re-group and mount a comeback. The Pies were kept goalless and Surfers booted 5 goals to give their supporters faint hope.

34 points in front at three quarter time should have been a big enough buffer for the Magpies and two goals apiece early in the quarter still had the Pies with plenty of breathing space. From then on the Pies just could not get their hands on the football and when they did go forward it rebounded quickly.

The last five minutes were agonising before Dwyer iced the game with 90 seconds left.

Sam Copland enjoyed his return to the black and whites in his home town and Harry Marshall contributed all match across half back –he is yet to play a bad game.

It was certainly a relieved group of players who enjoyed the hospitality at the Spotted Cow on Saturday night before heading home!

With the Pies 3 and 2 next week’s clash is almost an 8 point game and coach Brydan Morgan will have his players now focused on the match ahead.

Western Magpies  4-0   11-5   11-11   14-13-97  

Surfers Paradise   1-3      1-5     6-7    12-13-85

WESTERN MAGPIES

Goals: B. Saunders 4, S. Copland 3, J. De Winter 3, L. Dennis, L. Dwyer, D. Misso, C. Pershouse
Best: G. Crawford, L. Murray, L. Dennis, H. Marshall, S. Copland, B. Saunders

 Click to scroll through images:

Anytime Fitness - Ressies Review

PIES RESERVES IN MORALE BOOSTING WIN

The Western Magpies Reserves had a morale boosting win when they defeated Surfers Paradise by 8 goals at Toowoomba on Saturday. 

In a tight first half the magpies were able to wrest a three goal lead at half time but a dominant third quarter put the Pies 7 goals up at the final change before going on to win 14.7-91 to 6.7-43. 

Youngster Kurt Vine got an opportunity up forward after being across half back for the early part of the season and he booted three goals by early in the second quarter to get the Pies going early.

Veterans Sean Mewing and Gabe McKinnon led from the front with Mewing winning plenty of midfield possessions and is relishing his football. McKinnon also relished being up forward instead of his usual defensive role and he converted five majors to also be one of the Magpies best on the day.

Rory Johnson was busy in the midfield and across half forward and this will keep his name in front of the senior selectors and Bryce Crossley was again a steadying influence around ground with plenty of possessions.

Two Colts players were promoted for this match and Sam Hartog and Tristan Dowdy did not let the selectors down with mature and polished displays. Rohan Smith was also among the best in a pretty good defensive unit.

Jeremy de Rooy kicked three goals and he is getting better each week—he can take a big grab and is developing a forward presence for the Magpies.

So with a few experienced players and a big contingent of young developing players coach Craig Allen was chuffed with his players application and teamwork and is looking forward to continual improvement each week. The Pies have a chance to push further up the ladder when they host Broadbeach on Saturday and a win can lift them into the five.

Western Magpies   5-3   7-6   11-7  14-7-91

Surfers Paradise    2-0   4-5    4-5    6-7-43

Goals: G. McKinnon 5, K. Vine 3, J. DeRooy 3, S. Mewing, D. Beer, T. Roderick
Best: S. Mewing, S. Hartog, B. Crossley, R. Johnson, R. Smith, G. McKinnon

Coopers Friday Footy Review - Woodsmen

WOODSMEN PUSH INTO SECOND SPOT

The Western Magpies (Woodsmen) have pushed into 2nd spot on the ladder after a hard fought Friday night victory over the Ormeau Bulldogs at the nest.

The final score of 9.8 – 62 to 4.2 – 26 doesn’t really represent the stranglehold the Woodsmen had on the contest, but again the side struggled to gel after 11 changes from the previous week – with several Woodies returning to the fold after 12+ months out of the game due to injury.

The Woodies were on top in early exchanges, however Ormeau managed to sneak forward for the first 2 goals of the match after some sloppy play across half back and a lack of defensive pressure from the midfield.  However after tightening up, the Woodies were able to regain the ascendency in both general play and on the scoreboard for the balance of the night.  Finishing the opening term with a 1 goal lead, the Woodies asserted their midfield dominance with a 3 goal to nothing 2nd quarter to enjoy a 4 goal half time lead.  Battling very defensive tactics from Ormeau, who often had as many as 3 players behind the ball – the Woodies struggled to move the ball efficiently into the forward line to convert, and again struggled with goalkicking accuracy.

