Genuine Garage Door Solutions - Colts Review

COLTS BACK ON WINNERS LIST

The Western Magpies Colts got back on the winners list this week with a comfortable 41 point win over Sandgate at Chelmer on Saturday morning. After a sluggish start to the game the young Magpies came out after quarter time and piled on 6 goals to one in the second quarter to open up a handy lead at the long break.

This change in fortunes came on the back of some hard and intense inside work from midfielders Sam deNys, Jacob Sheath, Sam Hartog and Will Gillespie. A much more competitive display from young ruckman Harry Keenan provided these players with a decent crack at the football and the classy Magpies midfield was able to hold sway for the remainder of the game.

From the start of the second quarter the Pies were never headed as they moved the ball quickly and precisely through the middle of the ground. Half backs Tristan Dowdy, Tristan Jackson and Ethan Sivijs worked their way into the game in the second half and were able to win possession back and then use their footy smarts to set up some attacking ball movement from defence.

Jordan Bonney had a day out against the Sandgate defenders kicking 6 goals and regularly out competing multiple defenders. Small forwards Abdullah Haddad and Lewis Campbell worked hard at ground level to lock the ball in the forward 50 making life hard for the opposition defenders. Hamish Campbell, Jayden Johnson and Finn Collison lifted their work rate around the half forward line this week, providing plenty of run, leading up hard and clunking some big marks outside of the forward 50.

It was a much more even and consistent effort from the whole team this weekend and it was really pleasing to see the Colts take some positive steps in the way they approached their football on Saturday. All players were harder at the contest and also worked harder to run to help teammates, aspects of their game lackingin recent losses.

This week will offer up a brand new challenge as the Colts take on top of the ladder Morningside at home on Saturday morning. They will need to work hard during the week and bring their very best, in what should be a cracking match.

Western Magpies

0.3-3 | 6.4-40 | 10.5-65 | 13.7-85

Sandgate

2.5-17 | 3.6-24 | 5.6-36 | 6.8-44

Goal Kickers: J. Bonney 6, H. Campbell 2, F. Collison, A. Haddad, S. Hartog, J. Johnson, C. Grant
Best Players: J. Sheath, S. de Nys, D. Edwards, S. Hartog, J. Bonney, T. Jackson

Coopers Brewery - Woodies Review

Inaccurate and undermanned Woodies overcome Bulldogs

With a record 15 players unavailable (with plenty of hamstring twinges playing a role!) the Woodies faced a dangerous Ormeau outfit on their home deck on Friday night.

A positive about the injuries and unavailability was that it wasn't a surprise late in the week, but something the brains trust became aware of as early as Tuesday.  As a result the call to arms went out and plenty of answered the call!

Players came from far and wide, with Woodies legend Jeffson 'Buddsie' Fehr-Smith abandoning his post as head of security at Splendour in the Grass to resume his spot in the back pocket much to the enjoyment of his teammates.  Also making a cameo appearance was current Colts coach - Reid Dobson, who had previously enjoyed a brief but illustrious Woodsmen career and it was great to see the #3 out there getting amongst it, despite being a little more streamlined these days!

Also coming out of the woodwork was former Magpie Colt, Monty Vine who seems to have found the 20 kilos Dobson misplaced and he put his bulky frame to good use in the ruck in a quality display that had the Woodies brains trust wondering why they hadn't cleared him back before June 30!

Last but not least was Dom Morrison from the Reserves who put his hand up to help out due to being unavailable on Saturday due to a trip home to Townsville.  Young Dominic put his elder teammates to shame with his work ethic and spread from the contest, racking up disposals at will and never once changing off the ball!  Young Dom is certainly welcome back anytime after a clear BOG performance!

Special mention also goes to Ben Ness who at 35 years old and out of the game for a decade, rocked up to training on Wed night for a look and before he knew it - he was pulled into the side for his first outing, where he acquitted himself well with a couple of very good marks.

As for the match, apart from Morrison - it didn't reach any great heights.  The Woodies opened the game with 5 behinds, which was a sign of things to come!  Reguarly pushing forward in slippery conditions the boys struggled to hold their marks, but pleasingly were happy to pull the trigger with some quality and swift ball movement.  Skill errors by foot were rare, but the Woodies were again guilty of the fumbles and at times over committing to the stoppages instead of providing their teammates with the outlet handball.

The half time score of 4.8-32 to 1.2-8 didn't adequately underline the control the Woodsmen had over the game and they came out looking to put the foot down.  The 3rd quarter turned into a one man show, with spearhead Chris Mihalopoulos kicking the entire score for the quarter of 5.2 to the scoreless Bulldogs to open up a 57 point lead at 3/4 time.

With the sizzle out of the game, the Woodies (Mika in particular) kicked plenty more behinds in the last quarter to finish with an 11.17-81 to 2.3-15 victory for a solid % boost to put clear air between the Woodies and 3rd place on the ladder.

Travis Young was again superb down back as he solidifies his spot in the side after a great 3 weeks.  Sean Toohey showed glimpses of his youth with a long bomb goal and subsequent celebration enjoyed by his teammates and travelling cheersquad alike, while Shayne Baldwin showed plenty of run, while Greg Matthews showed poise with 2 quality finishes from 2 tough chances.  Mihalopoulos kicked 7, but could have had 12+ if he had his kicking boots on (if he has any?)

Best: Morrison, Mihalopoulos, Heath, McDonald, Vine, Bell

Goals: Mihalopoulos 7, Matthews 2, Baldwin, Toohey 1

PLACE PREVIEW - MAGPIES LOOKING TO MAINTAIN MOMENTUM

MAGPIES TO KEEP MOMENTUM GOING

The Western Magpies will look to keep the momentum of a good victory last week going as they host the last placed Sandgate at Chelmer in Saturday.

Coach Brydan Morgan and his selectors have again been forced to make several changes to the side with Charlie Pershouse unavailable and Lachie Dennis and Billy Johnson selected for GWS NEAFL team to play at Southport and Cal Carseldine back to Aspley.

In comes Riley Easton after regaining touch in the Reserves last week, Joe Murphy back from injury, Matt Thomson from Redlands and Matt Mazarolle promoted to add height to the defence.  

Pershouse is a big loss after a 6 goal display last week and a QAFL Syd Guildford Award nomination to go with his Rising Star Award in round one , also against Mt Gravatt. Johnson played his best match for the Pies last week and Dennis has been in solid form on a wing in recent weeks. 

Murphy, Easton and Thomson are similar players to Johnson and Dennis but Pershouse's shoes are big to fill.

Brady Allen warmed to the task last week and will be better for the outing and he can be a valuable swingman if needed, able to play forward or back.

Jack Goodall and Liam Dwyer have been strong performers in past weeks and will be called upon to carry a bigger load in Pershouse's absence.

Will Fletcher and Luke Mitchell both slotted nicely into the back half last week in polished displays and Harry Marshall is Mr Consistent.  

