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EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST - YOUTH COACHING 2023
Sherwood Magpies are seeking expressions of interest for Youth Coaching positions in Season 2023.
Details are available via the below link
The Sherwood Football Club are delighted to announce the re-appointment of Ben Jaenke-Cain as the QAFL Colts Coach in 2023. The reigning Russell Green Memorial Trophy winner for Coach of the Year, 2023 will be Ben’s 4th year with the Colts, and his success in producing both on field results, but also preparing players for the rigours of Senior Football is unmatched. A hands on and strong educational coaching methodology and fostering an elite environment are his clear strengths, and his ability to identify and develop talent makes him the ideal coach for this talented group. In his time looking after the Colts, more than 15 players have gone onto play Senior football and in 2022 alone, he gave opportunities to 9 of Sherwood’s talented u16 Division 1 crop to advance their football development, including 6 of them getting a taste of QAFL finals.
Ben is a life member of the Sherwood Football Club and was a Senior Premiership player as a 16 year old in 2008 and a Bill Peirce Medalist in 2014 when he had one of the more outstanding seasons in Magpie memory taking out the Senior Best & Fairest Count by an astonishing 63 vote margin, totalling 149 votes. For comparison, while still using the same voting system the last 7 winners haven’t polled more than 100.
Ben was also selected in the QAFL Team of the Year in 2014, represented QLD at U15, U18 and U21 level and in 2022 continued to play some Senior Football at the club providing on field leadership and experience to a young group, and showing the workrate required to play at that level. Originally a Springwood Junior, he joined the Magpies in 2004 to play U14s to join a few of his mates and to play in the famous black & white stripes (as a passionate Collingwood supporter!) He won the AFLBJ Div 1 U16 Best & Fairest in 2006 and he also had a stint at Redland in 2011/12 before returning to the Magpies.
The club, players and supporters are thrilled to welcome Ben bacK to the role of QAFL Colts Head Coach.
The Magpies are excited to confirm the appointment of Adam Boon to the QAFL coaching panel in 2023. A highly respected and experienced coach, Boon is a Level 3 Qualified High Performance Coach and holds a Bachelor of Secondary Education and currently works as a secondary school PE Teacher. In addition, he holds qualifications in Mental First Aid was previously head of AFL Excellence Program at Park Ridge State High School, including winning 2 x State Championships in 2014 and 2017.
Boon has also had extensive experience in elite football as a player and coach, making his senior QAFL debut in 2007 as a 16 year old and going on to play over 150 games at QAFL/NEAFL level before turning his attention to coaching where he has held the position of QAFL Senior Coach for 3 seasons at Mt Gravatt, and Senior Assistant Coach at Redland. In addition he has strong experience in youth pathways having been a Brisbane Lions Academy Coach and coaching Metropolitan West school sport teams for the past 8 years, giving him a strong connection to the extensive youth talent at Sherwood and further enhancing the robust connection right throughout the Magpies youth development into th QAFL program.
As both a highly qualified coach and full-time school teacher, Boon is uniquely qualified to boost and support the educational coaching style at the Magpies. Highly collaborative, he aims to create a supportive and productive learning environment to allow players/students to challenge their own thinking and develop higher order decision making skills.
Combining 150+ playing experience at NEAFL/QAFL level, including holding leadership positions in state squads and extensive coaching experience, Boon is an ideal candidate to join the Magpies rejuvenated coaching panel in 2023.
We welcome Adam, wife Jessica and their little one Haddie to the Sherwood family.
Senior QFAW Coach Mitch Merritt has once again committed to continuing in the role of QFAW Division 1 Senior Coach moving into season 2023.
Mitch was a driving force behind the re-establishment of Senior Women’s football at the Magpies, and in 3 years in charge has delivered a Premiership and 2 x Preliminary Final finishes. Especially impressive, as after the Magpies brought home the 2021 QFAW Division 2 Premiership, a promotion to Division 1 paid immediate dividends with the Seniors having an instant impact at the higher level, advancing all the way to the Preliminary Final, while the Reserves (lead by Anthony Sacco) advanced to the Grand Final.
Despite interest and approaches from QAFLW programs, Mitch is a local Sherwood Junior and is passionate about the Magpies at all levels, and is especially proud that the Magpies are the only club in the Western suburbs and one of just 3 clubs in Brisbane offering a complete female pathway of football from u9 through to the Senior program with exclusive female teams in all age groups.
Level 2 qualified, Mitch also lends his expertise to the Brisbane Lions Academy and provides great leadership to the female football program at the Magpies. Organised, passionate and committed – Mitch is the ideal candidate to continue to build on the success of QFAW Division 1 football at Sherwood in 2023 and beyond.
Adrian Fletcher has officially stepped down as the QAFL Senior Coach at the Magpies after 2 years in the role hampered heavily by COVID and mother nature. With expanding business interests and commitments and a keen interest to follow the likely upcoming AFL career of son Jaspa, he was simply unable to commit the time required to continue in such a demanding role.
A highly credentialed coach with 231 games playing experience at the elite level across 4 clubs – Adrian then made a seamless transition into coaching, working in successful eras at Collingwood, Geelong and Brisbane. Upon leaving the elite AFL coaching environment, Adrian then moved into a role with AFL Queensland and the AFL as High Performance Coach looking after QLD U16s and u18 Allies as Coach and overseeing the Brisbane Lions and Gold Coast Suns Academy Programs. During this time, 26 players coached and developed in programs designed and run by Adrian were drafted to AFL clubs, with 22 of them now having made a Senior AFL debut.