The 2nd half was more of the same, with the Woodsmen enjoy significant advantages on the ball and at stoppages but again failing to gather momentum on the scoreboard, only kicking 3 goals in the 2nd half, despite reinforcements arriving at half-time due to work delays giving the Woodies the full 22 man compliment of players.

Jay ‘the Butcher’ Baker was excellent in his return to the side, taking grabs up forward and also applying superb defensive pressure for a big man – including multiple chase down tackles.   Big Steve Forbes will also be better for the run, while Chris ‘The Stink’ La Burniy was also enjoying a solid return to the side before an ankle injury in the 3rd quarter put an end to his evening, and perhaps a few months out will be the result.

A highlight of the game was Rick Masterson snagging his first goal for the Woodies, after a few missed/stolen opportunities earlier in the game and during the season.  Old Rick must be the betting mans favourite for the Rising Woody in 2017!

This week the Woodies will take on Morningside at Morningside, who will be a good challenge after they upset Sandgate last week in an lopsided encounter.

Goals: Mihalopoulous 2, Fuentes 2, Thomson 2, Masterson, Davis, Forbes 1

Best: Thomson, Curtis, Baker, Long, Barkley, Davis

PLACE PREVIEW - PIES SHOWCASE DARLING DOWNS TALENT

PIES BRING IN DARLING DOWNS BOYS FOR TOOWOOMBA CLASH

The Western Magpies have included Darling Downs products Sam Copland (Coolaroo) and Riley Easton (Dalby) to their side for the big “Battle of the Bush” clash against Surfers Paradise at Toowoomba on Saturday.

They join the other local product in Brodie Easton (Dalby) to play for the Pies in a match that could go a long way to determining the fortunes of both sides this season.

A win to the Pies sets them up to be well entrenched in the five but a loss puts them way back in a chasing pack and could undo the good work put in early in the season.

The match has been given huge publicity in Toowoomba and a big crowd is expected to attend.  Surfers Paradise have hit their straps in the past two matches after a slow start to the year and pose a real challenge for the black and whites.

Copland comes back into the Pies line-up after some good form for the Brisbane lions NEAFL team and he will add to the Magpies firepower up forward. The Pies lacked a focal point in the loss to Labrador and Copland will provide another option.

Riley Easton returns after a year out with an ACL reconstruction but has shown enough in his 2 Reserves appearances and 1 Woodies appearance to earn a recall, and his pace and ability to apply forward pressure will be valuable to the Pies. Also in is tough and skilful winger/half forward Joe Murphy who will add some flare to the Pies midfield and youngster Matt Mazarolleto give the defence some added height.  

On the debit side the Pies lose classy forward Val Pope, who misses 2 weeks due to overseas travel for work, Aaron Maricic who is ill, Jack Goodall recalled to Redlands and Rory Johnson to the Reserves.

Luke Mitchell has not overcome an ankle sprain but Tom Ielasi passed his concussion test and will line-up on Saturday.  Ielasi has been in good form and it was noticeable that the Pies lostthe midfield  battle after he left the field early in the third quarter against Labrador.

The Pies should be refreshed after the bye last week and coach Brydan Morgan will be hoping for better returns from the forward entries than was the case last match.

The Pies will rely on rapid ball movement into the forward half to give the likes of Jake De Winter, Copland, Brenton Saunders and Easton the chance to use their pace to advantage.

Young ruckman Aaron Highlands has been robust and willing to take it up to his more experienced and often bigger opponents and with De Winter has been the find of the season.

David Lewis and Harry Marshall have been the key players in defence but Marshall was moved forward last match and obviously showed enough forward nous to start this week at centre half forward. Chris Hunt and Matt Davis have both found recent form to be key defenders for the Magpies.

If Highlands and Liam Dwyer can get their hands to the ball in the ruck contests then the likes of skipper Drew Mitchell, Gareth Crawford, Ben Jaenke-Cain and Murphy can set the Pies goalwards often enough for the Pies to kick a winning score.

