Great backs against the wall win against Sandgate on the weekend in front of a big home crowd, and with other results going the Magpies way - finals are still in the mix

However, its all academic if the Pies don’t win over Wilston Grange at McCarthy Homes Oval today.

Well done to Jordan Bonney on his senior debut on Saturday, Jordan has been a consistent performer in the Reserves all year after reinventing himself as a midfielder. His 2018 season was wrecked by injury and after a promising junior career as a key position player, he shed 13kg this pre-season and has only missed one training session all year to underline his dedication and commitment.

Jordan is enjoying his footy, was a popular debutant among the playing group and played a sold first up game after being bundle of nerves. Presented his first senior jumper by club legend and renowned hard man, Jimmy Rozynski, that same jumper was subject to the mandatory gatorade shower in post match celebrations

The Seniors had the big crowd which was swelled by the Past Players and Officials who attended the David Parkin luncheon on tenderhooks for most of the match before the Pies were able to get on top late in the match. Not good for the ticker of the Old Boys  and the coaching staff  but coach Brydan Morgan made some positional changes at three quarter time which opened up the scoring for the Pies, with Ryan Harwood, who had been ill, shifted forward to boot 2 goals which put the Pies in front for the first time in the match at the 20 minute mark of the last quarter. . Billy Johnson kicked tow vital goals from a wing with his trusty left foot and the magpies pocketed the valuable 4 points to keep their season alive.

The Reserves had a strong victory after a slow start and with a large number of players unavailable due to other commitments, injury and illness it was up to the likes of coach Kiran Verma, the evergreen Chris Judson, a senior premiership player, club Director Mitchell Merritt, permit players in Jacob Zingelmann from Beenleigh and john Harding from Jindalee and all were among the better players. A few of the club’s legends in Val Pope and Gabe McKinnon also showed their younger teammates and the opposition they still have it in spades by also being named in the best players.

A few youngsters also stepped up after playing in the Colts game in Charlie Thorpe, Sean Ryan and Darcy Prest and all acquitted themselves well in the 13 goal victory. The Pies will be looking for the return of a number of players this week so the selectors may have some headaches fitting them all in so what a difference a week makes

The Colts are slowly but surely building toward September action and as they get close to a full list to choose from  will be in the serious premiership mix. Their aim is to finish third on the ladder and secure the double chance. They will get a good idea where they sit in the premiership rce when they take n the second placed Wilston grange on Saturday in what shapes as a finals like match with plenty riding on it for the pies. A win almost secures third place and a loss makes it a bit tougher but with matches to come against the 7th placed Mt Gravatt  and 8th placed Surfers Sharks they should still get the double chance but will rely on Broadbeach losing at least one of its remaining matches to either Morningside or PBC.

The Woodies put up a brave fight last Friday night when they went down in a low scoring affair against 2nd placed Jimboomba. In freezing conditions, they started with just 16 players before emergency players began to arrive late in the first quarter!

In a must win match the Woodies traveled to Morningside in a battle for a home final last night and despite losing 5 players to ankles and hamstrings during the game, managed to sneak home for a 10 point win. The match played in farcical circumstances with bumped in lights blinding the players, making the game very unsafe. Guess not all rules apply to everyone!

The Magpies host ladies day today with over 100 pre-sold tickets it promises to be a fantastic event. Local community partners and sponsors have jumped on board the event with catering from Goodness Gracious Cafe, Superior Fruit and Wendy’s Kitchen and a host of other donations.

The day features live music, special drinks and food packages, a keynote presentation from Donna Thistlewaite (Australian Story) , MC Brent Staker and so much more.

Congratulaions to Shane Bridley, Terry O’Shea and Greg Adams for organising a wonderful Sportsmans Luncheon with David Parkin last Saturday attended by almost 100 Past Players, Officials and Supporters.

Shane Bridley has done a lot of work to re-energise the past players which is now universally known as the “Grey magpies”.

