The Western Magpies Reserves will be buoyed by the return of several key players for Sunday’s First Semi Final against Palm Beach-Currumbin at Labrador on Sunday.
Into the side comes CHF Gerard Moore, who missed last week due to work commitments, half forward Matt Green and half back Todd Billing—both returning from injury—and rover Chris Judson back in after a couple of weeks out due to unavailability.
Out of the side are the injured Jake heard with knee and shoulder soreness and Harry Buchanan with knee soreness. Omitted were U18 player Logan Murray and back-up ruckman Rob Mohr, who was a late call-up last week when Moore had to withdraw from the selected side.
Moore will add firepower to the forward line and with Brady Allen returning to form and David Lewis an x-factor with his leap and marking prowess, the Pies have some good forward targets. Matt Hockley has been good at full forward and his leading has been excellent.
Down back Drew Mitchell , Gabe McKinnon and Brodie Easton bring plenty of First grade experience and will provide run out of the backline and with Sean McEvoy having a good year at CHB and Travis Parsons doing a good job at FB, the Magpies will be confident of restricting the PBC forwards. Todd Billing returns and he was in great form prior to his hand injury and he will be part of a very strong half-back line.
On ball, Bryce Crossley has had a consistent season and is a good user of the football and with Jadan Morton providing strong ruck work and football smarts around ground the Pies will be looking to get strong drive from the centre of the ground.
Tom Ielasi had a ripper game last week and with confidence high will be another coach Craig Allen says will look to win the contested mid-field footy. Allen will also ask Joel Workman, another with consistent recent form, Jack Fox, Chris Judson and Steve Grogan to work hard in midfield to give the Pies plenty of forward thrusts to kick a winning score.
Craig Allen says this side is much stronger than the depleted outfits that lost tight games to PBC in both matches this year but he says that is no comfort if the side do not come to play and also do not play as a team. He will be hoping for a fast start as was the case last week which set up the victory over Broadbeach.
If the Magpies bring last week’s form to the game they are a big chance of advancing to next week’s Preliminary Final.
Selected team v PBC
B: G. McKinnon, T. Parsons, B. Easton
HB: D. Mitchell, S. McEvoy (c), T. Billing
C: S. Grogan, B. Crossley, H. Heath
HF: L. Boulton, G. Moore, D. Lewis
F: B. Allen, M. Hockley, J.Fuentes
Ruck: J.Morton
J. Workman
Rover: T. Ielasi
I/C: M.Green
M. Pollock
J. Fox
C. Judson
Last Modified on 05/09/2014 15:52