Fletcher arrived at Sherwood in 2021 with the Magpies fresh from a Preliminary Final berth, but having lost 12 of their finals 22 to either retirement or higher honours pushing their way into the AFL or VFL. As such, it was a young list prime for development, and after a tough opening to 2021, the playing group began to develop rapidly under Fletcher’s tutelage. A team with 75% of the squad aged 17-21 began to really hit their straps, winning consecutive matches against the competition leaders and flying towards finals with a soft draw running home. The Pies in a 3 week stretch defeated the Top 3 sides on the ladder including strong wins over Labrador and eventual Premiers Broadbeach, who notably then went on a 27 game QAFL winning streak leading into the 2022 Grand Final. The young Magpies then dismantled Morningside at Jack Esplen Oval by 13 goals and had stunning momentum winning 7 of their last 9 (including wins over 5 of the Top 6) before the dreaded COVID 19 shutdown finished their season prematurely. Sadly AFLQ refused to entertain a finals system that included all of the top teams over a 4 week finals structure to reboot the QAFL competition post lockdown, leaving the form teams out of the finals, including some that had played less games than others.
On the back of this strong 2021 form, high hopes were held for 2022, however such is the challenge for a club that continually develops and churns out young talent, several more players were lost to the VFL in both Brisbane and Melbourne before Mother Nature replaced COVID as a major challenge for the club when the oval and ancillary facilities were inundated in flood waters resulting in lost weeks of training. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but sadly the eagerness to return to training and stay on schedule with practice matches saw several key players suffer long term soft tissue injuries, with the Magpies taking the field in Round 1 with 8 of their Top 10 place getters in the 2021 Best & Fairest unavailable through injury, and things did not improve from there - losing Captain Luca Winton for 16 weeks and Riley Easton not taking the field at all in 2022. However, the silver lining in season 2022 was that in Fletcher, the Magpies enjoyed one of the best coaches around at identifying and developing youth and the Magpies went about building their list and experience for 2023, with 15 teenagers playing at QAFL Senior level in 2022, and 11 of them getting 10 or more games experience.
Fletcher’s ability to identify, attract and most importantly – develop – young talent was his greatest contribution to the Magpies in 2021 and 2022. He also had a fantastic impact on several of young coaches at the Magpies and acted as a mentor for youth coaches completing Level 2 accreditation. He gave a rousing and uniting speech at the Senior Presentation Night with great humour alongside his remarkable football insight, noting that he started playing for the Magpies as a young boy in Glenorchy (Tasmania) and was proud to finish his time in football in the black & white of the Sherwood Magpies all these years later as the ultimate full stop on 50 years of almost full-time involvement in footy.
While no formal appointment or role has been finalised, we expect to see plenty of ‘Fletch’ down at Powenyenna Oval in the coming seasons as he retains his connection with the Magpies going forward, with a particular focus on youth coaching and development.
A huge thanks to Adrian, wife Narelle and daughter Indi for their support of the Magpies and good luck to Jaspa in the upcoming AFL draft.
Flo Lang was a long standing servant of the Sherwood Districts Australian Football Club from the 1970s to the 1990s. Flo was Sherwood‘s second female Life Member after Maureen Stewart when she was awarded Life Membership in 1994, one year after husband Ray was also awarded Life Membership in 1993.
Flo and her husband Ray were a partnership and their joint passion was the Sherwood Football club. Flo was a long serving committee member of the Sherwood Social Club and was involved in fundraising and organising social events from the 1970s through to the 1990s. She served for a total of 14 years on the Social Club’ s Board of Management from 1982 to 1995, serving as Secretary in 1987.
Her husband Ray served for many years as Social Club President and Secretary so it was somewhat of a team effort for the Lang’s at Sherwood.
Ray and Flo would often host club functions at their home and many a player celebration ended up at the Lang home. Flo was generous with her time and guided many a young player with timely and motherly advice over many years.
She recently attended the club’s Inaugural Hall of Fame Dinner and Induction as the then club’s oldest surviving Life Member at 93 years of age.
Flo was a major contributor in Sherwood surviving a possible takeover from the QAFL in 1991 which would have seen the club either fold or revert to a junior club only. At that time Sherwood found themselves in debt to the QAFL who were preparing to take over the Sherwood club premises.
Sherwood fought a rearguard action to raise funds and one of the leading proponents and fundraiser was Flo, who with Dick Jakavicius and Bob and Denise Morris sold lotto tickets and held multiple raffles with all funds to go to paying down the debt to the QAFL. Flo also took on catering responsibilities at the Social Club to keep the costs down and raise funds so the club could survive.
Ray and Flo had four sons and a daughter namely, Wayne, Robert, Paul, Colin and Karen. Robert, Paul and Colin all played football for the Sherwood Football Club and Karen married Steve Mitchell, a long-term player, coach and committeemen of Sherwood. The legacy continues with Karen and Steve’s sons and Flo and Ray’s grandsons in former club captain and Bill Peirce Medallist Drew Mitchell and current senior vice-captain Luke Mitchell both making significant contributions on and off the field for the Magpies.
