This Saturday The Tradelink Western Magpies will travel to Alice Springs to take on the NT Thunder in their Round 14 QAFL clash at Traeger Park at 3.20pm. A very young Magpies outfit was outclassed by the Redland Bombers at Victoria Point last week but did show something positive when they squared away the third quarter 3.2 a piece.
Jarrod Thorpe will be looking for the young Magpies to try and replicate that effort for 4 quarters on the back of an early start and the long travel if they are to have any chance to add to the Thunders winless record at Traeger Park in 2010. The Magpies have had injury worries all season but it is magnified at the moment with key personnel such as Luke Scott, David Hamill, Richard Wenham and Mark Dowley all missing the trip to the red centre.
On the upside Ed McDonnell enjoyed his run at CHF last week despite not troubling the scorers and will be desperate to penetrate the big sticks in Alice Springs. Callum Carseldine and Conrad Hudghton both took their games to new levels last week and they will be looking to maintain the rage this weekend. James Rozynski will find the reported chilly conditions of Alice Springs in the twilight match good preparation for Canberra the following week and will no doubt continue his outstanding form.
Chris Hunt seemed to enjoy the stability of being back in the backline after spending the last few weeks playing numerous roles and reminded everyone of his raw talent in doing some special things in his best 2010 performance. James Power has been recalled for his first senior game since round 1 while Chris Mihalopoulos may be playing his 202nd game for the club but it will be only his second as a clean grabbing lead up forward.
The Tradelink Western Magpies Reserves will get a second bite at the cherry in more ways than one as they face up to Redland at Victoria Point for the second week in a row on Sunday at 11.15am. The Magpies were disappointing in losing to 7th place Redlands but managed to hold on to 4th place on the ladder and still are 1 game clear of 5th place Labrador. This is a must win for the Magpies if they are going to maintain 4th spot and see finals action as Labrador host 6th place Aspley at Cook-Murphy Oval and are breathing down the Magpies necks.
Scott Clarke was very good last week but will be better less the jet lag he played with and the return of Jason Evans and Ben Jaenke-Cain will add to a team that has plenty of experience and should bounce back and beat the Bombers.
The Westside Asphalt Western Magpies U/18’s can secure the U/18 Division 1 Minor Premiership if they can beat arch rivals and second placed Noosa at Chelmer 2pm on Sunday. The Magpies currently sit 1 game clear of Noosa and already have 4 premiership points in the bank for R15 which they have already played and won. It will be no easy task however as Tony Flynn, Tim Colburn and Lachlan Woods-Honour will all be in Alice springs with the seniors but Des Lashman’s boys should still have the firepower to get the job done.
Go Magpies!
Last Modified on 16/07/2010 10:49