With a lot at stake for both teams it is a big match for the Pies, the Demons and Toowoomba and if the Magpies can get on top in the midfield they will be well on the way to their third victory for the year.

Western Magpies v Surfers Paradise at Rockville Oval, Toowoomba on Saturday, May 27th at 230 pm

B: Matt Davis (VC), Chris Hunt, Tom Ielasi

HB: Matt Mazarolle,  Charlie Pershouse, David Lewis

C: Lachie Dennis, Gareth Crawford, Brenton Saunders

HF: Brodie Easton, Harry Marshall, Sam Copland

F: Drew Mitchell (C), Jake De Winter, Riley Easton

Rucks: Liam Dwyer, Logan Murray

Rover: Ben Jaenke-Cain

I/C: Aaron Highlands , Dom Misso, Billy Johnson, Joe Murphy

The Pies and their supporters will retire to the Spotted Cow Hotel after the game for post match drinks and a meal.  Huge thanks to this great Toowoomba institution for their support of the day!

Anytime Fitness - Reserves Preview

PIES RESERVES CHANCE TO GET SEASON ON TRACK

The Western Magpies reserves have the chance to get their season back on track when they meet the bottom placed Surfers Paradise at Toowoomba on Saturday. However, nothing is certain this QAFL season and coach Craig Allen will emphasise that to take the Demons lightly could  be very costly.

Once again the Reserves are a revolving door with multiple changes.  Key ins are Rory Johnson from the senior side , Bryce Crossley back from injury, Joshua White from illness and two young guns from the Colts who have showed promise in Tristan Dowdy and Sam Hartog get a chance to strut their wares.

Key outs are Riley Easton and Matt Mazarolle promoted to the seniors, and defenders Matt Dillon and Tom Hall who have work commitments, Tom Michael who pulled up sore after playing last game after a long layoff and younsgster James Gainford who is still recovering from a head knock last week.

The Pies are 1-3 this year but pushed both Wilston Grange and Labrador all the way and a win in this match will be vital to the Pies seeing some September action later in the year.

Craig Allen will again stress the importance of a good start as the pies were slow starters in their past two outings.

He will look to the returning Crossley, Johnson and White to get the Pies going from the midfield and young ruckman Joshua Uebergang in his first season of AFL gets better each match as he learns the nuances of the game. He will learn from Dom Beer who will get more game time this match.

Youngsters Dowdy and Hartog have impressed in the Colts and join another youngster in Damon Allen to form a youthful half back line that could be the catalyst for Pies attacking thrusts. They will have some experience behind them in Sean McEvoy and Rohan Smith to help tidy up as necessary.

The experienced Sean Mewing and Gabe McKinnon have both found the elixir of youth and both will be key players for the Pies.

Young forward Jeremy DeRooy is still developing his game and he is a strong mark and is getting better each match in the key forward role.

The Pies must secure the four points in this match and a good start and four quarter effort is a must to achieve the much needed victory.

NOTE that the Colts round 6 match against Surfers Paradise is scheduled for Saturday, June 10th at 11am at Chelmer. That weekend is a general bye weekend for all other clubs.

Western Magpies Reserves v Surfers Paradise at Rockville Oval, Toowoomba on Saturday, May 27th at Midday

B: Rohan Smith, Sean McEvoy, Jamie Page

HB: Tristan Dowdy, Damon Allen, Sam Hartog

C: Dom Morrison,  Bryce Crossley, Tom Roderick

HF: Sam Taylor, Gabe McKinnon, Matt Cowton

F:  Kurt Vine,  Jeremy DeRooy, Dom Beer

Rucks: Joshua Uebergang, Sean Mewing,

Rover: Rory Johnson

I/C: Joshua White, Will Lloyd, Will Burgess Thomas Luke

Coopers Friday Night Footy - Woodsmen

Woodsmen welcome back ‘The Butcher’

The Woodsmen will be buoyed by the return of 2014 Premiership hero Jay ‘The Butcher’ Baker tonight when they take on the Ormeau Bulldogs at the Nest at 7:30pm.