Flo and her husband Ray embody what is good about the Sherwood football club – a sense of family and community and a love of the club. The legacy of countless hours of voluntary service is not only the survival of the club but to ensure it continues to flourish so that their grandsons and great grandsons and now great grand-daughters and countless others can continue to enjoy playing our great game at Sherwood.
A giant of the Sherwood Districts Australian Football Club, Adolfs Lacis was born in Latvia and migrated with his family to Australia as a young boy.
He attended Sherwood State School and played Aussies Rules from 1953 to 1974 and was one of the founding players of the Magpies first even Junior teams in 1957. We was a strong on-baller as a player, before serving on the committee from 1973 to 1980, President in 1980. He also rejoined briefly in 1983, and spent time on the Social Club Committee in 1999-2000 and 2003-2005.
Aside from Adolfs huge contribution to the club as a player and his service as a board member, he was also very generous - donating trophies, contributing to field maintenance, equipment, capital works and in the 70's and 80's underwriting player payments.
In fact, it should be duly noted that in periods when the club experienced financial hardship - Adolfs was always first to lend assistance and provide financial support.
Adolfs also had a strong interest in the growth of female football and was a major sponsor of the clubs women's teams from 2000 to 2010, and again supported the female football development from 2019 with donations of match day awards in Senior Women's football and equipment and specialist coaching in youth girls football.
Adolfs was awarded Life Membership in 2009.
He studied at the University of Queensland and was somewhat of a quiet achieve, speaking many languages and attaining 5 Bachelor Degrees in Civil Engineering, Construction Engineering, Economics, Commerce and Business. He developed an enduring friendship with another young migrant in Dick Jakavicius who was from Lithuania and together they became stalwarts of the Magpies for over 60 years. As adults they established a construction company - Radcon - and they personally built the clubhouse extensions. Their friendship would endure for well over 60 years and in many respects they were like brothers.
A little known fact also is that Adolfs brother illustrated and designed the Sherwood Football Club logo when he was a boy at Sherwood State School, and it remains the logo still used today.
Vale Adolfs Lacis - one the most significant contributors to Sherwood in club history. The club extends sympathies to his children Leah and Karl and the broader Lacis family.
That's right, the hottest act in town is here THIS SATURDAY !
A good time classic rock band!
The Filthy Animals play some of the greatest songs of all time, including hits from the bands they have performed, toured and recorded with over their vast careers!
Not your average coverband - genuine rock legends.
All The Filthy Animals have impressive bios, professional reputations and solid credibility in the music industry.
All reside in South East Qld and came together longing to perform at a time when various state lockdowns made it near impossible to get their national projects together. Riding high on the back of outstanding reviews and glowing feedback from their debut performance at Loft-West End (September), The Filthy Animals are winning fans and delighting audiences across SEQ.
The Filthy Animals - 4 rock legends and an AFL superstar local to Sherwood unite to play the songs you know and love and together, will rock your world!
The 5 piece line-up is fluid with the musicians below currently active with the band:
OJ Newcomb (bass) John Butler Trio, Band of Frequencies
Kerry Jacobson (drums) Dragon - iconic original band, Mondo Rock, Ian Moss
Lee Novak (bass) Savage Garden
Brett Williams (guitar) Choirboys
Richard Champion (lead vocals) AFL superstar
Glen Muirhead (keyboards) James Reyne, Eurogliders
CLUB SUPPORTER SPECIAL - $25 USING CODE SUPERIORPLACE
The 2022 QAFL State League Pre-Season will officially commence on Tuesday November 9 at 6pm sharp!
For interested players who have injury concerns or coming off post season surgery, please attend the club on Thursday November 5 at 6pm for assessment and an individual rehab plan. Physio/Medical staff will be on hand alongside Exercise Physiologist.
Saturday November 20 at 930am, we will hold fitness, agility and strength testing at St Peters Lutheran College (Indooroopilly) before returning to the club for a BBQ.
All interested State League & Colts players are welcome at training, if you are new to the club or Senior Football - please speak with Senior Football Director, David Hamill on 0436 481 639 or email footballdirector@sherwoodmagpies.com.au
Youth age players via invitation
The Sherwood Football Club sadly acknowledge the passing of Bertha Joyce Butler (nee Lea) who passed away peacefully in her sleep on 16 October.
Bertha was a wonderful woman, caring and considerate of all she came into contact with and was a loving mother of 14 children, 10 of whom pulled on the black & white stripes of the Sherwood Magpies.
Coming from a wonderful family, her brother Buddy Lea was a hero of the Battle of Long Tan and 7 of her sons and 3 of her daughters played at Sherwood in the 1970’s and 1980’s, making them a remarkable family in the history of the Sherwood Football Club community.
The best on ground medal in the first match between Sherwood and Mt Gravatt each year is known as the Butler-Hammond Medal in honour of eldest son Greg Butler.
“We are all visitors to this time, to this place.
We are just passing through.
Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love.
And then we return home.”
(Aust Aboriginal Proverb)
With another fantastic season behind us for 2021, we are now working towards a bigger and better season 2022 and now invite expressions of interest for coaching roles in Junior & Youth Football for Season 2022.
In exciting news, Sherwood will have a complete pathway of football from Auskick through to Seniorsin both male and female football in Season 2022. We will be adding u15 Girls and u17 Girls Div 1 in 2022, alongside our likely additional Senior Women's team that has been nominated for QFAW Division 1.