Shane went to the trouble to note all the following guests and Gut feeling has re-produced his welcome speech below  

HONOUR BOARD OF ATTENDEES:

. Guest Speaker: Former VFL/AFL Legend – David Parkin

. State Member for Seat of Miller/Minister for Transport: Hon Mark Bailey(MP)

. Club President:  Andrew Thomson

. Club Directors: Martin Sinfield, Niall Powell

. Club Sponsors: Heath Grosvenor (Coopers), Peter May (Place Real Estate), Bryce

                              Hatton (Any Time Fitness), Nick O’Sullivan (McCarthy Homes).

. Life Members ( 12 Present )– Bill Peirce, Kevin Kluver, Michael McEvoy, Chris    

                                                    Arnold, Matt Vowles, Tim McEvoy, Warren Selvage,

                                                  Chris Dennis, Paul Grentell, Bruce O’Neill, Adolfs Lacis, David Bartlett.

. Past Club Presidents: (4)

  Matthew Vowles, Michael McEvoy, Kevin Kluver, Adolfs Lacis

. Local Businessmen / Parents of Players/ Supporters

. Apologies:  Peter Sherwood (Club Patron), Des Lashman, Rob Lawson, Rocco Stewart, Dr Greg Thompson (all Life members)  

. The Travellers: David Parkin(Melbourne), Rod Selvage (Sydney), David

   Atkinson (Darwin), Merv Schloss (Perth), others from Gold & Sunshine Coasts, particularly Len Whitney who collected David  from Noosa to bring him down.

. The Ladies: (2) - Jan Hogan (wife of Dennis), and Barbara Beerling (wife of Vic)

. 1957  First Junior Teams – U12’s(3) – Kevin Kluver, Wasyl Malar, Merv Schloss

                                                -  U14’s (1) - John Lynch(1st Junior Premiership in 1958)

. 1968 First Senior Team (Metropolitan Division):  (1)

  Bob Blank(Won George Hall Best & Fairest Medal), Vic Beerling.

. 1970 First Senior Premiership Team (SQAFA Division): (9)

Bob Blank, Merv Schloss, Ken Kassulke, Dennis Hogan, Kevin Kluver, Vic Beerling,

 Wasyl Malar, Gary Glazebrook, Ray Pinnington.

. Premiership Players:

  1973 – (8) Dennis Hogan(C), Ken Kassulke, Warren Selvage, Glenn Crompton, Vic  

               Beerling, Wasyl Malar, Gary Glazebrook, Shane Bridley.

  1975 – (9) Dennis Hogan( C ), Ken Kassulke, Warren Selvage, Vic Beerling, Gary

               Glazebrook, Rod Selvage, Bruce O’Neill, Don Beerling, Greg Adams.

1976  – (7) Dennis Hogan, Warren Selvage, Rod Selvage, Bruce O’Neill, Glenn 

               Crompton, Don Beerling, David Greer.

1976 (1st Reserve Grade Premiership) – (2) Terry O’Shea, Lee Rush.

1977 -  (5) Bruce O’Neill, Glenn Crompton, David Greer, Warren Selvage, Rod

                   Selvage.

1978 – (6) Warren Selvage, Glen McDonald, Craig St John, Greg Butler,

                    Bill Peirce, Paul Hope.

1979 – (10) Mark Gersekowski, Paul Gersekowski, David Greer, Bill Peirce, Greg

                     Adams, Bruce O’Neill, Warren Selvage, Glen McDonald, Craig St John,

                     Greg Butler.

1981 -  (6) Bill Peirce, Steve Mitchell, Chris Arnold, John Cawcutt, Ian Anderson,

                   Warren Selvage, Glen McDonald.

1982 – (10) Craig Anderson, Craig St John, Steve Mitchell, Bill Peirce, Chris Arnold,  

                     Bruce O’Neill, Ian Anderson, John Cawcutt, David Atkinson, Glen

                     McDonald, Warren Selvage.