The Butcher enjoyed an outstanding 2014 Season playing through the midfield and up forward to bag 70+ goals, including 5 in the first half of the Grand Final victory over Wynnum to complete an undefeated season.  Suffering a ACL tear early in 2015 has seen him out of action for almost 2 years until his return tonight.  Also returning to the side ishis good friend Steve ‘Forba’ Forbes, who lead the goalkicking in 2015 in Baker’s absence and should be a good inclusion after also missing 2016 with knee troubles.

Also returning to the side this week are Scott ‘Burnsy’ Matthews, Chris ‘the Stink’ La Burniy, Blake Barkley, Andrew ‘Thommo’ Thomson, Jake Fuentes, Rick Masterson, Dylan ‘Mudgee’ Mudge, Sam ‘Irish’ Banim and Jordan ‘Walshy’ Walsh – keeping a consistent theme for the Woodies this year with mass changes from week to week – this week perhaps being a record 11 changes after last weeks draw vs the ladder leaders!

The side again has an experimental look to it this week, with regular full-back Paul Eaton given another chance on the wing, with Andrew Bell to hold down full back again.   Key posts Tim Green and Gerard Moore are unavailable, with Sam Long moving to CHB and The Butcher filling Moore’s shoes at CHF.  With fitness a concern for the Butcher, Forba and Burnsy – its likely the 3 of them will rotate evenly through the bench and 2 key forward posts to manage game time.

Livewires in Irish Sammy Banim and Jakey Fuentes will be crucial cogs at ground level up forward, while the experienced Mihalopoulous will offer both a marking target and the ability to mop up at ground level to add to his goalkicking tally.  Thommo will be looking to battle hard in the ruck against a bigger opponent to give the midfield first use, and the highly rated Woodsmen backline will be well serviced by the return of Mudge and traditional ‘bash brothers’ Stink and Matty Prior for their first game together in 2017.

Ormeau currently sit at the bottom of the ladder, but its an even competition this year and gave the Woodies a fright in Round 1, so the Woodies will need to be switched on to ensure victory.

Come on down to the nest tonight, enjoy a Coopers and a meal to watch the Woodies slug it out in another Friday night classic!

Mack Trucks Update - Western Magpies look further West!

The Western Magpies are gearing up for an important match when they play Surfers Paradise at Toowoomba on Saturday. In a promotion by the Magpies, AFLQ, AFL Darling Downs and the Toowoomba City Council, the Pies host the Demons in a crucial QAFL Round 6 match at Toowoomba’s Rockville Oval.

The match has received heavy publicity in the Garden City and a big crowd should be on hand to witness the clash.

The Western Magpies have long had a connection to the Darling Downs with a number of players from that region joining the Pies in over the years.

Brodie and Riley Easton are current players to play for the Pies and they started their football careers at Dalby Swans before arriving at Chelmer 3 years ago.  Brodie has established himself as a regular senior player in the Pies midfield and is part of the Magpies leadership group this year. Brodie was filmed in Toowoomba for a promotion for the match which will attract the attention of the fines’ master for the club’s footy trip fund!!  

Riley has returned to playing after a knee reconstruction. He arrived with a bullet in 2015 and as a 16 year old small forward played a number of senior games and impressed everyone with his ability to apply forward pressure and convert goals. He injured his knee in the Magpies first practice match in 2016 and sat the year out before a delayed entry to footy this year via the Magpies Reserves. He is building toward a senior recall and could be in the mix as soon as this week.

Young ruckman Geoff Gibb, who arrived last year from the University club in Toowoomba, is  yet to play this year after a leg injury but he impressed all last year with his ability to learn and his vast improvement as the season progressed. He is close to a return and would like nothing better to get back on the ground in his home town.

Last season Trent Walker played at the Magpies after moving from Warwick and he was also a young player who fast tracked his development.

Sam Copland has been a class act for the Pies up forward in the previous 3 seasons after he traveled down the range from the Coolaroo club.  Sam is yet to don the Magpies Guernsey this year as he has been playing for the Brisbane Lions NEAFL team and has been amongst their best in most matches. The Magpies will look forward to him returning for some matches during the season.