To register your interest in JUNIOR Coaching (U8-U11) please click HERE to complete the forms
To register your interest in YOUTH Coaching (u12-u17) please click HERE to complete the forms
Please ensure you have read, understood and are ready to agree to our Junior Coaching Guidelines before submitting your interest
Sherwood Districts Australian Football Club will celebrate the 2021 season when the club holds its Presentation Night this evening from 6:00PM.
The highlight of the evening in addition to the medal counts will be celebrating the clubs two premierships with the Senior Women’s securing the first ever senior women's premiership flag and the Woodsmen also bringing home the premiership.
The Senior Women’s team continue to go from strength to strength in only their second season back in the competition, dropping only two matches in the home & away season and culminating the year with an emphatic 32 point win in the Grand Final against the previously undefeated Jindalee. It was an immense team effort from the Senior Women in 2021 with a whole of squad mentality required to fit 45 players into 22 spots per week requiring a high degree of sacrifice from many players. Parallel goals of development and enjoyment over pure outcome of the season meant that players were thrown into different positions and that in the end made the 22 highly dangerous such was their versatility and football IQ on the big day. It is difficult to predict with any degree of certainty just who will take out the Deirdre Jakavicius Medal in 2021 with the immense depth of talent across the team in all line groups meaning that on any given match the 5-4-3-2-1 votes are expected to fluctuate.
For the Senior Men the 2021 season ended in disappointment as they were gaining momentum with four rounds to go and looked to be a real danger side looking likely to play finals boasting wins against 4 of the Top 6, however the last 4 rounds of the season were cancelled due to Covid-19 which put a premature end of their season and cruelled any chance of seeing how far they could go. In a mystifying decision, AFLQ chose not to play a final 8 despite the obvious benefits to the premier competition in Queensland.
The Bill Peirce Medal count could be a tight affair with young utility Joshua Coombes a big chance after a superb season, particularly after moving into the ruck. He was a revelation as he filled the gap for the Pies and did all that was asked of him by coach Adrian Fletcher. 2020 Bill Pierce Medallist in centreman Will Fletcher had another strong season particularly early on in the year and small defender/midfielder Luke Mitchell will likely poll well given his consistent form. Others who may figure high in the voting are fullback Toara Marango, who was a tower of strength in defence. Skipper and 2019 Bill Pierce Medallist Luca Winton also had a fine season leading from the front finishing 3rd in the Grogan Medal, while Riley Greene was a consistent contributor across half back. Excitement machine Tom Baulch will pick up votes in matches he played but likely did not play enough matches to poll the votes to trouble the likely winners, while Jackson Allen was damaging but missed several games through injury.
In the Reserves the JB (John Burkill) Medal is a difficult one to pick with a number of likely prospects also spending time playing Senior Football. Veteran and 2017 Bill Peirce Medallist Drew Mitchell had a consistent season while ruck-forward Cam Ferguson played his best year for the club and made his senior debut as well. Tall young defender Hamish Campbell was also a model of consistency and determination all season and will figure prominently in the voting while forward Finn Collison provided a reliable route to goal most weeks. Sean Ryan and Lachie Davies played a number of quality matches but may suffer from not playing enough matches due to playing regular Senior football, a trade off we are sure they are happy with!
The Maurie McNamee Medal for Best and Fairest in the Colts will be a hotly contested race. The development of the playing group was led by some really consistent performers. Tom Kearney, Jett Clarke, Lawson Campbell, Lachlan Harvey, Zane Barrett, Xavier Knight, Liam Hude and Will Cruice are just some of the names that could be in contention for the top prize. With a host of Lions Academy players inserting themselves at different points in the year and the development of some raw talent it will be exciting to see how the count turns out. Regardless of who wins awards this year, the coaches are extremely proud of the effort and dedication the group put into the year this year. For the second year players moving into Senior footy, they should trust the things they have learnt this year and enjoy the challenge at applying them at the highest level of footy in Queensland. For players who will be returning, they will become the leaders of the group next year, as the team develops into one that not only will be competitive but put consistent wins together.
The Woodsmen / QFA team also had a comfortable 40 point victory in the Grand Final over Jimboomba in front of a strongly supported Sherwood contingent. The team contained a large number of the club’s legends with a sprinkling of new younger players and the veterans’ showing why they were top line players in their youth and still know how to play the game.
The Nipperess Medal will be a contest between dual Bill Peirce medallist in Val Pope (2008, 2015), who is reminiscent of a well serviced Rolls-Royce, wingman Chris Davis had his best and most consistent season to date and will poll strongly, Captain-Coach and 2017 Bill Peirce Medallist Gareth Crawford was solid on ball in most games this year and ruckman Nick Barling and full forward Alex Dickfos were both influential players during the season. The reigning Nipperess Medal winner Luke Scott was an influential player, but did not play enough football to challenge, while Captain Reid Dobson and former winner Reid Dobson and his deputy Chris Brown should also challenge.
As is the norm in the Woodsmen, player availability dictates that team selection fluctuates on average 5-10 players per week so it must be noted that it was a genuine whole of squad effort to achieve the ultimate success in 2021.
A number of other key awards will be handed out on the night, with the highlights the “BG Award” for the Senior Player who most embodies the spirit of Brett Gwyther through Courage & Committment, the Cherie Morrison Medal for Senior Women’s Players Player and the Schaffert/Garner Memorial Trophy for Most Consistent Senior Player.
