By Terry Wilson
Photo: RF Photography
WESTERN MAGPIES v MORNINGSIDE
At McCarthy Homes Oval, 2pm
Western Magpies:
Ins: Lachlan Woods, Brodie Easton, Logan Murray.
Outs: Kale Reed, Billy Johnson, Lachlan Dennis.
Morningside:
Ins: Nil.
Outs: Nil.
MORNINGSIDE can claim something of a QAFL record by naming an unchanged 22 for the match of the round against Western Magpies at McCarthy Homes Oval in Sherwood.
In this day and age of NEAFL clubs having first choice of multiple-listed players, the rub-off is for the QAFL clubs making plenty of changes each week.
But not so for the Panthers this time around.
“It’s the first time this has happened in my time here,” Morningside coach Steve Wildschut said coming off the back of a 102-point win over Mt Gravatt last weekend.
“We’ve had six or seven most of the time so, touch wood, we’ll see if we can get to game day without any changes.
“At this stage everything’s as per plan.”
Wildschut said it is a part of footy life with the NEAFL in town.
“With the NEAFL it’s all about the ins and outs,” he said.
“The clubs now have to wait to find out to see if who’s available and we don’t know until 7.30 on Thursday night even if we do get the heads-up on who might be coming back.”
This means towering ruckman Will Wolbers and dangerous forward Eddie Mallan (both listed with Aspley) will again don the red, white and black against the Magpies.
Magpies coach Brydan Morgan is expecting nothing but a tough, hard contest against the Panthers, especially with the opposition coming off such a huge win.
“Morningside are flying high and are obviously in form,” Morgan said, conceding he was not surprised by a Panther victory last weekend but was certainly taken aback by the final margin.
“They’d be feeling pretty good about themselves, and rightly so.
“I think they’re starting to put a better 22 on the paddock now so I’m looking forward to this game.”
With the Panthers naming the same 22 from last round the Magpies are going in with only three changes – bringing in Lachlan Woods, Brodie Easton and Logan Murray for Kale Reed, Billy Johnson and Lachlan Dennis.
Figures this season lead to an intriguing battle between two obvious improvers.
The Magpies started the year off by losing three games in a row but have recovered for four wins on the trot.
Morningside have had three good weeks, starting with a win against Labrador, a good effort against leaders Palm Beach Currumbin and last week’s rout of Mt Gravatt.
So how has the mood been at Jack Esplen Oval this week on the back of that?
“It has been positive but we’ve got a lot of work to be done,” Wildschut said.
“Our last three have been more consistent and we want to get that consistency building.
“This will be tough. They’re first the games were against top three teams and they’ve four in a row so they’re the form team, apart from Palmy.”
Mt GRAVATT v PALM BEACH CURRUMBIN
At Dittmer Park, 2pm
Mt Gravatt:
Ins: Jayden Crawley, Daniel Daye, Nick Tronc, Corey McGuren, Ashley Chapman, Daniel Morgan, Nathan Morgan.
Outs: Isaac Wiencke (concussion), Andrew Smith (shoulder), James London (hamstring), Brendan Colch (illness), Harrison Taylor (unavailable), Dean Benson (omit), Matt Pearce (omit).
Palm Beach Currumbin:
Ins: Callum McBurnie, Zac Harrison, Jordan Taylor, Tom Fraser.
Outs: Steve Thynne (overseas), Tristan Evert (overseas), Corey Beaman (hamstring), AJ Dawson (unavailable).
THE QAFL world awaits the reaction of Mt Gravatt players to their humbling loss against Morningside last round.
Will the Vultures jump straight back on the horse or will they stumble again when they host ladder leaders and premiers Palm Beach Currumbin at Dittmer Park?
Most certainly coach Daniel Webster was given positive vibes from players during the week after their 102-point drubbing across town at Morningside last weekend.
It was a totally unexpected winning margin but one Webster believes could be a key part of Mt Gravatt’s learning curve.
“It has been a normal week at training, to be honest,” Webster said.
“We have just got to learn from it, that’s the key. And the players are keen to get back to good footy again. “
There were some excuses behind the debacle, the main one being a list of injuries followed on by the late withdrawal of two Redland NEAFL players on match eve.
That particular issue has not been lost on PBC coach Chad Owens.