Val Pope looked dangerous last week without getting the rewards on the scoreboard and with Jake de Winter form a dangerous forward pairing. 

Aaron Highlands just keeps putting in and the grunt of Gareth Crawford and Drew Mitchell in midfield  should give the Pies plenty of drive.

The Pies cannot afford to take the Hawks lightly as they have pushed a number of teams in recent weeks. The prospect of consolidating in the five should be enough incentive for the Magpies to work hard to ensure the four points are pocketed.

Western Magpies v Sandgate at Chelmer on Saturday, July 8th  at 2.00 pm

B: Tom Ielasi Harry Marshall Luke Mitchell

HB: Matt Davis (vc) Liam Dwyer Will Fletcher

C:  Joe Murphy  Drew Mitchell (c) Brodie Easton

HF: Brenton Saunders Jack Goodall Val Pope

F: Riley Easton Jake de Winter Brady Allen

Rucks: Aaron Highlands Gareth Crawford

Rover: Ben Jaenke-Cain

I/c: Logan Murray, Matt Mazarolle, Matt Thomson, Aaron Maricic, 

Anytime Fitness - Ressies Preview

ANOTHER WEEK OF CHANGES FOR RESERVES—LOOKING FOR THIRD WIN

The Western Magpies Reserves will be looking for their third win of the season when they host last placed Sandgate at Chelmer on Saturday.

Once again coach Craig Allen has been forced to make another seven changes to the team with most changes forced due to promotion to Seniors, injury, suspension and unavailability.

Promoted to Seniors are  Riley Easton and Matt Mazarolle, Jackson Allen inflamed his ankle, Tadiwa Parirenyatwa is back in Harare, Matt Dillon and Dom Morrison are both unavailable and Damion Allen is out with a one week suspension.

In are Braydon Thomas back after x2 ACL reconstructions after injuring his knee in pre-season 2016, Geoff Gibb from a long term leg injury for his first game this year, regular Senior Chris Hunt is at CHB after missing last week in Seniors, Will Burgess and Will Lloyd return after both missed last week with illness and winger Kiran Verma, and half back Fraser Bliesner from the Woodies come in to help out due to the long injury and unavailability list at the club, as well as Elliot Heath on standby (cousin of past player Hunter)

Thomas has made a remarkable recovery to return to football and young ruckman Gibb has worked hard to overcome a nagging leg injury and will be valuable to help out Josh Uebergang in the ruck.  

The Pies still have a solid team with young players Rory Johnson, Dom Misso, Josh White, Kurt Vine and Jeremy DeRooy all contributing in recent weeks. Bryce Crossley keeps on keeping on in the middle and with Hunt will provide the experience the Pies need.

There are nine changes to the team that easily defeated Sandgate in Round 2 and that is a bit of the story of the reserves season this year, never able to establish a consistent team and never having their best side on the ground week in week out.

But we suppose that can be the lot of a Reserves team and while the Pies have not set the world on fire this year they have been competitive in most matches.

But just being competitive won’t cut it this time and the Magpies will need to be on their toes as theHawks will have this match pencilled in as a game they can break their 2017 duck. However, a committed Magpies should have enough firepower to overcome Sandgate.    

Western Magpies Reserves v Sandgate at Chelmer on Saturday, July 8th at 11.30 am

B: Brayden Thomas,  Jamie Page, Geoff Gibb

HB: Kurt Vine, Chris Hunt, Rohan Smith

C: James Gainford, Bryce Crossley (vc), Kiran Verma

HF: Sam Taylor, Gabe McKinnon (c), Tom Roderick

F:  Will Burgess, Jeremy DeRooy,  Dom Beer

Rucks: Josh Uebergang Joshua White

Rover: Rory Johnson

I/C: Will Lloyd,  Dom Misso,  Matt Cowton, Fraser Bliesner

Emerg: Elliott Heath

CFMG Capital - Colts Preview

COLTS DESPERATE FOR A WIN

The Western Magpies Colts will be looking to turn their form around this week against Sandgate on Saturday morning. After some hard fought losses in recent weeks the young Magpies have really knuckled down and are committed to turning their fortunes around. The evenness of the competition has meant the Pies remain in third spot, but the team understands that a more concerted effort at training and on game day is required if they are to play finals football.

Several injuries, representative duties and holidays have presented some issues at selection this week and the Colts welcome back Hamish Campbell, Cal Grant and Tom Slatter into the lineup. The Colts have put a lot of time into their contested work this week and will look to put in a much improved effort when the ball is in dispute. The backline has led from the front this year and expect no different this week against Sandgate. They rarely get beaten one-on-one and provide run and carry through the middle of the ground.

The forwards will need to have their kicking boots on after a couple of inaccurate weeks in front of goal. Jordan Bonney and Finn Collison have been providing an excellent target in the forward 50 but need more support from the small forwards when the ball hits the ground. Hopefully, the midfielders can get the ball in nice and quickly and provide them with some one-on-one opportunities.

This game is a big one for the Colts this week and understand that they need to provide a greater work rate around the contest and work harder as a team if they want to get the job done. Back at the usual time of 9:30 am it would be great if some family members could get down to support, run some water and help out with the time keeping.

Western Magpies Colts v Sandgateat Chelmer on Saturday, July 8th at 9.30 am

B: Tristan Jackson,  Zac Stegmeyer, Saxon Pobjoy

HB: Ethan Sivijs, Whitlam Bishop, Tristan Dowdy   

C: Noah Resuggan, Sam De Nys, Dan Edwards,           

HF: Jayden Johnson, Lewis Campbell, Hamish Campbell,

F: Abdullah Haddad, Finn Collison, Jordan Bonney,

Rucks:  Jacob Sheath, Sam Hartog

Rover:  Harry Keenan

Int: Will Gillespie,  Tom Slatter,  Cal Grant, Cameron Macdonald

MACK TRUCK MATCH REVIEW - 'HOLY' DAY AS PIES DOMINATE 2ND HALF

MAGPIES DOMINATE SECOND HALF TO CELEBRATE POPE'S 200th

The Western Magpies completely dominated the second half of their QAFL clash with Mt Gravatt at Chelmer in front of a healthy home crowd to help celebrate Val Pope's 200th Senior game in the black and white. 

Pope was presented with his guernsey for his milestone match by premiership teammate and fellow 200 gamer Tim McEvoy, who is the Pies defensive line coach this year. 

The Pies overcame a three goal deficit late in the second quarter to dominate after half time with 9 goals while keeping the Vultures to a solitary third quarter goal

The Magpie midfield and backline were brilliant as they kept the visitors to 1-4 after the long break and 1 point in the last quarter. 

The Magpies had a 57 point turnaround to win by 39 points, 13-15-93 to 8-6-54.

Charlie Pershouse was outstanding up forward and pinch hitting in the ruck and finished the match with 6 goals to underline his talent. He has been threatening a break out match and he delivered with strong marking but also his defensive efforts led to several turnovers at the contest and this forced the Vulture defenders into hurried decision making and turnovers. 

