Andrew Wiles from AFLQ was running a live blog on the match of the Round encounter between the Western Magpies and Morningside Panthers, starting off with this pearler of an observation regarding one Magpie veteran.

“McEvoy has more tape on him than Chris Judd. Would hate to see that bill at the end of every season .” 

Other comments to come from the live blog included these observations of the Magpie outfit and their hard fought win:

“The Magpies out worked them at the contest all afternoon, got numbers at the footy, and didn't allow the Panthers to get their link up game going today.”  

“ The Magpies will quickly turn their attention to next week. Another huge clash with Labrador away from home, and you better believe they are a huge chance” 

In the AFLQ Sunday Wrap the following was the final verdict from a great day of footy:

Dear Western Magpies, welcome to the big time.

There was still a sense of unknown about the boys from Chelmer heading into yesterday.

Are they good enough to match it with the top two? Will their contested style of play stack up against offensively damaging teams? Will their younger players handle the pressure of the big stage?

The answer to all three is yes.

They signaled their intentions from the outset.

They attacked Morningside around the ball, they put extra numbers around the footy, they didn’t allow the Panthers any time through the middle, and they looked to take the game on out wide.

They kicked the first four of the game before McNeice steadied for Morningside.

It was all about accuracy early. The Magpies didn’t miss all quarter, whereas the Panthers struggled to capitalise on their forward 50 entries.

At quarter time, the Magpies were 11-points up.

The first ten minutes of the second was all Morningside. They were finally able to attack with the ball in hand, instead of being pushed sideways and backwards.

When O’Donnell drained one from a set shot seven minutes into the quarter, they were in front for the first time all day.

It was a line in the sand moment for the Magpies. The challenge was thrown at them, and they responded.

They locked down on Morningside’s run and carry, and were then able to get out of the back of Morningside’s back six, and capitalise on the scoreboard.

Goals to Dickfos, Pope and Ielasi in the backend of the quarter gave them a 20-point half time lead.

The third quarter was one big rolling maul. They say stoppages breed stoppages, and that was certainly the case as both teams played a lot of numbers around the footy.

Morningside won the quarter two goals to one, putting them within 16-points at the final break, but it was going to take an almighty effort to change the game from there.

When push comes to shove, and the game is on the line, you want your leaders to stand up.

Stand up co-captain Lachie Woods did. He kicked three big last quarter goals to not only give the Magpies the four points, but do it in emphatic style.

Oh, and there was also this bloke called Luke Scott who got moved behind the ball late in the game to take a couple of crucial intercept marks.

When the siren rang, it was the Magpies who were 20-points up, throwing them into premiership calculations.