By Abby Collins
The Sherwood Magpies emerged victorious from their Saturday showdown against the Noosa Tigers.
The highly anticipated clash lived up to the hype, with both sides leaving everything on the field in a fierce and physical battle.
The pressure was palpable from the first bounce, as players prepared to put their bodies on the line to land the win, with the Magpies eventual winners, defeating the Tigers 11.6 (72) to 17.7 (109).
The Tigers drew first blood, slotting the opening two goals, but the young Magpies quickly responded with a trio of their own, refusing to relinquish the lead for the rest of the match.
It was a hard-fought first half, with Sherwood clinging to a 7-point lead as the siren rung out for half time.
But something sparked in the Magpies during the halftime break, as they returned to the field breathing fire and determination.
The intensity charged the crowd, with cheers and support rising as the third quarter commenced.
Tigers fans held down their car horns to rally their team, while the Magpies’ home crowd roared in sync, audible for miles.
The game hit a turning point in the third term, as Sherwood started chipping away at the scoreboard.
The black and white defence got tighter than a vice, and Noosa struggled to create scoring opportunities for themselves.
And then, the young Stanley Waistcoat took centre stage.
The 19-year-old prodigy put on a master class in contested marking, seemingly defying gravity as he soared to pluck the ball from the sky time and time again.
Waistcoat was instrumental in setting up his own goals and those of his teammates, marking the impossible and landing four major goals himself in a blistering quarter.
“Waistcoat showed what he is capable of today,” said Sherwood coach Brett McEvoy.
“He is only 19. Today was a performance we knew would come from him eventually. He has been building as a player this season and is always very exciting to watch.”
The Tigers refused to go down without a fight, bringing the heat in the final term.
Relying heavily on the experienced duo of former Brisbane Lion Daniel Rich and Jonathan Freeman, Noosa ramped up the pressure, forcing their way back into the contest.
While Waistcoat’s aerial prowess was a highlight, the Magpies’ victory was a true team effort.
The dynamic forward pairing of Waistcoat and Liam Hude worked in perfect harmony, unselfishly sharing the ball and capitalising on scoring opportunities.
Jai Fitzpatrick was a defensive rock in the black and white midfield, alongside captain Will Fletcher, each executing tackle after tackle, keeping the ball momentum in Sherwood’s favour.
In the end the young Magpies’ drive and determination proved too much for the battling Tigers to overcome, as Sherwood’s win secured them the four valuable points on the table.
“I’m so proud of my boys and the effort they put in on the field today,” McEvoy said.
“They went out there and really showed what they can do together as a team.
“This game will be great to build on for the rest of the season. We showed some real skill out there today.
“This win means a lot to the team and me.”
Sherwood 5.1 7.3 14.4 17.7 (109)
Noosa 4.0 6.2 8.3 11.6 (72)
Goals
Sherwood Waistcoat 6, Austin 2, Hude 2, James 2, Nelson 2, Collins, Harrison, Mitchell
Noosa Rich 4, McCarthy 3, Freeman 2, Conn, Pettigrove
Best Players
Sherwood Stanley Waistcoat, Liam Hude, Jack Austin, Will Fletcher, Oliver Cruice, Owen Collins
Noosa Mitchell Conn, Curtis McCarthy, Mac Johnston, Jai Fitzpatrick, Sebastian Rogers, Nathan Horbury
Other Games
Wilston Grange v Broadbeach
Wilston Grange 7.3 9.7 15.12 21.17 (143)
Broadbeach 1.- 5.6 8.6 11.9 (75)
Goals
Wilston Grange Derksen 4, Mifsud 4, Lanthois 3, Raines 3, Rhook 2, Bowles, Gordon, McGinness, Rodrick, Rosenbrock
Broadbeach Harrington 4, Bowman 2, Filippone 2, Chadwick, Erickson, Jeffrey
Best players
Wilston Grange Jacquin Mifsud, Daniel Bowles, Zackary Derksen, Daniel Lanthois, Lachlan Rhook, Rhys Mathieson
Broadbeach Justin Bishop, Cody Harrington, Joel Filippone, Blake Erickson, Archie Hill, Jack Haggar
Palm Beach Currumbin v Redland Victoria Point
Palm Beach Currumbin 3.1 7.6 11.8 13.10 (88)
Redland Victoria Point 3.7 4.10 7.14 9.19 (73)
Goals
Palm Beach Currumbin Rubock 3, Beaman 2, O’Brien 2, Cilmi, Day, Hayes,
McInneny, North, Valpied
Redland Victoria Point Brown 2, Finch 2, Cameron, Hammelmann, Huddy, Malone, Reeves
Best Player
Palm Beach Currumbin Liam O’Brien, Tom Hickey, Salvatore Cilmi, Fred Valpied, Marcus White, James Frawley
Redland Victoria Point Adrian Williams, Campbell Aston, Brock Aston, Byron Finch, Ethan Petterwood, Craig Malone
Labrador v Aspley
Labrador 2.3 2.5 5.7 5.10 (40)
Aspley 4.3 10.6 11.7 12.11 (83)
Goals
Labrador Brown, Fyfe, Nicholls, Pearce, Simpson
Aspley Batchelor 2, Herring 2, O’Dwyer 2, Coombes, Dodge, Harker, Howson, Leahy, Stackelberg
Best Player
Labrador Tom Miller, Rhys Nicholls, Finn Brown, Darcy McEldrew, Jayden Young, Charlie Offermans
Aspley Coen Harker, Joel Leahy, Jasper Craven, Josh Coombes, Brandon Batchelor, Liam Dawson
Maroochydore v Surfers Paradise
Maroochydore 5.3 7.3 9.4 10.5 (65)
Surfers Paradise 1.1 6.5 8.9 10.11 (71)
Goals
Maroochydore Scholard 3, Adams, Faulkner, Habgood, Hahn, Holt, Wagner, Wilson
Surfers Paradise Hall 3, Patten 2, S Jewell, Reardon, Topping, Woodburn
Best Player
Maroochydore Joshua Wagner, Lochie Laing, Jack Lang, Lachlan Robinson, Mitchel Scholard, Adam Smyth
Surfers Paradise Ewan Macpherson, Jack Brauman, Josh Hall, Benjamin Woodburn, Connor Matheson, Axel Moore
Morningside v Mt Gravatt
Morningside 3.3 6.8 13.12 21.16 (142)
Mt Gravatt 3.2 6.2 7.2 7.2 (44)
Goals
Morningside Downie 6, Cockatoo 3, Swann 3, Pearce 2, Purslow 2, Waters 2, Dunkley, Godfrey, Milford
Mt Gravatt Clare, Corrigan, Milne, Staas
Best Player
Morningside Kelly Castle, Nakia Cockatoo, Dylan Swann, Tommy Horne, Keegan Downie, Kyle Dunkley
Mt Gravatt Michael Gordon, Thomas Hurst, Jayden Milne, Ryan Durrant, Richard Jenkie, Cody Finlay