The Pies held sway in the opening minutes of the first quarter but once again wasted opportunities and inaccurate goalkicking threatened to derail the team again. Coach Brydan Morgan asked his players to have faith in each and continue working hard and the tide will turn. 

The second quarter didn't go according to plan as Mt Gravatt pounced on several Pies errors to open up a 3 goal lead at the 20 minute mark of the second quarter before a late Pies goal had them 12 points down at half time. 

A goal apiece early in the third quarter including a scrambled snap by Val Pope kept the Pies in the hunt before they took complete control of the midfield and won the contested ball. With confidence rising the young Pies found their mojo with strong running and tackling to score 8 unanswered goals and a victory which puts them back in fifth place on the ladder.

Pershouse enjoys playing Mt Gravatt because he also had a fine fame in the Magpies round 1 win and in this match he had his best game for the club. 

Another youngster in Billy Johnson also had his best game in Seniors and along with Lachie Dennis and Will Fletcher, in his return to the Senior team, absorbed a fair bit of attention from Mt Gravatt players who tried to rough them up but they all responded with strong games. Johnson ran and tackled hard and his disposal and decision making were both excellent in a display that pleased his coach. 

Luke Mitchell made the most of his recall with a much more polished display and he along with Jack Goodall and Harry Marshall were strong in defence to keep the Pies in it in the first half. 

Aaron Highlands again rise to the occasion in ruck and also did strong work around ground and must be close to a QAFL Rising Star nomination. Jake de Winter was also a live wire up forward and 2 goals was not anaccurate reflection on his work rate. 

Pope was as usual busy in his 200th match but uncharacteristically missed a few shots on goal. 

The Magpies host Sandgate at Chelmer next week and will look to consolidate in the five.

QAFL Coach's interview-- Brydan Morgan

"It was a good win in the end but we made hard work of it in the first quarter but to win by almost 40 points, with 29 scoring shots to 14, was pleasing.

The message at quarter time was to keep the faith and continue to work hard and the tide will turn.

We have been playing good footy but often with no reward so it was a matter of keeping them up mentally and it was good to see their effort bring a strong win,

Charlie Pershouse was fantastic for us today and has been working hard all year. He is a great young kid who can put a lot of pressure on himself and today showed what he can do.

Val Pope in his 200th  match was good and I have been fortunate enough to see him play in 2015 and this year. His class in the air is unbelievable  and he is a terrific ball player at ground level.

He has the right mix of talent and competitiveness and is just a class act. It is great to have him at our footy club”.

Western Magpies

3.6-244.8-32 9.11-65 13.15-93

Mt Gravatt

3.2-20   7.2-448.5-53     8.6-54

Western Magpies

Goal Kickers:

C. Pershouse 6, J. De Winter 2, T. Ielasi 2, A. Maricic, L. Dwyer, V. Pope

Best Players:

C. Pershouse, W. Johnson, L. Mitchell, A. Highlands, J. Goodall, G.Crawford

QAFL writeup on the game:

Welcome to Charlie Pershouse

Western Magpies tall forward Charlie Pershouse been an interesting study this season, dominating in some games, while going missing in others. The nineteen-year-old Lions Academy prospect was the former on Saturday, using his blistering pace to impact up the ground, then get back and hit the scoreboard. The big Magpie’s performance netted him six goals.

“We don’t need him to be perfect and that’s the same with all our forwards. He puts a lot of pressure on himself and it’s good to see that he just takes the game on and like you say, get’s some reward for effort,” said Magpies coach Brydan Morgan, speaking after the game.

While the Magpies controlled the contest for most of the game, Mt Gravatt were ahead on the scoreboard at half time, and maintained their lead till midway through the third. The dam wall eventually broke and from the eighth minute of the third term, the Magpies kicked eight unanswered goals to finish off the game.

Magpies midfielders Drew Mitchell and Tom Ielasi were influential around the grounds, with ‘in and under’ support from Gareth Crawford. Jakob De Winter threatened down forward, but missed some opportunities, while Liam Dwyer also provided a forward target to kick to.

Jayden Crawley was impressive for the Vultures, taking some important big marks and attracting plenty of the footy. Joe Murphy put in another reliable performance and won his share under the packs. Too much was left to too few on the day and going forward the Vutures will need more contributors, particularly if they want to be around come finals time.

Bodykey Chiropractic - Farewell 'Uncle Pari / Hot Sauce"

FROM ZIMBABWE TO BRISBANE TO PLAY AUSSIE RULES - THE BERG FAREWELLS A CHARACTER!

Australian Football is our home grown game and is our most popular football code, but it is not a major sport in any other country.

However, the footprint is expanding and attracting interest overseas and no better example is Western Magpies footballer Tadiwa Parirenyatwa, all the way from Harare, Zimbabwe. 

A Zimbabwean Under 20 rugby representative, he is a tall young man and played at lock in a match in which his Zimbabwe team went down to England by only 2 points. This was the highlight of a promising rugby career. 

"Uncle Pari" or "Hot Sauce", as he was soon nicknamed at the Pies, found AFL on the TV a few years ago and was immediately hooked on the game. He could not believe the athleticism and all-round skills of AFL players and decided he wanted to play the game himself. 

Only one problem--there is no AFL played in Zimbabwe. 

So what do you do? You arrange to study in Australia and that is what Tadiwa did -- he came to Brisbane a few years ago and enrolled in a Property Economics degree at QUT and soon met former Magpies co-captain Callum Carseldine and he was invited to Chelmer to try out for the Pies. 

Tadiwa was instantly hooked and unfortunately while still learning the skills and nuances of the game he suffered some significant injury setbacks, but has been a valuable player in ruck early in his time at the Pies and then upon his return enjoyed time in key positions both in defence and forward as he enjoyed his time in the Pies Reserves

Originally it was planned for Tadiwa to be in Australia until early 2018 and while says he was loving every minute of his time here and especially loves the football club and culture at the Western Magpies, it was time to head home due to withdrawal from his University Studies for more 'entrepreneurial pursuits!' His enthusiasm was infectious and he was always willing to learn and also help out at the club in any way.

With a wicked sense of humour, he was always an honourary Aussie and his presence at the club will be sorely missed.

Everyone involved at the Western Magpies wishes him well in his future endeavours, and plenty have no doubt it will not be the last we hear of the famous 'Hot Sauce'.

Anytime Fitness - Ressies Review

LAST QUARTER FADE OUT COSTS RESERVES

A competitive Western Magpies Reserves pushed the top team Mt Gravatt for three quarters of a high class match before fading in the last quarter to go down by 43 points , 15-10-100 to 8-9-57.

The Pies belied their ladder position to push the Vultures hard but ran out of legs in the finish after closing to 2 goals late in the third quarter. 