Shane Melrose joined the Pies as an assistant coach last year after a distinguished playing and coaching career with the University club in Toowoomba. Shane travels to Chelmer three times per week to coach and has impressed all with his knowledge of the game and contribution to the Magpies.

The connection continues to grow with the Magpies Colts team fielding five players from Toowoomba this season. Jacob Sheath, Finn Collison, Jayden Johnson, Will Gillespie and Abdullah Haddad are part of the Pies team which sits second on the QAFL ladder.

The Magpies have had a long term connection with the Darling Downs with two time premiership player and two-time Bill Peirce Medallist Jim Rozynski originating with the Lockyer Valley club based at Gatton in the Darling Downs competition and he is one of the best ever players to don the Black and White guernsey at Chelmer.

Before that Andrew Farr from the Toowoomba Tigers coached the Magpies Reserves from 2005-07, winning three premierships in his three seasons at the club. Farr then returned to Toowoomba to coach the Tigers to several premierships. His son Daniel Farr played for the Magpies for a number of years when his father coached and was a tough on-baller.

The Magpies are keen to cement close links with AFL in the Darling Downs and indeed all the western corridor and see this match as a way of promoting the club and the game but also thanking the Darling Downs AFL community for their support of the Pies now and in the future.

Westpoint Autos - Meet the Coaches - Brian Miller

Brian “BM”  Miller is in his 18th season at the Western Magpies and has been a fixture at Chelmer for all that time except for just 12 matches.

BM played as a youngster at Coorparoo where, in his typically dry sense of humour, he says his brothers had all the talent. He still loved the game and club environment so after he finished playing he wanted to stay involved and as he says he was better value behind the scenes. He acted as team manager for the Roos for many years. 

He dropped out of footy for awhile at the end of 1985 when his beloved Coorparoo went into recess. 

He rejoined the club scene in 1994 when Mt Gravatt joined the QAFL and stayed there until 2000, when he followed good friend Geoff Jennings to the Magpies when Jennings was appointed coach of the Piesin their second year back in senior football. 

He has been anassistant coach for many years and was named as the Russell Green Memorial Trophy winner in 2013 for Western Magpies Coach of the Year. He was joint Reserves Coach with Anthony McDonald in 2011.

BM rarely misses a training session and is ever ready to assist with setting up training drills to ensuring drinks and footies are all ready for players use at training. He is on deck from the first pre-season training run until the last game of the season is played. 

He often acts as Reserves Team Manager as well as being assistant coach on match day with the minutiae of a footy team all set up to ensure all is in order for players to play at their best. 

And those twelve matches he missed? BM was asked to accompany Peter McClennan to be his assistant when Peter was appointed coach of Mt Gravatt in 2013.  Unfortunately Peter and Mt Gravatt parted ways after twelve matches but in some respects it was fortunate for the Pies as BM came back "home" and Peter also rejoined the Pies to both be fantastic contributors to the Western Magpies. 

BM has been and continues to contribute to the Pies and has been a wonderful servant of the club and the game of AFL in Queensland. 

Genuine Garage Door Solutions - Meet the Coaches - Tim McEvoy

Unlikely any of our readers haven't already met this bloke, but...

You can’t keep a good man down!!  Tim McEvoy was looking forward toa few weekends free from footy commitments after retiring last year after over 200 Senior matches anda Life Membership for the Magpies. But when a vacancy occurred early in the year for a Senior Assistant Coaching role as backline coach he jumped at the chance to work with new coach Brydan Morgan. He has been involved in junior coaching at Sherwood and was a long time member of the senior club’s leadership group when playing so he knows how to organise and get his message across to his players.

He is a senior coach in waiting and this is the beginning of the learning process as a senior coach and he embraced the opportunity to add this to his CV.

TMac’s playing career is well documented as a hard-as-nails midfielder who also played a lot of his footy across half back. He was often the backline general in his playing days and this will put him in good stead as he marshalls the defensive half for the Pies this year.