Club awards such as the Barry “Phantom’ Johnstone Award for Senior Player of the Year, for the player from the entire Senior Squad who consistently goes above and beyond in their duties, the Russell Green Memorial Trophy for Coach of the Year and the Senior Club Person of the year will also be hotly contested. With a such a highly engaged playing group, it is a hot field for the ‘Phantom’ while we have two premiership coaches and a field of fantastic development work to make the Coach of the Year well earnt.
THE OPPORTUNITY
The Sherwood Football Club are now seeking to appoint a Senior Coach to oversee the QFAW Senior Women’s programme for 2022.
The incoming Senior Coach will inherit a highly engaged playing list who were successful in winning the QFAW premiership in 2021 and made the preliminary final in 2020 in just their first year back in the competition. Football results aside, the playing group has forged an inclusive and progressive team culture.
The role will report into the Women’s Football Director and will play a key role in the successful expansion of the current programme from a standalone Division 2 team to also add a team in the Division 1 competition as well as a full youth pathway of u9, u11, u13, u15 and u17 all girls teams.
ABOUT YOU
Highly trusted and collaborative in your approach, you are ready to utilise your technical knowledge and people skills to empower and foster a high quality Senior Women’s football programme. You must be a role model in driving an inclusive club culture where mutual respect, accountability and enjoyment for the game are not compromised.
You will bring a proven record of forging and maintaining strong relationships with a multitude of stakeholders in the wider football community. You will enjoy being in the trenches with the players who are highly motivated to develop their football to the next level.
It is paramount that you take an active role in the development of youth pathways including; mentorship of Junior / Youth Coaches, fostering whole of club integration between junior and senior players as well as consistent feedback with Academy, QAFLW and other talent programmes.
KEY DUTIES
· Coach the QFAW Senior Women’s Team (Pre-season, Matchday, Training)
· Foster a development focused environment that develops the player's technical skills, physical attributes and overall football knowledge.
· Build and maintain strong working relationships with key stakeholders in the football department (coaches, medical team and board).
· Working with Assistant Coaches and Women's Football Director, provide specific feedback and maintain clear communication with players regarding team selection
· Participate in ongoing learning opportunities to ensure you are upskilling as a coach
MANDATORY
· Capability to nurture an inclusive and progressive club culture
· Excellent planning, time management and organisational skills
· Demonstrated leadership and interpersonal skills
· Ability to identify and support progression of youth talent
· Minimum of Level I or II coaching accreditation or working towards
DESIRABLE
· Previous coaching experience
· Capacity to attract and retain quality support staff and players
· Experience with analysis software Hudl + Interchanger
· Demonstrated knowledge of talent pathways
APPLY NOW
For further information or a confidential discussion about the opportunity please contact Andrew Thomson (President), 0403 066 382. To apply please submit your football CV to president@sherwoodmagpies.com.au
Applications Close: 5PM AEST Friday 15th of October, 2021.
Please note, employment in this position is subject to the successful candidate holding a Valid Working with Children Check and a satisfactory criminal history record check
What a great finish to the year as the Magpies took part in three Grand Finals and took home the silverware in all of them! This breaks the Premiership drought dating back to 2018 when our QAFL Colts saluted on the big stage.
What made it even more memorable were the stories associated with each game. First up, the Woodsmen took home the QFA Premiership on the Friday night, with club legend Chris Mihalopoulos having a fitting finish to his career winning his 5th Premiership at Sherwood in Senior football in his 400th game, but also taking home the Best on Ground Medal in the process to have a true fairy tale finish.
Next up, history was to be made as our U13 Girls took the field against Wests searching for the first ever Premiership won by a female Sherwood team. In a nail biting encounter under the hot winter sun, Sherwood prevailed by 6 points to make history for the club, with Annabel Peacock capping a great season with a Best on Ground performance.
Not to be outdone, our Senior Women packed their bags for Bond University on Father's Day to take on the undefeated Jindalee Jags for a chance to win our first ever Senior Women's Premiership (having finished runner up 4 times!). Cheered on by an adoring and loyal crowd, including the vocal u13 Girls proudly wearing their medals - the Sherwood Women put on a clinical display, banging home 6 goals in the 2nd quarter to put the game to bed. This was an exercise in preparation, teamwork, focus and an unwavering attention to detail from the players and coaching staff. Leading at every change, they ran out comfortable 32 point winners with Kate Lencz awarded best on ground honours in a blistering display through the midfield and up forward.
In total, Sherwood had 6 teams competing in the finals with the above 3 progressing to the Grand Final. Our u12 Div 1 and U14 Div 1 teams accounted for themselves well in their Preliminary Finals only to fall short, while the incredible group of mixed boys and girls from u10s, u11s and u12s that made up our u12 Division 4 outfit finished the year as they started, with big smiles and having a great time in what was the first final for many of them! Special mention must also go to our QAFL Senior Mens team and u14 Division 4 team who were ruled out of finals by COVID, with both teams a legitimate contender had their been no lockdown interventions.
With another fantastic season behind us for 2021, we are now working towards a bigger and better season 2022 and as always we can't do this without the huge efforts of all our volunteers across the entire club.
With the successful transition to our One Club Community, we are now looking to solidify our position through successful recruitment to our Board of Directors and Sub-Committees.