Coach Craig Allen was again pleased with his teams' endeavour and attitude but again some skill errors and turnovers often when the Pies were pressingallowed the visitors breathing space. 

Bryce Crossley was again the mid-field general and is playing at the level that won him the best and fairest in 2015. 

Riley Easton regained some form with plenty of possessions to push his case for a Senior recall, and young forward Jeremy DeRooy continues to get better and he finished with 3 goals. 

Matt Mazarolle enjoyed a stint in the midfield and he has put together several good games recently and Dom Morrison on a wing also won plenty of the ball. 

Rohan Smith was solid in defence and Jackson Allen showed his class across half back before his ankle flared late in the third quarter. 

The Pies have a chance to get back on the winners list next Saturday when they host Sandgate.

Western Magpies

3.2-20 4.4-28 7.7-49   8.9-57

Mt Gravatt

4.0-24   7.4-4610.7-6715.10-100

Goal Kickers:

J. DeRooy 3, M. Mazerolle 2, J. Gainford, D. Beer, G. McKinnon

Best Players:

B. Crossley, R. Easton, J. DeRooy, M. Mazerolle, R. Smith, D. Morrison

RHP Physio - Colts Review

COLTS DOWN IN LAST KICK OF THE DAY

The Western Magpies Colts slumped to their third loss in a row this week in an upset loss to eighth placed Mt Gravatt by a goal. The young Magpies led at half time and three quarter time, but were unable to hold out a fast finishing Mt Gravatt in the final few minutes of the game. 

With the scores level late in the final quarter Mt Gravatt kicked the winning goal as the siren sounded.  The young Pies still hold onto third place on the ladder despite the 7-6-48 to 8-6-54 loss.

The game was played under lights in front of a good crowd and was a tough encounter, fiercely fought around the contest, skilful when the ball was out in the open and neck and neck from start to finish. The Colts worked hard on transition to move the ball quickly through the middle when opportunities arose and sought to play-on forward of centre when ever possible. However, poor delivery into the forward 50 arc was easily cut off by the Vultures defenders providing them with too many opportunities to rebound and transition from defence. The Pies still need to work harder around the contest to ensure they are not giving the opposition an easy exit from stoppage situations.

When the game was in the balance it was great to see a few players stand up, work hard and try and will the team over the line. Onballers Max Webber, Sam Hartog, Jacob Sheath and Sam deNys worked tirelessly all evening and were well supported by Noah Resuggan on the wing. As always the half back line led by Whitlam Bishop and Zac Stegmeyer held their own, keeping the Vultures forwards at bay and providing run and carry when the ball was in the Pies hands. Jayden Johnson was a shining light up forward, leading up hard at the ball carrier and clunking some great one grab marks.

You could hear a pin drop in the rooms after the game and it was obvious that this loss really hit home hard. Whilst the boys still maintain third sport they realise now that they have let a few opportunities slip and it's time to knuckle down at training, work hard as a group and improve their deficiencies if we they are to maintain a top three position on the ladder.

Sandgate this week will be another tough game but expect a much more committed group to take the paddock in a must win game for the Western Magpies Colts.

Western Magpies

1.3-9   5.3-33    6.5-417.6-48

Mt Gravatt

2.2-144.5-295.6-368.6-54

Western Magpies

Goal Kickers:

T. Jackson 2, S. Hartog, M. Webber, J. Bonney, F. Collison, C. Jenkins

Best Players:

J. Sheath, N. Resuggan, M. Webber, Z. Stegmeyer, W. Bishop, S. Hartog

Coopers - Friday Footy Review

Woodsmen Consolidate Outright 2nd Spot

Playing at home on a cold Friday night at the nest last week, the Woodies consolidated 2nd spot on the ladder with a convincing 8 goal victory over 3rd placed Sandgate in front of a disappointing crowd!

Rocked once again in the 10 minutes before the game by 4 late outs, the Woodies managed to scrap together a strong 22 despite the hiccups and after a weak first half – improved their play considerably as the game wore on.

Before the game, Sean Toohey failed to overcome a rib injury, defending B&F winner Sam Curtis was unable to overcome a significant hip complaint, Scott ‘Burnsy’ Matthews succumbed to a calf injury and Sammy Long proved that 38 year old hamstrings don’t repair inside 2 weeks – much to everyones shock…!

Coming into the side were club stalwart Dylan Mudge after missing multiple weeks due to international work travel, young colt Cameron Smith and former coach Scott Keane with the former 2 having significant impact on the game and old ‘Keno’ proving to be a solid impact player late the game as well!  Huge thanks to Cam Smith for making himself available for a late call-up and distinguishing himself with a bit of dash and skill off half-back.

The Woodies were a little slow out of the blocks, failing to gain any continuity in their ball movement – but keeping the scoreboard ticking over nicely.  Big G. Moore was proving a handful across half-forward, while Hockley and Woods were working their way into the game nicely through the midfield.

The Woodies held a slender 8 point lead at half time, with Irish Sammy Banim having a strong showing in the forward half with his pace and skill – while Elliot Heath was consistent throughout the game with his attack on the footy and ability to apply pressure on the opposition.  Big Moore also had 2 early goals on the board, including a lovely long bomb from well outside 50 after a strong mark.

In the 2nd half the Woodies began to get on top, moving the ball cleanly from stoppages and hitting targets with more regularity.  Recognising the over crowded forwardline, the Woodies also isolated Chris Mihalopoulos deep and the result was the ‘Mika’ show in the 2nd half as he regularly took strong marks and turned his opponent inside out at ground level to finish with 6 goals.

Pleasingly, other strong games were had by 2nd gamers Fraser Bliesner through the middle and on the flanks – while Travis Young was a revelation down back with his spoiling and clean hands and vision setting up many clean exits from defence.

Thomson competed hard with a bigger opponent in the ruck, but also floated back to take some telling grabs – but surely the feature of this game were his running (shuffling) bounces up the wing!

After a strong 2nd half, the Woodies ran out 8 goal winners 12.8 – 80 to 5.2 – 32 with a 7 goal to 1 second half.

Goals: Mika 6, Irish 3, G.Moore 2, Lochie Mac 1

Best: Mika, Hockley, Woodsy, Young, G.Moore, Thomson

Coopers - Friday Footy Preview

WOODSMEN LOOKING TO CONSOLIDATE 2ND SPOT

The Woodsmen will take on Sandgate this evening at the nest at 7:30pm with plenty to play for.  After suffering just their 2nd defeat of the season last week, they now take on 3rd placed Sandgate and a victory will put a decent gap between the sides fighting it out for 2nd spot.

As is always the case, there are plenty of changes to the side again this week with key players Lachlan Woods, Andrew Thomson, Jake Fuentes and Corey Hopkins making up a big list of inclusions.  The Woodies were also rocked last week by the loss of 2016 B&F winner Sam Curtis in the opening minute of the game, and should he take the field tonight he will add to an already important quartet.