Metis Wealth - Meet the Coaches - Adam Holland

Adam joins the club as the midfield coach after over a decade of coaching in Brisbane.

He joined the Magpies for a change of scenery and to continue to learn and develop as a coach. 

He says the Western Magpies are highly regarded in QAFL circles for both their on field performances but also for their strength and conduct off the field. 

Adam's connection with AFL was through his family who had an involvement at Wilston Grange but he started playing as a junior at Aspley. His playing career was cut short by knee and elbow injuries so to keep involved he threw his hand into the coaching ring and he has been at it for over 11 years now. 

He commenced coaching with Wilston Grange Thirds in 2007 then moved to Strathpine for two years as Senior coach, coaching the Swans to the premiership in 2008.

It was back to Wilston Grange as Assistant Coach and Reserves Coach in 2010 then he joined Aspley as that club's QFA Senior Coach for four years. 

To continue his development he moved to Sandgate as Senior Assistant Coach under Graham "Bomber" Adams in 2015-16 before crossing to Chelmer this year. 

He is enjoying his time at the Magpies and he says the Pies playing group is younger than he has coached in recent years and are very receptive to coaching with new ideas and respond well to feedback which he thinks is a great attribute to have. 

He says the players are also willing to voice their opinions and he likes the honesty that brings to the group. 

Adam loves the vibes at the club under Brydan Morgan and believes the young Pies are on the verge of building their own legacy to add to the Sherwood/Western Magpies wonderful history. 

Coopers - Friday Footy Review

Undermanned Woodsmen snatch late draw

On Friday night in wet conditions, an undermanned Woodsmen side cobbled together late on Friday headed north to take on undefeated competition leaders the Sandgate Hawks and toughed it out until the end to salvage a draw when all looked lost, with the final scores locked at 6.14 - 50 to 8.2 - 50, with the usually inaccurate Woodsmen picking the right night to kick straight!

The Woodsmen again has 5+ changes, with 10 regulars unavailable but some very useful inclusions to fill the void.  Young Riley Easton made his Woodies debut as he continues his comeback from a knee reconstruction and was handy up forward and on-ball with his clean skills at ground level.  Older head Corey Hopkins also played his first game for the Woodies and was solid across half-back and regular senior leading goalkicker Alex Dickfos also played his last game in Magpie colours before heading to London, and contributed an important late goal.  The final debutant was Chris 'Fatty' Devlin on permit from Ipswich after playing 2016 in the Magpies Reserves.  Fatty thrived in the tough conditions to consistently win the ball and get it going forward at all costs. Rounding out the list of debutants was Simon 'Squizzy' Taylor who was useful in the back half and short stints through the middle.

The opening quarter was a learning process for the Woodies as the team adjusted to yet another round of mass changes, while Sandgate got out to an early lead before the Woodies pegged them back with 2 straight goals.

The 2nd quarter was more of the same, with Sandgate having the better of field position and gain failing to take their chances to kick an identical 2.3 from the first quarter to go into half time with a 4.6 to 4.1 lead as the Woodies continued to take advantage of limited chances.  McCewen was solid in the ruck, while Fatty and Sam Curtis were winning their fair share of footy only to see it rebounded back.  Hopkins and Long in particular were getitng plenty of the footy to keep the Woodies in the game, but there was a risk the floodgates could open and the Woodies needed to keep pushing and taking their chances.

The 3rd quarter was another slug fest, with a majority of the play between the arcs - however, late in the quarter the Hawks had the chance to open up a commanding lead but again failed to take their chances kicking 1.4 for the quarter, to the Woodsmen 1 straight goal to be down by 9 points at the final break.

All looked lost midway through the last when the Hawks had dominant field position and got out to a 19 point lead, however the Woodies had never dropped a game to Sandgate and weren't about to give away this commanding record.  Long was dominating across half back and pushing up through the middle to lock the ball forward and the midfield was beginning to get on top and Garland and Dickfos continued to present quality targets despite the wet conditions.