A wide variety of skillsets are integral to driving our club forward and with this in mind we now seek expressions of interest in these roles.
All the details including position descriptions, club structure, reporting lines, responsibilities and much more are available HERE.
ALL positions from President to the Newsletter Coordinator and everything in-between are considered vacant and we welcome nominations for all positions both on the Board of Directors, but equally as importantly on our various sub-committees.
Sherwood Football Club sadly acknowledge the passing of Cliff Biggs, who passed away during September at 74 years of age after a battle with prostate cancer.
Cliff was the Sherwood Social Club President for eight years in two stints- 1992 to 1996 and from 1999 to 2001.
Cliff was also instrumental in Sherwood reforming under the banner of the Western Magpies in senior football in 1999.
Cliff moved from Melbourne to Brisbane due to health issues with one of his daughters and it was thought Brisbane’s warmer climate would be beneficial for her.
A fortuitous meeting with Sherwood doyen Kevin Kluver one day brought him into the Sherwood family.
Cliff left a job as a senior manager and accountant at the Dick Pratt Visy company in Melbourne and obviously Cliff was so good at his job that Pratt was so concerned about him joining another company that he gave Cliff a stipend for two years to make sure he didn’t join any rival firms while in Brisbane. So with a bit of time on his hands Cliff became the Sherwood Senior Team Manager in 1990. Kluver was coach and Don Lougheed Football Club President and both saw a quality person to help the club and convinced him to became the President of the Social Club. He had not even been on the committee before he stepped straight into the President’s role. It was an inspired choice as Cliff made the Social Club a success during his tenure.
Under his guidance the Social Club returned to profit and was able to pay off debt to the club’s guarantors in the vicinity of $500,000 which was a magnificent effort. As was often the case with the Social Club when he took over it was struggling but under his tenure was able turn the club around.
After his two years on Dick Pratt’s stipend had ended, Queensland just happened to allow poker machines and Cliff was appointed as Queensland General Manager of the Aristocrat Poker Machine company. He was so good at his job the company grew quickly to the point he did not have the time needed to be involved in the Social Club and resigned as President.
Later on he said he regretted leaving as he thought with one or two more years in charge of the Social Club he could have set it up for permanent success.
Cliff grew up in Melbourne in the Heidelberg district in the Olympic Village precinct which is pretty tough district.
He had involvement with three footy clubs in the district - Heidelberg, YCW and West Heidelberg. Some of his contemporaries and friends were Collingwood’s great goalkicker Peter McKenna as well legendary players who carved out successful careers in the country In Jack Clancy at Albury and Ron Best at Bendigo and he was a great mate of John Wise, who was a Collingwood rover and who went on to become Collingwood Past Players Association President.
His business acumen was recognised only early this year when he was inducted into the Gaming Industry Hall of Fame as only the second person to be so inducted after the owner of Aristocrat, Len Ainsworth.
Unfortunately Cliff and his loving wife of 49 years , Annette, did not quite reach their Golden Wedding Anniversary. Annette was a great support to him and he had four daughters in Rachael, Melanie, Donna and Jemma.
Cliffs connection to Sherwood remains strong with his daughter Melanie marrying Craig Nipperess who was Sherwood Senior Team Manager this year and was inducted as a Life Member himself three years ago. His legacy lives on with two grandsons in Jai (Under 9s) and Finn (Under 8s) playing footy at Sherwood.
The life of Cliff Biggs was celebrated on Friday, September 24 at Saint Joseph’s Catholic Church at Corinda afterwards fittingly back to the Sherwood Australian Football Social Club.
Vale Cliff Biggs
The Sherwood Football Club sadly acknowledge the passing of Margery ‘Peggy’ Peirce on Monday 16 August aged 96. Peggy was a giant of the Sherwood Football Club, being involved from the earliest years and was the brains behind the ever popular ‘Magpie Chatter’ that commenced in 1964 and continued well into the 1980’s. As a young school girl, Peggy knew the current site of the Magpies as the ‘Chelmer Swamp’ and when travelling by train to the city as a child used to jockey for position by the window to see the highlight of the trip to town, the old Aboriginal ‘corroboree ring’ at the Swamp. Peg recounted that the reward for the window seat was often some coal dust in the eye from the steam engine! Years later, after Brisbane City Council claimed the site it was the Chelmer Dump before the Magpies established our home at the site in 1973.
Peg and husband Bob for years published the Magpie Chatter after the initial suggestion from Tom O’Neill. Often with many helpers at a social gathering convened at the Peirce household with parents and kids, Peg would still be at it on the typewriter until 2am, often because many team managers failed to submit a team article and rather than have the youngsters miss out, Peg would write the notes herself with the knowledge she had of the games and their participants. Something our current editors of the Around the Grounds Newsletter can relate to! Peg with a gift for writing and a quick wit was the cornerstone of the Magpie Chatter and the broader club for many years, also running the canteen and opening her home to generations of Sherwood Footballers for many years.
Peg will be sadly missed and greatly cherished by her Children, Grandchildren, Great Grandchildren and Great-Great Grandchild. Peg had 3 sons in Rob, Billy and James who played at Sherwood, and countless Grandchildren and now Great Grandchildren wearing the black & white of Sherwood. Daughters Lorraine and Nancy also featured in womens teams during the 1970s. Husband Bob was Club Secretary for 10+ years and the Senior Best & Fairest is named in honour of Son Billy Peirce, the 1983 Grogan Medallist. However, without the herculean efforts of Peg over many years supporting the club, none of this would have been possible.