However, on the debit side the lynch pin of defence in superstar centre half back, Tim Green is unavailable as is the versatile utility Matt Garland.  Also out is important spearhead, Jay Baker who after 4 solid return games from an ACL is taking a well earnt rest, and in form Blake Barkley who popped a hammy at training during the week.

The back 6 remains solid, with a full back line of Matty Prior, Paul Eaton and new recruit Travis Young - while the halfback line mixes experience and speed with regular winger Kiran Verma relishing his role running off half back, next to Scott Matthews filling the key post and Corey Hopkins offering exceptional ball use and footy smarts on the other flank.

Through the middle of the ground, Chris Davis moves onto one wing to compliment youngster Elliott Heath on the other.  These 2 are no doubt the fittest blokes in the side and will power through plenty of work out wide.  In the centre, Lachlan Woods comes back into the side to create a particularly tough and aggressive on-ball division with Andrew Thomson in the ruck and Matt Hockley at ground level.  With Sam Curtis under an injury cloud, new recruit Fraser Bliesner will fill that on-ball role with his outside speed and solid ball use going inside 50.

Across half-forward the Woodies look particularly strong with Lochie McDonald in good recent form with his exceptional long kicking and ability in the air.  Gerard Moore at Centre Half Forward always straightens up the side and provides a quality target, while the livewire Irish Sammy Banim will patrol the other flank with his speed an often mercurial goal sense.

Deep forward is a beautiful mix of experience and footy smarts, as well as a bit of flair from the young gun in Jake Fuentes.  Coach Chris Mihalopoulos will play from the goal square in a shorter than usual full forward line, complimented by the smarts and experience of Sean Toohey in the pocket.

Plenty of depth in the side this week, with in the in form Andrew Bell on the bench showing the embarassment of riches the Woodies have when it comes to full-backs along with Greg Matthews providing midfield/forward depth, Shayne Baldwin offering good utility options and Sam Curtis potentially coming off the bench due to a bit of soreness from last week.

Get on down to the Nest tonight to support the boys in what promises to be a quality encounter! Enjoy a meal and a Coopers along with a quality game of footy.

B: MattyP - Pauly - Trav

HB: K - Burnsy - Chopper

C: ChrisD - Woodsy - Elliott

HF: Lochie - G - Irish

F: Jakey - Mika - Happy

Foll: Thommo - Hocks - Fraser

Int: AB - Shayne - Moe - Sammy

Emergencies: Mudgee - Cameron Smith (Colts)

PLACE PREVIEW - PIES LOOKING TO LIFT FOR BIG OCCASION

PIES TO LIFT FOR VAL POPE'S 200th

The Western Magpies are expected to lift for Val Pope's 200th Senior game when they host old rivals Mt Gravatt at Chelmer on Saturday.

Pope is one of the best ever players to wear theblack and white in the 50 years of Senior Football at Chelmer and no doubt his teammates will be keen to celebrate the occasion with a victory to get the Pies season back on track. There is expected to be a big turnout of Pope’s ex-teammates on the day as the Magpies are hosting the "Feathers Fly" during the day featuring Simon Black as one of the guest speakers.

The fortunes of both sides are a mirror image from the start of the season with the Pies having a brilliant start to the year with a 74 point win over the Vultures in round one of the QAFL, but have slipped down the ladder since while Mt Gravatt have found some form.

Since round one the Pies have won two matches and Mt Gravatt four matches to go a game ahead of the Pies on the ladder.

Once again coach Brydan Morgan and his selectors have had to juggle the side with a further four changes to the side.

There are four quality inclusions led by 2015-16 co-skipper Cal Carseldine returning after injury playing at Aspley and one Reserves match last week. Also in are regular 2016 players Brady Allen, Will Fletcher and Luke Mitchell. Allen incredibly comes back only 8 months after an ACL reconstruction after 2 solid Reserves outings while Mitchell returns after a solitary week in Reserves and 18 year old Fletcher after a Reserves match last week after injury during a stint at the Brisbane Lions Academy.

Out go the in-form David Lewis with a season ending knee injury, Chris Hunt unavailable, Luca Mason back to Aspley and Riley Easton to Reserves to rediscover some form.

Lewis and Hunt are big losses as both have been in good form in defence for the Pies.

The Pies go into the match with 5 changes to the side which easily accounted for the Vultures in round one—missing are David Lewis, Dom Misso, Mitchell Stallard, Rory Johnsonand Joe Murphy and new additions are Cal Carseldine, Will Fletcher, Billy Johnson, Brady Allen and Jack Goodall. So the nucleus of the side is still there and the Pies need to recapture that early season form which included rapid ball movementto the forward line where Jake de Winter was able to run riot in that clash. De Winter returned to form last week with 6 goals and he will be a key player along with tall forward Charlie Pershouseif the Pies are to kick a winning score. 

The Magpies have inform players in Tom Ielasi, Gareth Crawford and Drew Mitchell running through the midfield and with Brady Allen another target up forward the Pies forward options have improved.

With Lewis and Hunt missing the brunt of the defensive work falls on Harry Marshall and Matt Davis, and Jack Goodall might also find himself moved into defence at times in the match. The Pies kept Mt Gravatt to 5 goals in the first clash so a similar defensive effort from the Pies back six will go a long way toward a Pies victory.

Well, would you believe it but this is another 8 point match for the Magpies and if they can recapture some of their early season run and carry they can overcome the Vultures, who will be a different proposition than the early season clash.

And with the added incentive of Val Pope’s 200th match the Pies will give it everything they have got to bring home the four points. 

Western Magpies V Mt Gravattat Chelmer on Saturday, July 1stat 2.00 pm

B: Tom Ielasi Harry Marshall Logan Murray

HB: Matt Davis (vc) Liam Dwyer Will Fletcher

C: Lachie DennisDrew Mitchell (c) Brodie Easton

HF: Brenton Saunders Charlie Pershouse Val Pope

F: Jake de Winter Jack Goodall Brady Allen

Rucks: Aaron Highlands Gareth Crawford

Rover: Ben Jaenke-Cain

I/c: Billy Johnson, Luke Mitchell, Aaron Maricic, Callum Carseldine

Westpoint Autos - Ressies Preview

PIES RESERVES LOOKING TO UPSET LADDER LEADERS

The Western Magpies Reserves have another seven changes to the team as they prepare to play the ladder leaders Mt Gravatt on Saturday. 

A big inclusion is Aspley listed player and ex- Gold Coast (AFL) and Sturt (SANFL) half back and former Magpie in Jackson Allen, who returns after being out for a long period with injury. 

It will be a long time since Allen played Reserves football but it is good to see him back playing and in the black and white. 

Also in is Riley Easton who has struggled to recapture his 2015 form after missing 2016 with an ACL reconstruction. 