Long was able to push forward to kick his first goal in his Woodies career, but with less than 2 minutes on the clock and the margin at 12 points, it looked like too little too late.  However, the Woodies again pushed the ball forward for a strong mark in the goalsquare before calmly slotting the goal to close the margin.  Sandgate looked panicked and after being repeatedly run down by the Woodies in recent years, the boys could sense their fear!

The ball went back to the centre and the Woodies won a crucial clearance, before Verma kicked it forward from the wing and big G Moore took a telling grab about 55m out from goal.  With the square empty and the clock ticking down its final seconds he swung around the man on the mark and drilled it home from the 50m line to level the scores!

Woodsmen 8.2 - 50 drew with Sandgate 6.14 - 50

Goals: Garland 3, Dickfos, Mihalopoulos, Verma, Moore, Long 1

Best: Long, Curtis, Dickfos, Devlin, Bell, McCewen

QAFL Round 6 vs Surfers Paradise - "Battle of the Bush"

In Round 6 of the QAFL the Western Magpies will stay true to their name and head west to host Surfers Paradise in Toowoomba on Saturday May 27.

The Western Magpies are proud of their position as the QAFL Representative club for the western suburbs of Brisbane, but also acknowledge the many recruits from much further west who have represented the club with distinction in the past, present and future. 

Courtesy of Peters Coaches support, the club will be putting on a bus for supporters at a cost of $40 return per person, please ensure you contact sponsorship@westernmagpies.com.au to reserve your position or call Chris Dennis on 0402 955 461.

This will get you to Toowoomba and back on the day for the cost of fuel alone, and you can enjoy the day without the concerns of a long drive home.

Westpoint Autos - Ressies Review

RESERVES DOWN NARROWLY IN FIGHTING DISPLAY

The Western Magpies Reserves went down to second placed Labrador by 11 points in a fighting display at Labrador on Saturday.

The Pies were slow to get started but a scintillating five goal third quarter put them right back in the contest at three quarter time. In a see-sawing last quarter the Pies made a couple of costly errors which allowed the Tigers to hold onfor a 12-7 -79 to 10-8-68 victory.

The Pies were forced to make a couple of late changes with Bryce Crossley not shaking off a sore shoulder and Rory Johnson a late recall to the Seniors.

The experience of Matt Dillon at CHB and Sean Mewing in the centre showed the way for the young Pies. Dillon controlled the back line and his composure was excellent while Mewing was all class in the midfield.

Youngsters Will Lloyd and Dom Morrison were good players in the middle of the groundand up forward Riley Easton showed why senior recall may not be far off after a long injury layoff. Another youngster in Tom Roderick had his best game for the Reserves with two neat goals. Damon Allen and Kurt Vine across half back were again good for the fourth match in a row and the positive development of all the young players is a pleasing aspect for the coach and the club.

Another pleasing aspect was the return of key senior players in ruckman Dom Beer and key forward Tom Michael, both from long term injury. Both had restricted game time to nurse back into match conditions and both showed good touch when on the ground. 

Coach Craig Allen says the display was a positive one with the endeavour shown by the team, the commitment to the contestand the increasing confidence in each other being the most pleasing aspects of the game.

The Pies have winnable matches in the next two rounds and wins in those matches would put them firmly back in the finals race.

Labrador 3.2-20 7.3-45 10.6-6612.7-79

defeated

Western Magpies 1.3-9  2.7-19 7.7-49  10.8-68

Best: M. Dillon, S. Mewing, D. Morrison, W. Lloyd, R. Easton, D. Allen

MACK TRUCK MATCH REVIEW - 2ND HALF FADEOUT COSTS PIES

PIES FADE IN SECOND HALF IN LOSS TO LABRADOR

The Western Magpies were unable to go the distance against ladder leaders Labrador on Saturday as they were held to one goal after half time.

The Pies fought hard and had plenty of ball in their forward half but could not break through and put the score on the board against a tough Labrador defence - making it 4 losses from 4 for Western Magpie outfits over Friday and Saturday

The Pies went down by 38 points, 11.9-75 to 5.7-37.  A drizzle fell for most of the match making conditions slippery.

The Magpies hadlate change with Sam Copland recalled to the Brisbane Lions and Rory Johnson coming back into the side.