Her passing will be acknowledged with black armbands for all Sherwood teams competing in finals this weekend. The funeral will be held at St Matthews Anglican Church, Sherwood on Tuesday 24 August at 1030am. Due to current restrictions, a maximum of 60 are permitted inside the Church – so for those planning to attend, please ensure the family are seated appropriately before taking a position inside. A wake will follow at Sherwood Football Club.
The Magpies hosted Morningside at home on Saturday 5 June to celebrate Sir Doug Nicholls Round in what was a fantastic community event.
The Senior game was be preceded by a “Welcome to Country” from traditional custodians of the land and then the players, umpires and coaches will take part in a traditional ‘Smoking Ceremony” both courtesy of Tribal Experiences.
At half time, we heard from ex Sherwood Captain Dean Parkin. Dean is Director of From the Heart. Four years ago, he co-facilitated the National Constitutional Convention to craft the Uluru Statement from the Heart, a simple but profound statement of intent to transform the relationship between Indigenous Australia and the rest of the country.
After the conclusion of the Mens QAFL Senior game and prior to our Senior Women's teams game, we enjoyed traditional dancing from the Wagga Torres Strait Islander Dance Company .
The host MC was Magpie Life Member Wil Ivinson, a man of immense integrity and history with the Pies and in keeping with the day he has both Aboriginal and Islander blood with his mother from the Wakka Wakka tribe whose traditional lands were from just north of Brisbane up to the Gayndah area and his father also having both Aboriginal and Islander heritage with his ancestors from the Murrinh Patha tribe from near Wadeye in the NT and from Mer Island (Murray Is) in the Torres Strait. ‘Tracker’ as he is often known has played for the Magpies since the early 90's and as recently as 2014, has coached Colts to Premierships, been a long term trainer for various senior sides (and AFL clubs as well) and is the current junior coaching director (and u10 coach) at Sherwood.
The Australian Rules Football community celebrated the Sir Doug Nicholls Round last weekend across the country. Nicholls was a pioneering indigenous player who played in the 1930s and was somewhjat of a trail blazer but he suffered racial vilification playing football. He was a great Austrlaian and was the Governor of South Australia in the 1970s, AFL clubs have embraced this round in spectacular fashion with the wonderful Dreamtime at the G a headline cultural event, not just a game of footy. It must also be said that the guernsey designs and the stories behind them are also a wonderful part of the weekend.
Half time interview with former Club Captain Dean Parkin and Life Member Wil Ivinson. Dean is Director of From the Heart - seeking constitutional recognition for first nation Australians
Pre Match Ceremony
With great sadness, the Sherwood Football Club acknowledge the passing of Life Member, Lyn Vowles on Saturday morning after a courageous battle with cancer.
Lyn was the matriarch of a wonderful and enduring Magpie family that spans multiple generations, with a constant connection and support to the club over 50+ years.
Her husband Rob played senior football at Sherwood, and later became President with Lyn by his side all the way. Lyn played in the first Sherwood senior women's team in 1972, and one of her daughters was the first ever female coach of a Sherwood team.
Lyn's children, nieces and nephews almost without exception played football at Sherwood from the age of 6, with nephew Matt also going on to become Club President. Her son in law Sean is also a Senior Premiership player and Captained the Woodsmen for 8 years and still coaches junior football at Sherwood. She has also had 3 grandsons play at the club, with 2 currently still playing in the u11s and u16s.
However, without the guidance, support and encouragement from Lyn - none of this would have been possible. Lyn encompassed family, community, competitiveness, devotion and passion and our club and community is a better place thanks to her involvement and efforts.
Our heart goes out to husband Rob, and children Toni, Kate, Brad and Marty as well as the extended Vowles clan - the Sherwood community is in your debt for having shared such a wonderful lady with us, but ready to wrap our arms around you in this tough time.
Her passing was acknowledged with black arm bands across all senior grades on the weekend, and the u16 side with Grandson Nick. The u8 Vowles side will recognise Lyn in coming weeks.
The funeral will be held at Centenary Memorial Gardens on Thursday 10 June at 9am.
Senior Match Preview - Round 1 vs Mt Gravatt - 2pm, Sat April 10 @ Sherwood
The Sherwood QAFL Senior side take the field for the first time in 2021 for Premiership points this weekend when they take on Mt Gravatt for the inaugural Pelly Selvage Cup in Round 1 QAFL action.
New coach Adrian Fletcher has run a successful pre-season program and has the squad humming along and ready for the year ahead. After reaching the 2020 Preliminary Final in a COVID impacted season, the Magpie list has undergone significant change and continues to grow from within with the Magpies impressive crop of youngsters.
Fletcher has named 3 Senior debutants for the Magpies. Magpie junior, 18 year old Darcy Prest comes in for his first Senior game after missing all of 2020 with a shoulder reconstruction. A classy player who has played for QLD for many years, Prest has been very impressive in his return to footy in recent months and is one to watch in season 2021 with his superb ball use and ability to read the play.