2006 /2007(G/F)/2008 – (6) Tim McEvoy, Jimmy Rozynski, Sean Mewing, Tom

                                                   Roberts, Will Ivinson, Scott Matthews, Brett McEvoy.

2012(Last Premiership) – (4) Tim McEvoy, Jimmy Rozynski, Ed McDonnell, Lachlan

                                                     Woods.

  Whether you were a champion player or like most of us ‘”Just a Local Boy trying to get a kick of the footy” stand tall boys and be proud of your contributions to this club, because the Club is proud of you all.

THE GREY MAGPIES-Welcome address by Shane Bridley

Fellow past player Terry O’Shea and myself met with President Andrew Thomson last November and discussed the possibility/desire to establish a Past Players & Supporters Association, with a range of Goals, including – Player Welfare / Mentoring / Club Projects & Fundraising / Social Involvement through Football / Improving Communication between past & present players & supporters / and Re-connecting the Past with the Present.

Andrew and the Board were very supportive of our endeavours, and by the start of the season we were up and running as The Grey Magpies.

Communication - Spreadsheets have been established with players/supporters names, however we have more blank spaces than details. Eventually all those contact details will come together on the Club’s Data Base for ease of communication.

The Magpie Chatter seems to be reaching players/supporters near and far, and provides a bit of an update of what is going on around the club, and we hope to keep that going next year.

If you would like to receive The Chatter, make sure you are registered as a Grey Magpies Supporter.

Finance - Home Game Day Raffles have been commenced with a tidy little profit each day going in to The Grey Magpies Bank Account, and all funds will eventually come back to the Club to fund agreed to projects.

A big thank you to Michael McEvoy who has arranged for a meat tray to be donated for each raffle, and to Paul Grentell who has arranged some wine to also be raffled.

Bob and Debbie Lawson add some chocolates and a neat little pack, and they sell quite easily. Terry O’Shea drives from the Gold Coast and back each home game just to sell tickets and enjoy the banter. Next season we hope to have a roster system where players from other eras will join in to ease the load. (Gut Feelings note—Shane Bridley drives from the Sunshine Coast so he and Terry can meet in the middle!!)

Socially we hope to be able to attract past players/supporters from all eras to come along and meet/mix, and thanks go out to Paul Grentell and Tim McEvoy who have already provided assistance in that area.

Player Welfare – The opportunity to meet and socialize with others who we had so much in common with as players is an important part of  dealing with health issues as we get older, and functions like today we hope will assist in that area.

Future – Next season we hope to have an official Grey Magpies Committee set up, and perhaps offer Membership Packages, if the idea is well supported.

Finally – When Billionaire Steve Jobs from Apple fame was on his death bed, he wrote that “ Whatever stage of your life you are at now, with time we will all face the day when the curtain comes down. Material things can be replaced but Life cannot.

Treasure love for your family and friends. Treat yourself well and cherish your friends.

“When you have mates, buddies and old friends, who you chat with, laugh with, and tell stories about north, south, east or west, that is true happiness.”

Today is a classic example of an occasion for all of us present, to take advantage of such an opportunity, tell some old lies about football days, meet and mix with others from different eras, bearing in mind wat it was that brought us together – Football.

David Parkin had the audience eating out of his hand with a fantastic monologue, then through a Q&A with Kev Kluver and Anthony McDonal plus a roving mic he regailed the crowd with some fantastic insight into the modern game and how it operates.

The room also heard from Senior Coach Brydan Morgan and had a Presidents Address from Andrew Thomson where the club ethos from top to bottom was spelt out, Parkin noted it was the best local footy event he’d attended for many years and had never heard what a local footy club should be so well articulated.

In other news, the McCarthy Homes Oval surface is looking fantastic given the time of year and extensive use. A nice even coverage of grass! Big thanks to Kenmore Senior Football club who through a JV arrangement brokered between the clubs have allowed the u11,u12, u14 and u16 squads to train over their to reduce the wear and tear on the oval.