Gut Feelings XI - Brought to you by Regis Aged Care
Andrew Thomson
This week the Reserves get top billing for a superb win over the ladder leading Palm Beach-Currumbin. After a slow start conceding 4 goals the Pies fought there way back into the game and trailed by 9 points at half time before dominating the second half.
Due to the wet conditions the Magpies played pretty basic but effective football which harked back to a simpler time with minimal handball, long kicking forward to a contest and were able to create pressure on the Lions defenders. The pressure applied around the contest was about 200% compared to some of the Pies recent matches. Coach Kiran Verma and the selectors pulled a master stroke by moving key forward Jesse Hampel to CHB where he blanketed the Lions key forward and the inclusions of Redlands listed Matt Thomson and Liam Dwyer also lifted the Pies. The reserves now go into their match with Morningside with renewed confidence and with a stronger side will be keen to atone for a poor effort against the panthers earlier in the season.
Gut Feelings only has admiration for the Redlands listed boys who came back to QAFL Reserves football but both put in 100% effort . Matt Thomson is a 200 game player and lauded club captain at Redlands yet he came back to the Pies after illness and had to play reserves but he just got on with the job with three goals and applied plenty of pressure up forward. His reading of then play and clean skills were a delight to watch. Liam Dwyer has played more for the Pies than Redlands in recent seasons but had just came back from 2 matches in the NEAFL to find he was in Reserves due to match up considerations. He played up forward and just gave everything as usual and ran around like a new kid in his first game, also capping his day with 3 goals . He commented afterwards it was one of the most enjoyable games he had played in for a long time.
While on the Reserves, Isaac Bongaarts was named on the bench on Thursday night but had to drop out to make way for Matt Thomson. Isaac then played for the Woodsmen on Friday night and then buttered up on Saturday to do the running for both the Reserves and Seniors. Many players may sulk in this situation but Isaac showed great team commitment and he is commended for being a true team player.
The Seniors were in it until late in the second quarter when the Lions booted three quick goals to take a handy 4 goals lead into half time. The Pies miised inspirational skipper David Lewis after he hurt an ankle late in the first quarter. Davy was controlling play across half back when he was hurt and his reading of the play cut off many Lions attacks. The lions showed why they are undefeated with clean skills and were prepared to run to overlap and create the loose man and I suppose you can do that when you are playing with confidence and also believe the odd mistake will not be too costly. Good sides believe they can win from anywhere and the Lions showed they have another gear when challenged.
Inside players like Ryan Harwood and Gareth Crawford were certainly notable outs given the boggy conditions against a quality PBC on-ball brigade.
Young guns Riley Greene and Ethan Sivijs continue to impress with each outing and both show enormous poise under pressure, especially as both patrol across half back. Both are also impressive young men who show respect for everyone involved in the club and are willing to listen and learn.
Both have developed clean skills, attack the ball and contest fearlessly and generally make the right disposal decisions. Both have got to be in contention for a Rising Star nomination and Greene in particular must be in the running for the overall QAFL Rising Star Award given his consistency this season—he just needs a nomination, that’s all!
It was great having a chat to past players Leigh Barnes, Dean Pettis, Billy Peirce and Matt Vowles on Saturday. They chatted about their time at the club in the 1980s and 1990s and they mentioned the tough times the club had in those days off the filed to make ends meet. There mentioned snooker nights to raise money with a lot of people in attendance and interestingly it was Bill Peirce who would often win the snooker tournament. Rumour has it that Bill, by his own admission was not a great snooker player, would often win as he was a teetotaller!! Bill was also very popular as he would be the designated driver after many a Sherwood function.
Leigh Barnes played for a number of years for Sherwood and West Brisbane (combined Western Districts and Sherwood) and coached West Brisbane Reserves in 1992.
As told in this column earlier in the year, Leigh was inducted as a Life Member of the USAFL after being involved for over 20 years with the Golden Gate AFL based in San Francisco. Leigh said they have 5 clubs in San Francisco which is g as many other clubs are based in far flung cities and have to travel a fair way to play. In the GGAFL he said they are flexible in numbers per side depending on availability but the aim of the game is to have a game whether it is 9 , 12, 15 or 18 a side He says about half the players are American and the success of a club is based on the American numbers because Aussies often come and go. He said the Yanks love the camaraderie of the game and tthe fact they can play past high schooling college, which is where most US sports stop. And they have actually found a pie shop in the San Francisco area.
Dean Pettis was club Treasurer in 1990 and also won the 1991 West Brisbane Reserves B & F. He said the club hung on for dear life back then and it was only the hard work and dedication of a diehard group that kept the club going. Social occasions were well attended to raise funds to keep the club afloat.
It was also good to see Life Member and past club President Matt Vowles at the footy and he had a good time catching up with fellow past players and reminiscing as above. The four checked the honour boards and came up with several names to fill in the gaps. So if you get a chance check out the honour boards and if you have a name to fill a space let President Andrew Thomson (president@westernmagpies.com.au) know and the club will check it out. The honour boards are updated at the end of every season and the gasps are slowly being filled in.
The Grey Magpies Awards this week were presented by Greg Adams , whose profile is below. Winners were Riley Greene in Seniors, Ben Jaenke-Cain in Reserves and Sam Mehari in Colts.