Another Magpie junior making his debut is 19 year old Charlie Thorpe. Charlie has played over 150 junior games at Sherwood since commencing in the u8s in 2009 and won a QAFL Colts Premiership in 2018 for the Magpies. Charlie is a tall wingman with great footy attributes and is the son of former Magpies Senior QAFL Coach Jarrod Thorpe, who was a father/son selection at Footscray after Charlie’s Grand Father dual Bulldogs Best & Bairest winner David Thorpe who also played in the 1974 Richmond Premiership side. Charlie is strong in the air, reads the play well and covers the ground beautifully and is ready for his opportunity at Senior level.
Another teenager coming in for his first game is local Wests Junior Connor Bulley. Connor was very strong in the Magpie Colts in 2020 with injury curtailing his senior progression. He can play at either end of the ground as a medium tall and is also capable of holding down a key position if needed. Very good in the air and a good ball user, he is signed with the Lions VFL squad for 2021 but gets an opportunity with Sherwood first. Connor is another one with good footy pedigree, with his father Cam having played over 200 QAFL games for Western Districts and Captaining the 1996 QAFL Premiership side that was a merger between Wests and Sherwood in the 1990s.
Four senior experienced players are also making their Magpie debut including 20 year old Coorparoo/Wynnum junior Josh Coombes who has been named at CHF. Capable of also moving through the midfield, Coombes has had a faultless pre-season and is a good target in the forward half at 6’4” and with excellent speed for a big man, he is also exceptionally good at ground level. The exciting Kobe Tozer also returns to football after several seasons out due to injury. VFL listed with Aspley, Tozer is a talented key forward who can take a game by the scruff of the neck and its exciting to see him back on the paddock in 2021. Well and truly on the draft radar prior to injury, he will be looking to re-etablish his position as one of the best key position prospects in QLD. Down back, Toara Marango also comes in for his first game for the Magpies. Marango is a Caloundra junior and has played significant NEAFL Footy with the Brisbane Lions. He was the best performed key defender in his age group taking on (and beating) future AFL listed players and was also an Allies representative. Incredibly strong in the air, elite closing speed and already strong leadership credentials - he is a fantastic inclusion into the side. The last of the experienced recruits is former VFL midfielder Billy Hawkes, a solidly built midfielder with excellent balance and a classy ball user who is also tough around the clinches and will put his head over the footy. Hawkes is originally from Bundaberg and after his VFL stint, began playing in the Loddon Valley league against some of the favourite sons of Sherwood in Jimmy Rozynski and Luke Scott.
The team looks nicely balanced with experience and youth with other key inclusions being the return of former AFL footballer Jackson Allen to Sherwood to provide leadership and stability across half back, while his brother Brady also returns to Sherwood full-time after moving to Mebourne in 2020, giving the Magpies a couple of key weapons with ball in hand. Captain Luca Winton has made the transition to the midfield after spending 3 productive seasons down back, including a Best & Fairest in 2019. Winton has an elite engine and explosive pace, and the transition to the middle is an exciting development.
Another big inclusion is 207cm ruckman Trystan Juffs-King. TJK was unlucky not to play more senior footy in 2020 after a strong Round 1 debut, but with shortened quarters - playing two ruckman was a tough proposition and he was kept out of the side by 2nd Round draft pick for Richmond Samson Ryan, so it was a tough side to crack for a young ruck. He should give the boys first use and get himself into good position around the ground.
Southport VFL listed Riley Greene also returns to Sherwood and the Pies are delighted to have the talented youngster available this week coming off the half back, but with his versatility he could play a role anywhere on the ground. Dan Edwards on a wing will be looking to continue on from his electric 2019 and 2020 seasons and Luke Mitchell also returns after a 12 month absence, as due to his work with the Brisbane Lions he was not permitted to play QAFL footy in season 2020.
It’s exciting times at Sherwood as our young side brimming with local talent takes the field, and the club is expecting a bumper crowd for the big rivalry against the Vultures.
Reserves Match Preview - Sat 10 April, 1130am @ Sherwood
A strong looking Reserves outfit will take the field this week against the Vultures with a great blend of experience, in addition to 6 of last years Colts side progressing to the Reserves in 2021. The backline looks solid with senior experience coming from Zac Collison and Sam Hartog, while both Campbell brothers Hamish and Lawson will be looking to have a big impact on the game, Hamish with his excellent aerial work and Lawson with his brutish attack on the footy.
Through the midfield, Ethan Harris steps up into the ruck and will be supported by his 2020 Colts Coach the experienced Ben Jaenke-Cain and youngster Zane Lovell. Lovell has played plenty of senior footy and is returning from an injury interrupted preseason for his first hitout. Completing the starting midfield is 16 year old Jaspa Fletcher also makes his Magpie debut and is one to watch after making his senior debut with Coorparoo in Division 1 in 2020.
In the forward-line there is over 300 games of senior experience via former Senior Captain Drew Mitchell and Senior Development Coach Alex Mitchell. Alex is a local Kenmore junior who had stints in the VFL between stints at Morningside, and crossed in 2020 for a coaching role, however club physio Lindsay Trigar has him in good shape for footy in 2021. The 2018 Colts Premiership captain Noah Resuggan also features across half forward and after making his senior debut in 2020 before injury curtailed his year, he will be looking to put further selection pressure on the senior squad.
Its an exciting Reserves outfit this week, with plenty of players looking to put the Senior side under pressure with a strong performance and also maintain their own spots with plenty of talent either injured or missing selection.
