The Western Magpies face a real test of their credentials when they travel to the Esplen Oval at Hawthorne to take on the undefeated ladder leaders and premiership favourites Morningside on Saturday.
The Magpies have been patchy in most of their matches this season, playing top line football at stages in games followed by lapses when they tend to fall away in applying pressure and against teams in the lower half of the ladder have been able to get away with these lapses but against the top echelon any lapse has been punished.
Coach Glenn Humphrey has emphasised the need for consistency if the Pies want to match it with the best and will hope for a more even performance against Morningside.
The Pies have three changes for the match, losing both back flankers in Drew Mitchell -- unavailable due to a wedding--and in-form Peter Kilroy, paying the price for the coach's edict that any player giving away a 50 metre penalty will be dropped the following week--the result of x6 50 metre penalties in the previous match against Broadbeach. Also missing from last round will be Redland based player Tom Michael, who impressed in his first match last week as a tall forward--called into the Suns NEAFL team as a top-up player.
In comes Cory Hopkins after missing last round due to injury and Mitchell Stallard and half forward Brady Allen both return after good Reserves form
Matt Sondergeld and Ben Landry, have both been selected for the Pies but have also been named as emergencies for Redland this weekend so the Pies have named emergencies in Luke Mitchell, David Lewis and Todd Billing. Billing, an ex-Labrador senior player, deserves a possible call-up after a stellar season to date in the Reserves.
There was no place in the line-up for rover Chris Judson after a week out due to unavailability.
The Magpies key defenders in Chris Hunt and Doug Lawrence have stood up when under pressure in recent matches and Ben Jaenke-Cain in midfield is yet to have a bad game. Sean Mewing moves back to his preferred back flank role and will be hoping to reprise his past form as a rebounding long kicking defender that can set up attacking moves.
Dom Beer in ruck has also been a fine player all year and up forward Matt Thompson works hard to create space and options and was a good player last week. He is averaging 2.5 goals a match (20 goals), a good return from a small forward. Jordan Bain offers another target up forward and has 21 goals to date. Val Pope had a rare off day last week and he will need to be up for the battle this week if the Pies are to stick with the more fancied Panthers.
A committed four quarter effort from the Magpies can cause an upset and coach Glenn Humphries will ask his players to not leave anything in the tank in an effort to get the team back on track for a finals berth.
TOP OF TABLE CLASH IN RESERVES
The second-placed Western Magpies Reserves have a big chance to down top team Morningside –only one loss this season-- in the Reserves with two big inclusions into the team--last years First Grade captain Gerard Moore resumes after missing the early part of the season due to Police Academy studies and regular First Grade rover/midfielder Chris Judson was unable to force his way back into the top grade after a week out.
The Magpies had a great come-from-behind win last round over Labrador but were slow out of the blocks and will not be able to afford a similar start against the pace-setting Panthers. Gabe McKinnon and Billing have been solid in defence for the Pies and in midfield Bryce Crossley and Tom Ielasi have been consistent all season and up forward Scott Musson has provided a target for the team—he is second on the goalkicking table with 22—one behind the leader. The inclusion if Moore, who will play up forward and have stints in the ruck will provide another target, and Jaden Morton also provides forward and ruck options.
The Magpies coach Craig Allen will stress to his players the need to be on their game from the first bounce after poor first quarters in their last two outings. The Pies are a big chance for victory to cement a top three place on the ladder and then push for the top of the ladder.
COLTS FACE TOUGH TASK
The Western magpies Colts face a tough task against a strong Morningside team, currently on the ladder
The Pies Colts have shown improvement in each match to date and have shown good determination to fight out matches despite the scoreboard--last round the Pies were competitive for large parts of the match against a top five team but with only 18 players ran out of legs late in the.match.
Number sat training continue to improve and with a full team the Pies will put it to the home team. Consistent performers for the Colts this year have been Daniel Hill, alternating between CHB and CHF, midfielders Matt Mazarolle , Nathan Morrow and Sempitake Kwizera, and smart forward James Hardess.
The Colts will welcome back ruckman Monty Vine after several weeks out with concussion and he will be a big boost to the side.
While a win may be a difficult proposition, coach John Saunders will look to further improvement from his young side to develop as players and as a team.
Last Modified on 13/06/2014 18:43