The standard of footy did not reach great heights as both sides found it difficult to adjust to the wet conditions. The Tigers did it a little better as the Pies ball handling below the knees was not clean enough for this level of footy which cost them at times. A Magpies fumble often gifted the ball to the home team which made the Pies pay on the scoreboard. As well, in wet conditions the Magpies were guilty ofbombing the ball longwhich suited the Tiger defenders.

The Pies were in striking distance at half time and an early third quarter goal put them 6 points down but that was to be the last goal the Pies kicked for the match.

The Magpies struggled in the second half when their most productive onballer Tom Ielasi, who was clean with his ball handling and set up plenty of attacks, suffered a head knock and was forced out of the game.

Harry Marshall at fullback was the Pies best player, keeping his much heralded opponent quiet for most of the match. Liam Dwyer worked hard all match up forward or in ruck and Drew Mitchell won plenty of hard ball in midfield.

David Lewis across half back was again a good player and was swung forward in the last quarter to give the Pies another forward option and youngster Dom Misso on a wing continues to impress with good attack on the ball.

Aaron Highlands in ruck competed all day and is quick to follow up at ground level and is certainly a find for the Magpies this season--he loves the contest!

The Magpies have the bye this week and with a few players with niggling injuries probably comes at a good time. The Magpies host Surfers Paradise at Toowoomba in a promotional match in a fortnight in another big match after the Demons stunned Morningside on the weekend.

Labrador Tigers 2.2-14  6.5-41      8.8-56  11.9-75

Defeated

Western Magpies 1.2-8 4.5-29      5.6-36     5.7-37

Best: H. Marshall, D. Mitchell, L. Dwyer, A. Highlands, D. Lewis, D. Misso

Goals: J. De Winter 2, R. Johnson, G. Crawford, L. Dwyer

CFMG Capital - Colts Review

COLTS RUE MISSED OPPORTUNITY TO REMAIN UNDEFEATED

The Western Magpies Colts suffered their first loss of the season this weekend against a much more determined and fast finishing Labrador outfit.

The Colts jumped out to an early lead in the first quarter but failed to effectively take advantage of a strong breeze and their domination around the midfield. A poor second quarter on transition by the Pies handed the Tigers a much deserved half time lead and really laid down the challenge for the second half. The Colts were much improved around stoppages in the third quarter and used the middle of the ground to launch several forays forward that resulted in scores being all tied up at three quarter time. Unfortunately though, the young Pies were unable to capitalise in the last quarter and went down by a goal.

There were some pleasing performances this week from several players with both Tristan Dowdy and Tristan Jackson playing their best games of the year in defence, winning one-on-ones and becoming dangerous on transition. Young midfielder Caleb Franks hasn't missed a beat and was one of the best on ground in his first game back. Tough and hard at the contest, it's great to see Caleb's ball use improve over the summer and he used this to great effect. Forwards, Jordan Bonney and Jacob Sheath continued to create goal scoring opportunities for themselves and it was great to see Finn Collison and Zac Stegmeyer get amongst the goals this week. Lewis Campbell worked really hard down forward this week getting his hands on the footy and applying great defensive pressure.

Due to the bye and the Toowoomba game (the Colts round 5 match against Surfers Paradise has been re-scheduled to Saturday, June 10th at Chelmer –a general bye weekend for all other clubs), there is now a three week break between games for the Colts.  Whilst not ideal, this will allow the boys to really knuckle down on their structures and ball movement, something that has been an issue for the Colts in their first four games. The boys are close to playing their best football, but maintaining concentration and work rate for a full four quarters needs to become a priority if they wish to play to their full potential.

Labrador 2.1-13 | 6.5-41 | 7.5-47 | 10.8-68

defeated

Western Magpies 4.2-26 | 5.2-32 | 7.5-47 | 9.8-62

Best: T. Jackson, C. Franks, C. Grant, T. Dowdy, J. Bonney, S. de Nys

Goals: J. Bonney 2, F. Collison 2, A. Haddad, C. Franks, Z. Stegmeyer, J. Sheath, C. Grant