The prestigious BG Award this week was awarded to Brenton Saunders, whose recent form has been excellent. Saunders was for most of his career a smart small forward with good goal sense but coach Brydan Morgan has moved him to half back where he re-invented himself to be one of the Pies most consistent players this season. We may yet see him up forward in the latter half of the year.
Young gun Bruce Reville would have his head in a spin at the moment as 2 weeks ago he was playing for the Magpies at Broadbeach then last week he played for the Brisbane Lions NEAFL against the Giants in Sydney and then weekend has been co-opted into the Redland NEAFL team to play Canberra at Manuka, guess they just make up the rules as they go, never mind his club side! Before that he was in the Queensland Under 18 team so he is building a nice collection of guernseys at the moment but he must surely wonder where he is at times!!
Greg Adams presented the “Grey Magpies” Awards after the matches against PBC last week –below is a short profile of Greg and his involvement with the Magpies (courtesy of Shane Bridley).
“Just a local kid who loved getting a kick” was how a modest Greg ADAMS described his playing history with Sherwood Districts Football Club.”
However Greg was indeed much more than that, and in the historical record of the Sherwood Districts/Western Districts Football Club – “In Black and White”, he was described as ‘pound for pound, probably the hardest , toughest player ever to play for the Club, highly skilled, and a great competitor, with a strength of character that rubbed off on his team mates’.
He was also named in the Top 50 Players for the Club over the First 50 Years.
Greg first played junior football for the Club in 1960, however he had to wait until U17’s in 1969 before he won his first Premiership for the club.
He Captained teams in U11’s, U13’s, U15’s, U17’s at Sherwood Districts, and U19’s at the neighbouring Western Districts Bulldogs club, before playing Senior Football for them at the age of 17 years
During his football career, Greg won 5 Best & Fairest Awards, along with 4 Most Consistent Player Awards, including a Queensland Junior Australian Football League Best & Fairest in 1970. A terrific effort for a player who played the game at its most physical limits.
Greg represented his state – Queensland as a footballer, playing U15 Schoolboys in 1967, then U17’s Schoolboys in 1968/1969 (Vice Captain)/ and 1970 (Captain).
His Senior football journey took him to the Western Districts Bulldogs Football Club, the Goldfields League in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, Wangaratta in Victoria, before returning to play out his career at Sherwood Districts, playing in the 1975 and 1979 Premiership winning Teams, and in between, Captain/Coached the 1977 Reserves Team to a Grand Final.
Despite living away from the area for many years (he lives in Scarborough) , Greg has always maintained his love for and contact with the Sherwood Districts/Western Magpies Football Club, regularly attending home games and Club Functions, and he currently retains that active involvement through The Grey Magpies – the Past Players & Supporters Association of the Club, as well as travelling from afar each Friday to work with a number of other past players, helping to prepare the playing grounds and surrounds for each home game.
Greg Adams – another great footballer and Clubman for the Sherwood Districts/Western Magpies Football Club.
Also caught up with Mitchell "Sharky" Stallard after the game on Saturday and had a chat. Sharks has had a good year at Redlands playing in defence and was able to get to the game as the Bombers had an early game at Metricon on Saturday. Sharky is finally injury free and now playing consistent football which is great to see. he was a [popular player at the Pies and all who know him knew he oozed class and just needed a clear injury free run to demonstrate that.
The Woodsmen have had 2 good victories in the past 2 Friday nights, with a strong win over cellar dweller UQ a fortnight ago with spearhead Matt Hockley snaring 5 goals (and about 9 behinds). Last Friday the Woodies defeated Yeronga-South Brisbane which was a vital victory over a side competing for the finals. The win just the pies 2 games clear in 5th place on the QFA Friday Night League Ladder.
The Woodmsen have a huge match on tonight at McCarthy Homes Oval at Chelmer when they host ladder leaders and premiership favourites Park Ridge. It would be great to see a large contingent of Magpie supporters wander down to see what should be a great game of football.
Dont forget to get your tickets to the Grey Magpies Sportsman luncheon with David Parkin as quest speaker. This weekend is last chance to secure your ticket so check the Western Magpies website or Facebook page for details. Cost is $90 per head for a lunch and drinks package from 11.30-2.30 then sit back and enjoy the Magpies play Sandgate.
The fifth placed Colts have a huge game on Saturday against the fourth placed Morningside. The Pies traill the Panthers by 4 points and a win will be important step in securing the Pies finals berth. Labrador are equal with the pies but play PBC this week so a win to the Colts will give them some breathing space.
The Pies are much stronger than when the sides met earlier in the season with the addition of Cade Scott, Sean Ryan, Noah Resuggan and Cam Ferguson among others, all who missed the first round encounter.
The Magpies have two players in the Queensland under 17 in Darcy Prest and Jack Briskey. Queensland were defeated by NSW/ACT on Monday at Southport but no further details are available. Congratulations on both boys being selected in the Queensland team.
The QAFL have this week announced that Maroochydore will be promoted to the QAFL next season, making it a 10 team competition once again. with Noosa also a possible inclusion as soon as next year.