Out go a quartet to the Seniors in Brady Allen, Cal Carseldine, Will Fletcher and Luke Mitchell as well as Scott Musson who is on work commitments and young gun Caleb Franks is off to Melbourne with the State U/17 Squad

Youngsters in Dom Morrison, Matt Mazarolle, Rory Johnson, Dom Misso, Damon Allen, Kurt Vine  and Joshua White have all been good in recent weeks and with Easton, Jeremy deRooy and James Gainford also back in the Pies will look to their youthful enthusiasm to lift them against the strong Vultures outfit.

Matt Dillon at CHB was a bit rusty last week and will be better for the run and Bryce Crossley just keeps on working hard through the middle.

The Pies have only won 2 matches but have a percentage of 83% so have been competitive in most outings this year.

The Pies should lift as it is the popular Tadiwa Parirenyatwa’s last match for the Pies before he heads home to Zimbabwe  and his teammates would love nothing better to send him out on a winning note as well as cause a huge upset against their close rivals.

 Western Magpies Reserves v Mt Gravatt at Chelmer on Saturday, July 1st at 11.30 am

B: Rohan Smith,  Jamie Page, Jackson Allen

HB: Damon Allen, Matt Dillon, Kurt Vine

C: James Gainford, Bryce Crossley (vc), Dom Morrison

HF: Matt Mazarolle Gabe McKinnon (c), Dom Misso

F: Riley Easton Jeremy DeRooy Dom Beer

Rucks: Josh Uebergang Joshua White

Rover: Rory Johnson

I/C: Tadiwa Parirenyatwa, Tom Roderick, Sam Taylor, Matt Cowton

BodyKey Chiropractic - Colts Preview

MUST WIN GAME FOR COLTS IN TWILIGHT MATCH

The Western Magpies Colts enter their round 10 match up against Mt Gravatt coming off a pair of disappointing losses in recent weeks. The young Pies have freshened up this week and are keen to atone in this must win clash against the Vultures.

The Magpies will be without star pair Caleb Franks and Jack Austin this week as they travel to Melbourne with the U17's state squad, a well deserved reward for playing some outstanding football this year. A host of injuries, illnesses and other commitments have also opened the door for Lewis Campbell, Josh Commons, Tristan Jackson and Danny Grandy to come back into the line up while Cameron MacDonald will run around for his first game in Magpies colours this weekend, and we look forward to him providing first use of the footy in the ruck.

A much stronger mindset and commitment to winning the football will be paramount to the Colts success this weekend and expect to see midfield leaders Max Webber, Jacob Sheath, Sam Hartog and Sam deNys to lead from the front in this regard. The team has continued to work hard around the contest at training this week and not allowing Mt Gravatt to move the ball away from congestion too easily be a key component of the Magpies plans.

Quick ball movement and brave footy will be high on the Magpies agenda as they look to take advantage of the solid defensive work of Whitlam Bishop, Zac Stegmeyer, Tristan Dowdy and Ethan Sivijs. The forward line has had a bit of a make over this weekend with excitement machines Abdullah Haddad and Chris Jenkins looking to provide some spark and energy around the feet of Jordan Bonney and Finn Collison.

It is a vital round for all Magpies teams this week and the Colts are excited about being the final game of the day and are hoping all supporters stay behind after the seniors and support the up and coming young Magpies.

Western Magpies Colts v Mt Gravatt at Chelmer on Saturday, July 1st at 4.45 pm

B: Tristan Jackson,  Zac Stegmeyer, Saxon Pobjoy

HB: Ethan Sivijs, Whitlam Bishop, Tristan Dowdy   

C: Noah Resuggan, Max Webber, Dan Edwards,           

HF: Jayden Johnson,   Chris Jenkins, Lewis Campbell

F: Abdullah Haddad, Finn Collison, Jordan Bonney,

Rucks:  Jacob Sheath, Sam De Nys

Rover:  Harry Keenan

Int: Josh Commons,  Sam Hartog,  Daniel Grandy, Cameron Macdonald

CFMG Capital - Grentell reflects on coaching the Pope!

PAUL GRENTELL ON VAL POPE

I first came across Val Pope in 2004 when I was playing coach of the Western Magpies’s side in the QAFL. Val had been put forward along with Tim Plummer to play some senior games upon recommendations from the Kenmore Bears. 

Pope and Grentell enjoyed Premiership success together twice, first in 2006 in Pope's first year in Senior footy and again above in 2008 in one of the best local grand finals you're ever likely to see

Val was a skinny shy looking kid that was renowned for his football smarts and evasive skills who could kick goals. Both players played for us against Labrador at home, with Labrador at the time struggling and we beat them quite well with Tim kicking multiple goals and Val playing OK through the midfield and forward. I had seen glimpses of Val’s ability but wasn’t totally convinced and said to both players to come and play against Southport the following week where I knew they would be tested. My thoughts of Val’s abilities after that day were confirmed as this kid was going to be a star! Val dominated the opposition as a 16 year old and a few of us oldies that were finishing off our careers helping develop the kids in the 2’s were relishing having him in our team for the day. The opposition took notice of him as well and started to target him quite fiercely (something that continues to this day). Tony “Chuck” Zillman took it upon himself to be Val’s protector for the game and I believe this is when Val understood that we are a family at The Magpies and once you put on the jumper we will look out for you whether you have played 200 games or just 2 games. I strongly believe that the protection and support that Tony displayed along with his fellow team mates that day went a long way towards Val choosing the Western Magpies as his senior club.

After a brief stint with Mt Gravatt forced by AFLQ, Val returned to the Magpies to play in the all-conquering Alan Hagley (Hags) coached Under 18s Division 1 Premiership team that defeated Southport soundly at the Gabba in the 2005 Grand Final. A development pathway for Val was produced by Hags in consultation with myself and Val where he would play in the Under 18s that year under the guidance of Gary Shaw and Hags then move into senior footy. The plan worked and the ‘finished product’ that Hags and Shawry produced was ready to go...

Val’s influence at senior level was instant! Kicking multiple goals in his first senior game against the previous year’s Premiers, Burleigh, and went on that year to win the AFLQ Competition Player of the Year as a 19 year old. He has won many games off his own boot making seasoned defenders look silly whilst having a team first attitude. Val has the ability to change a game in minutes and was my “go to” player through the midfield when we were struggling to win the ball. He is an entertainer and people to this day go to the local footy just to watch him play. He was instrumental in all 3 of the Premierships he has been a part of and has been pivotal to the success at the club. He has been and continues to be the best forward of the modern era, not only at the club but in the competition and would be amongst,  in my opinion,  one of the best players to play in the western suburbs. A full forward line containing Giffard, St John and Pope would be a true spectacle to see…. Thanks for the entertainment Val, it was a privilege to coach you and thanks for playing for the Maggies!

Place Player Profile - 200 of the Best for the Magpie Pope

MAGPIE POPE BRINGS UP 200 OF THE BEST

Longtime Magpie star, Val Pope will play his 200th Senior match when the Western Magpies play Mt Gravatt at Chelmer on Saturday.