“That (loss) was the worst thing that could possibly have happened (for us), to get flogged like that,” Owens said.
“They are a top side and they were firing yet they got beaten by 100. I know they had injuries and they lost a couple of players before the game.
“So I haven’t read anything into that loss and I expect them to come out breathing fire – it is certainly not going to be an easy game.”
If PBC can win they would grab a two-game buffer over their nearest rivals on the ladder.
But the rewards for a Mt Gravatt win would be second spot on the ladder. Current second side Broadbeach hold that spot on 24, just ahead of Mt Gravatt (24).
In team selection news, PBC youngster and Round 8 Rising Star nominee AJ Dawson has found a novel way to miss the game.
He will be in Tasmania for the AFL debut of his younger brother Jacob for the Gold Coast Suns against Hawthorn.
Also out for the Lions tomorrow are Stephen Thynne and Tristan Evert, who have both gone overseas on holidays, as well as hamstring victim Corey Beaman.
Into the side are defenders Callum McBurnie and Southport-listed Jordan Taylor, utility Zac Harrison and Tom Frazer, who can play forward or back.
Mt Gravatt have seven changes, including the returns of Jayden Crawley, Daniel Daye and Nick Tronc.
But the Vultures lose badly without ruckman Andrew Smith (shoulder) and Isaac Wiencke (concussion) heading the list of outs.
WILSTON GRANGE v LABRADOR
At Bendigo Bank Oval, 2pm
Wilston Grange:
Ins: Declan Warren, Luca Mason, Nick Dickson, Scott Dalton, Jonah Farry, Scott Dalton, Max Hewett.
Outs: Joey Daye (ankle), Billy Beardsell (Aspley NEAFL), Blake Nelis (Aspley NEAFL), Trent Aarons (knee), Gary Vass (work), Jack Lipscombe (ankle), Zach Southern (hamstring).
Labrador:
Ins: Tom Thorsen, Declyn Goode.
Outs: Lachie Davidson (omit), Max Johnston (omit).
THE injury curse that has plagued Wilston Grange all season has led the club to place coach Nathan Clarke on standby for the clash against Labrador, “just in case”.
The Gorillas came up with another big list of changes, this time seven (it may be more come game time) to challenge the Tigers at Bendigo Bank Oval.
And as reluctant as Clarke may be to pull the boots on again, the situation on the medical front demands he be part of a contingency plan to cover further losses of playing personnel.
Clarke has been named as an emergency and is genuinely happy not to have to play. If he does he will line up against the club where his father was captain coach in the GCAFL in 1982.
“We’re likely to have half a dozen of our under-18s doubling up,” Clarke said of the player drain at the Grange.
In welcome news the Gorillas get back top pair Declan Warren and Luca Mason, although losing last weekend’s six-goal star Joey Daye (ankle) and losing Billy Beardsell and Blake Nelis to NEAFL club Aspley will hurt a side that went down late in the game last weekend away to Surfers Paradise.
Yet, despite all the comings and goings, the mood at Bendigo Bank Oval remains buoyant and Clarke said there is a firm belief the club can play finals this year.
“Having Declan and Luca back this week is good for us,” Clarke said. “We think we can win and we’re still intent on playing finals.
In the Labrador camp things are much brighter because after three weeks of massive player personnel changes, the Tigers have only two for the trip up the M1.
Coach Aaron Shattock joked about the sharp drop in losses, likening it to a famous Coles ad.
“We’re going down, down with our changes,” Shattock joked after naming newcomer Declyn Goode and rugged midfielder Tom Thorsen as this week’s ins.
Goode is an interesting pick-up for Labrador.
Last year the half-back was playing QFA Division 2 for Beenleigh, a club which has provided the Tigers with some handy players in the past.
Two ex-Buffaloes who come quickly to mind are Daniel Wehner and Shane Patterson, who finished first and second in the 2005 best and fairest count.
Shattock likes the look of Goode, describing the first-gamer as a player with plenty of skill and one who made his first grade debut as a 15-year-old.
Despite the Tigers losing last weekend to Western Magpies, Shattock thought it was the team’s best effort of a year that has brought only two wins to date.
“Even though the result didn’t show it, I thought we played our best footy last weekend,” Shattock said.
“Still, when the heat was on in the last quarter, we didn’t get the job done but I feel it was by far our best performance, as a team, of the year.”
