McCarthy Homes QAFL Match Review - Magpies of old hit back hard

The Western Magpies found their mojo and their good old fashioned well renowned "hard at it football" to upset the second placed Surfers Paradise in Round 10 QAFL action before a healthy crowd at McCarthy Homes Oval at Chelmer on Saturday.

Two weeks is a long time in football as the Pies were obviously keen to get redemption after poor efforts in the past 2 rounds and they came out and hunted in packs and applied enormous pressure to the Demons to establish early ascendancy.

The Pies led from the first bounce and should have won by more than the 20 point final margin.

The win puts the Pies back in contention for a finals berth as the QAFL ladder tightens up under the clear ladder leaders Palm Beach-Currumbin.

The Magpies pressure was sensational and their tackling and 1 percenters was back to what the Pies have traditionally prided themselves on. 

The Magpies went to an early three goal lead  with Ryan Harwood a focal point at full forward but the Pies inaccuracy and wastefulness in front of goal, especially in the second quarter when they had a glut of possession but could only kick one goal for the quarter, kept the door ajar for the visiting Demons. 

The third quarter was a dogfight with the magpies again troubling the scorers with only one major and the demons closing the gap to a very nervous 16 points. 

With a home crowd swelled by a reunion of players from the mid 2000s  roaring the Magpies on they responded to take control in the final quarter to go to a 32 point lead with five minutes to go. Two late goals to the visitors closed the gap but in fact the Pies were the dominant team and should have won by plenty more.

Bruce Reville made an auspicious debut on a wing where his pace and footy nous gained him plenty of possessions to drive the Pies forward and he was named the "Grey Magpies" Best Player. Riley Easton was back to his terror like best continually harassing his opponents to win numerous turnovers while tall ruckman Samson Ryan got his hands on the ball to give the Magpies midfield first use of the football, 

Harwood is getting back to his best booting three goals for the Pies and also winning the hard ball in several forays onto the ball. 

Jack Austin ranged far and wide across half forward to have his best game for the Pies, taking plenty of marks and also working hard in several stints in the ruck. 

Luca Winton just keeps on getting better with another accomplished display in the last line of defence and in fact the entire Pies defence was first class and kept the Demons to three goals until late in the last quarter. 

Claye Beams had his best game to date for the Pies and now he is injury free will only get better in coming weeks, while Jack Goodall worked hard up forward, down back and sometimes in the ruck-- he is a very versatile and valuable player. Dan Edwards on a wing also continued his fine debut season to be another prolific ball winner.

The Pies have another bye this week before traveling to Broadbeach in a fortnight in what shapes as a crucial match then in what could be a blockbuster the Pies host ladder leaders Palm Beach-Currumbin at McCarthy Homes Oval at Chelmer. 

Western Magpies 3.2 - 20 | 4.7 - 31 | 5.10 - 40 | 7.16 - 58

defeated

Surfers Demons 0.3 - 3 | 1.6 - 12 | 3.6 - 24 | 5.8 - 38

Best: Easton, Harwood, Winton, Austin, Goodall, Beams

Goals: Harwood 3, Dennis, Lovell, Austin, Reville 1