The silky skills of Pope have long thrilled the Western Magpies crowd for 11 seasons since he made his Senior debut in 2006. Pope is brilliant in the air with sure hands ensuring he is a true ‘one grab mark’ and then at ground level his clean hands are as good as any player in the QAFL.

Pope began his career with the Pies in 2004 when he played a couple of Reserves matches under coach Paul Grentell.

He had moved to Brisbane as an 11 year old from Melbourne where, encouraged by his parents, he had played junior football for Bentleigh. He joined the local Kenmore side and played with them to Under 16 level. He was in the Queensland state squad and it was decreed by AFLQ that squad members had to play at State League level so played several matches at Mt Gravatt that year.

After his taste of Reserves football with the Pies, he moved permanently across to the Western Magpies with good mates Ed McDonnell and Angus Graham where he was a member of the 2005 Under 18 Division 1 Premiership under Alan Hagley and Gary Shaw.  Teammates in that side included Sean McEvoy, Matt Davis, Mick Hamill, Rohan Bail and Damien Bonney.

He progressed straight into the Seniors in 2006 and was a member of the Pies premiership team that defeated Noosa under Paul Grentell. He was runner up to David Hamill in the Bill Peirce Medal count in his first season in Senior football and won the QAFL's Medal for the League's Best Player.

He has never been dropped from the Senior side since debut and did not miss a game from 2006 to 2009, however in recent years he has missed a few games with soft tissue injury or work related travel.

To underline his ability and value to the Pies, he won his first Bill Peirce Medal in a Premiership year in 2008 and then again in 2015 when the Pies finished second on the QAFL ladder. This makes him the best of a very good team. He was also named in the QAFL Team of the Year in 2015.

Premiership teammate MattThompson regards Pope as one of the best and toughest players he has played with and he is one of the top two or three players he played with at the Pies. That list includes class players such as Jim Rozynski, Ed McDonnell, Chris Mihalopoulos, Luke Scott, Tim McEvoy and Ben Heffernan-Roper to name a few.

He is always targeted by opposition players despite playing in forward lines which included Anthony Corrie, Alex Dickfos, David Hammill and Gerard Moore and more often than not takes the attention of the opposition best defender. He takes a lot of whacks off the ball and he has the ability to absorb a lot of punishment but just keeps on going. However some opposition coaches were either ignorant or unprepared because  one day an opposition coach, when asked whether he would put a tag on him was dismissive, saying he did not rate him….six goals later and an upset Magpies victory had him rueing his decision and rapidly revising his opinion.

Despite the man handling and close checking over the years he has never been reported. So you can add fairness to the equation to go with natural ability, toughness and durability. His attack on the football is fearless and he has always played taller than he looked. His skills at ground level have been exceptional. Thompson says he was much better than most people credited him with and he was the second best player in the Pies premiership win over Palm Beach-Currumbin in 2012.

In-house, Pope is rated as one of the best ever players to don the black and white yet some opposition players and coaches often did not know much about him. This is likely due to the fact that off the field he is unassuming and talking to him you would never know his record or how good he is—the persona of the quiet unassuming accountant that he is–think Clark Kent—but look out when he crosses the white line!!

Long time Magpies supporter Robert Schaffert reckons Valentine "The Pontiff" Pope gave him the most enjoyment of any player at the Pies and he marvelled at his ability to outmark taller opponents and his clean ball handling skills,  especially at pace in heavy traffic. Schaff, ever the entertainer, would get very excited if Pope gained possession inside the 50 metre arc.

Club doyen and historian Kevin Kluver has Pope at the very top of the best ever players to don either the Sherwood or Western Magpies guernsey and says he could be counted on to kick the clutch goals and observes that if Pope was 30 metres out he would kick it 35 metres, 40 metres out he would kick it 45 metres!

There is no doubt he would be one of the first named in a Best Ever Western Magpies team and  if a Best Ever combined Sherwood/Western Magpies team was named he would be in that as well. Three Senior Premierships ( 2006, 2008 and 2012),  two Bill Peirce Medals (2008 and 2015) , QAFL Team of the Year and also a Bill Ryan Medal in his first year of Senior Footy attest to his ability and the Western Magpies and wider QAFL community join in congratulating and celebrating Val’s 200th Senior match on Saturday.

Mack Truck Match Review - Catch Up Footy Costs Pies Again

CATCH UP FOOTBALL COSTS PIES AGAIN

The Western Magpies again had a one quarter lapse which proved costly and for the third time this season -- and second against Wilston Grange-- the Pies fell short playing catch up footy. 

The Pies were in the contest at half time, trailing by 10 points, but had been rocked halfway through the second quarter with a knee injury to half back David Lewis, who had been playing well at the time and is enjoying a standout season. This seemed to unsettle the Pies, who looked to lose focus in the third quarter to allow the Gorillas to jump clear to lead by 20 points at three quarter time.

Wilston Grange then swept to a 26 point lead at the 20 minute mark of the last quarter before a late 3 goal rally from the Pies closed the gap to the final margin of 9 points. Final scores were Wilston Grange 15-5-95 to Western Magpies 13-8-86.

Jake de Winter returned to his early season form to boot 6 goals, using his pace to create space and goal scoring opportunities. de Winter has 28 goals for the year and is in equal second on the QAFL goalkicking list 1 goal behind the current leader. Val Pope in his 199th match for the Pies was again dangerous up forward and finished with 3 goals in another irrepressible game. Drew Mitchell and Tom Ielasi worked hard in the midfield but it was a lack of consistency through the match that cost the Pies.

In addition the Magpies lack the big strong key defender and Gorillas big forward Matt Trewella proved a handful for the Pies’ defenders. Medium sized defenders Chris Hunt and Harry Marshall have been good for the Pies but lining up on bigger bodied players week in-week out eventually takes its toll. And this was compounded with David Lewis’ injury. Likewise without a big strong marking key forward the Pies do not have the “get out of jail” option going forward and with a long kick forward opposition defenders can zone off and clear the defensive area.

The Magpies drop to sixth on the ladder and meet old rivals and fourth placed Mt Gravatt at Chelmer on Saturday and coach Brydan Morgan will again stress the need for a four quarter consistent effort. The Pies are on three wins and Mt Gravatt on four wins so a victory in this match will lift the Pies back into the five. The Magpies will also be up for Val Pope’s 200th Senior match in the black and white.

Wilston Grange

4.1-25

9.2-56

12.3-75

15.5-95

Western Magpies

4.2-26

7.4-46

8.7-55

13.8-86

WESTERN MAGPIES

Goal Kickers: J. De Winter 6, V. Pope 3, J. Goodall, B. Saunders, D. Lewis, T. Ielasi
Best Players: J. De Winter, D. Mitchell, V. Pope, T. Ielasi

Westpoint Autos - Ressies Review

PIES RESERVES GO DOWN IN TIGHT CONTEST

The Western Magpies Reserves finals aspirations took a big blow after they were defeated by third placed Wilston Grange in a hard fought match on Saturday. Bolstered by a number of Senior players the Pies were confident of an upset over the more fancied Gorillas but fell short by 5 points, going down 8.10-58 to 8.5-53. 

