Coopers Catchup - 2006 Premiership Reunions

The Western Magpies will celebrate the dual Premierships the club won in both seniors and reserves in 2006 at a reunion of the players, officials and supporters at Chelmer on Saturday.  Everyone is welcome to attend and join the celebrations.

The Premiership players will celebrate as they watch the current day side take on Sandgate with several survivors still playing! Luke Scott, Tim McEvoy, Val Pope, Gabe McKinnon, Matt Davis, Jadan Morton, Sean Mewing (injured at present) while Chris Mihalopoulos, Sean Toohey, Laurie Bere and Greg Matthews turn out for the Woodsmen on Friday nights.

The Pies defeated Noosa in both grades on different days back in 2006, with the Seniors on Sunday at Cararra and the Reserves on the Saturday at Zillmere.

SENIORS WIN BY 51 POINTS

The Senior side defeated the Noosa Tigers with a dominant second half display after an arm wrestle in the first.

Noosa actually hit the lead shortly before half-time, before the Pies booted 2 crucial late goals to take a valuable half time lead.  However it was still anyones game at 3/4 time as the Pies held a slender margin of 14 points, but the Pies dominated through the middle in the final term to kick 5 unanswered goals and kept Noosa scoreless.  The Premiership win was the Pies first Senior Flag since Sherwood ended their dominant era in 1982.

Coach Paul Grentell elected to use skipper Chris Mihalopoulos in a tagging role on Noosa playermaker Luke Matthews, who was regarded as one of the best players in the competition and would go on to be selected in the All Australian Country team.  Mika successfully shut him down and it was a major reason the Pies went on to win the flag.

Ian Carroll at CHB held Tigers key forward Brett Duke well, while David Hamill worked hard up and down the ground at CHF to present as a target.  Val Pope kicked 5 goals to add to his 80 goals for the season as the competition leading goalkicker.  It was deja vu for this old campaigner, as Pope bagged 5 only last week a decade on!

Tyson Kenny at full back was also strong, while Reid Dobson won plenty of ball through the middle and was the hero late with 3 goals early in the final quarter to give the Pies breathing space and break Noosa hearts, including 2 long bombs from outside 50.  Dobson was awarded the Bill Ryan Medal for Best on Ground.

2006 Seniors Grand Final vs Noosa at Carrara

Western Magpies 5.1 - 31 | 10.2 - 62 | 14.6 - 90 | 19.13 - 127

defeated

Noosa Tigers 4.3 - 27 | 9.4 - 58 | 11.10 - 76 | 11.10 - 76

Premiership Team:

B: Tom Roberts - Tyson Kenny - Gabe McKinnon

HB: Luke Scott - Ian Carroll - Ben Heffernan-Roper

C: Will Fozard - Tom Power - Jimmy Rozynski

HF: Val Pope - David Hamill - Brett Gwyther

F: Adam Gillespie - Steve Tapp - Matt Davis

Foll: Steven Cook - Chris Mihalopoulos - Reid Dobson

Int: Sean Toohey - Tim McEvoy - Jadan Morton - Sean Mewing

RESERVES DEFEAT NOOSA BY 31 POINTS

The Western Magpies Reserves kicked off a successful weekend with a comfortable victory over Noosa in the Reserves Grand Final played on the Saturday at Zillmere.

The Pies had a strong team with plenty of Senior experience with the likes of full forward Scott Matthews turning out for the Reserves despite kicking a bag of 7 in a late season Senior appearance vs Surfers Paradise.  Also playing Reserves that day were other regular Senior players such as Jye Spencer, Chris Garner and Phil Wills such was the strength of the squad at the time.

Coach Andrew Farr was a very good coach and he had a skilled and motivated team who played for each other.  The Pies lost the toss and kicked against the wind in the first quarter.  Noosa had plenty of early chances, but were inaccurate and the Pies snuck in a goal against the wind and only trailed by a goal at quarter time.

The Pies used to the wind to have a 3 goal half-time buffer but Noosa used the wind advantage better in the third quarter to close the gap, but thePies retained a 9 point lead at the final change and with the wind at their back, dominated the last quarter to win comfortably.

Brad Wright at CHB took countless intercept marks and Luke Knight won plenty of ball through the middle to drive the Pies forward.  james Dobson also worked hard in midfield and in defence John Moore and Leigh Rudd stood tall.  Up forward Matt Thompson booted 4 goals and was named Best on Ground, however there is a bit of contention about this as Brad Wright feels he was robbed of BOG honours by the one-armed bandit!

2006 Reserves Grand Final

Western Magpies 12.8 - 80 defeated Noosa Tigers 6.13 - 49

Reserves Premiership Team:

B: Scott de Wever - John Moore - Leigh Rudd

HB: Gus Graham - Brad Wright - Peter Fardon

C: James Dobson - Luke Knight - Adrian Rachele

HF: Matt Thompson - Chris Garner - Jim Somerville

F: Phil Wills - Scott Matthews - Chris Judson

Foll: Chris Keane - Rob McNaughton - Jye Spencer

INT: Jason de Wever - Greg Matthews - Laurie Bere - Nick