In a see-sawing contest the Gorillas were able to wrest a valuable 9 point three quarter time lead and hang on in a tense final quarter despite the Pies throwing everything at them in a hectic finish. 

The pleasing aspect from the Pies point of view was the form of the younger players in the team with 16 year old Callum Franks kicking 2 goals and being a livewire up forward, Dom Morrison also playing his best game of the year and also slotting 2 majors, Will Fletcher on his return match for the Pies was strong across half back and Matt Mazarolle also having a fine match.

Jamie Page in defence had another good match and Bryce Crossley again worked hard in the midfield.

Coach Craig Allen was disappointed after the match lamenting it was one that got away. The Magpies were more than a match for their more fancied opponents but it was evident with a lot of new players into the side that it takes time to gel and also crucial skill errors cost them dearly –fumbles, poor options with foot and lack of cohesion at times.

The Magpies are at home to ladder leaders Mt Gravatt on Saturday and will be keen to cause the upset.     

Wilston Grange

2.2-14

3.7-25

7.8-50

8.10-58

Western Magpies

2.1-13

4.2-26

6.5-41

8.5-53

WESTERN MAGPIES

Goal Kickers: D. Morrison 2, C. Franks 2, S. Musson, G. McKinnon, M. Mazerolle, L. Mitchell
Best Players: J. Page, B. Crossley, W. Fletcher, M. Mazerolle, C. Franks, D. Morrison

Genuine Garage Door Solutions - Colts Review

COLTS DOWN IN LACKLUSTRE DISPLAY

The Western Magpies Colts slumped to their second loss in a row on the weekend when they went down to a fast finishing Wilston Grange outfit away from home. The Magpies were quick out of the blocks kicking the first goal of the day in a matter of seconds; however, they quickly fell behind and were playing catch up for the rest of the day.

The Grange boys simply had more energy around the contest for the young Colts and were able to whip the ball away from congestion far too easily. Small skill errors, poor kicking for goal and issues with decision making cost the Magpies dearly on the weekend, whilst the Grange boys were efficient and clinical on transition making the Magpies pay at every opportunity.

After half time the Magpies coaches threw the magnets around searching for a spark that might help lift the group out of their slump. Ethan Sivijs went back in defence and provided some outstanding rebound off the half back line and regular half forwards Jacob Sheath and Jack Austin moved into the middle and provided some drive in the third and fourth quarters. Captain Max Webber had a run in the forward line in the second half and his work rate and footy smarts set up several goal scoring opportunities.

Recent losses make this Saturday’s match up a must win affair against local rivals Mt Gravatt and the Colts look sure to atone for some poor showings over the past few weeks. However, they will need to bring a much stronger mindset to the game to ensure they aren't being left behind, as natural talent can only take you so far at this level of footy. Making sure they match this skill with energy, intensity and a hardened mind set will be a key focus for the team as they look towards the next round.

Wilston Grange

2.1-13

5.1-31

7.4-46

10.7-67

Western Magpies

2.2-14

3.5-23

3.8-26

4.9-33

Western Magpies

Goal Kickers: J. Austin, D. Edwards, J. Bonney, J. Sheath
Best Players: J. Austin, S. de Nys, W. Bishop, J. Sheath, Z. Stegmeyer, M. Webber

PLACE PREVIEW - HUGE GAME VS GORILLAS

ANOTHER CRUCIAL MATCH FOR PIES AGAINST GORILLAS

The Western Magpies travel to Stafford on Saturday for yet another crucial match, this timeagainst fellow finals aspirant Wilston Grange. Both teams have 3 wins and with the QAFL ladder tight from fourth to seventh the stakes are therefore high. 

In a quirk of the draw the Pies meet the Gorillas only 6 weeks after suffering a heart breaking 5 point loss in round 3 in a match the Pies should have won. 

Once again on that occasion the Pies had one bad quarter and came from 5 goals down to almost snatch the 4 points. 

There are some big selection moves in both grades for the Magpies( check the Reserves "ins") and in the Seniors the Magpies left out Luke Mitchell and Dom Misso with Joe Murphy is injured. In come Brenton Saunders back from Redlands, Brodie Easton from uni exams and former Sherwood junior and UQ player Luca Mason, who has been at Aspley this season, for his first Senior match in the black and white. 

The Pies have moved on from last week's bad loss but there is no doubt they will come out firing and to be ferocious at the contest. 

Saunders and Mason add to the Magpies forward power and Val Pope, good last week after missing three weeks, will be better in his 199th Senior match for the Magpies.

In the last clash the Wilston Grange midfield shaded the Pies so the likes of skipper Drew Mitchell, Gareth Crawford, Ben Jaenke-Cain, Logan Murray  and the returning Brodie Easton will be keen to gain the edge and give the pies the advantage through the middle of the ground. Crawford had his best game for the Pies in some time last week and will be keen to continue that form into this match.

Up forward the Magpies need more output from Jake de Winter, Charlie Pershouse and Jack Goodall. de Winter has struggled recently after a blistering start to the season and if he can get off the leash then that will go a long way towards a Magpie victory. Likewise Pershouse, who can take a big grab if given space.

Young ruckman Aaron Highlands took it right up to the bigger Grange ruckmen in the last meeting and continues to throw himself at the contest and with a few more games experience he will be a key player for the Magpies.

Down back Harry Marshall has not had a bad game and he can take the talls or smalls with equal aplomb and Tom Ielasi and David Lewis have been consistent performers all season, as shown with QAFL selection 2 weeks ago.

Matt Davis had his best game for some time last week trying to stem the Palm beach avalanche and if he can recapture his 2015 form then the Pies defence becomes even more solid.

It is a football cliché but this is an “eight point” game and the winner will go a long way toward securing a finals berth while the loser will lick their wounds and then re-join the  fray with several other teams in the battle for fourth or fifth place on the ladder. The Magpies will be champing at the bit to put last week behind them and their record at Stafford has been good in recent seasons.

Note the match is scheduled for a 1.00 pm start

Western Magpies v Wilston Grange at Stafford on Saturday, June 24th at 1.00 pm 

B: Tom Ielasi Chris Hunt Logan Murray

HB: Matt Davis (vc) Liam Dwyer Harry Marshall

C: Lachie DennisDrew Mitchell (c) Brodie Easton

HF: Brenton Saunders Charlie Pershouse David Lewis

F: Jack Goodall Jake de Winter Val Pope

Rucks: Aaron Highlands Gareth Crawford

Rover: Ben Jaenke-Cain

I/c: Billy Johnson, Luca Mason, Riley Easton, Aaron Maricic

In: Brodie Easton, Brenton Saunders, Luca Mason

Out: Joe Murphy ( thigh), Luke Mitchell, Dom Misso (both Reserves)