Gut Feelings X - Brought to you by Regis Aged Care Chelmer
Andrew Thomson
A big congratulations to the Sherwood Football Club for their efforts in raising over a $1000 for Ronald McDonald house in the recent “Pies for Pies” event Friday week ago. The “Pies for Pies” Pie Night and the players “Silly Socks” (worn by players and coaches) combined to raise the funds, so well done to the organisers and participants on a great initiative—and the pies went down well from all reports!!
A big 3 weeks coming up for the Magpies starting with this week’s trip to fourth placed Broadbeach to take on the Cats on the big expanses of Merrimac Oval then at home to undefeated Premiership favourites and fierce rival Palm Beach-Currumbin then off to Morningside to take on the second placed Panthers.
The Pies are now looking a more settled side, have better availability of players and will be looking to push hard in the 2nd half of the year - starting with wins in all 3 matches.
The Magpies relished the presence of 200cm+ ruckman Samson Ryan which enabled the midfield to be more pro-active in winning the ball out of the centre. The Pies have struggled in the ruck department for a few years and have developed a lock down style of play in the midfield to try to even up the contest. It is attritional footy and takes its toll. However it was nice for the Pies to have a winning ruck and they did dominate the midfield contest against the Demons as a result
Ryan, although only 18 years old, showed great maturity and he also advised some very experienced Pies on ballers where he wanted them at the ball ups and boundary throw ins and what role they should play i.e. you block and I will tap the ball to so-and-so.
The Magpies' selectors now enjoy some depth in the Ruck department, with veteran big man Gerard Moore now established into footy for the year and hitting his straps, big G hasn’t played Senior footy in 5+ years, but has displayed fine form in the ruck in the Reserves in recent weeks. Moore, was Senior Co-Captain in 2013 as a 20 year old but after a stint in the AFL ranks with the Gold Coast Suns, and 2 Senior PRemierships with the Magpies he put footy on the back-burner to concentrate on joining the Police then irregular shifts confined him to the Woodsmen for a couple of seasons before returning to Reserves footy last year where he won the JB Medal for Reserves B & F after winning the Nipperess Medal for the Woodsmen B&F the previous season. He was scheduled for more footy earlier in the year before suffering a back injury in a car accident 6 weeks ago. Moore has been around for a while but is only 27 years old—well, for a couple more weeks anyway!! . He was a key player as a teenage ruckman in the Pies much celebrated upset Premiership victory over PBC in 2008., where he was easily the Pies best in the first half to keep them in striking distance for a famous win, and was also a Premiership player in 2012 playing at Centre Half Forward where his marking prowess was a key.
Likewise a few big weeks for both the Reserves and Colts. The Reserves can’t afford too many slip ups in coming matches and will hope to kick-start their season with a win over Broadbeach, a team they did defeat easily earlier in the year.
Matches against PBC and Morningside won’t be easy but with the right attitude the Reserves have the talent to win all 3.
The Colts have had a spluttering season so far but hopefully have recharged the batteries and with several older players filtering back to the line-up will be looking for a stronger second half of the season. They started poorly against Broadbeach earlier in the year which proved the difference so a switched on performance is required this week if they are to turn the tables on the Cats.
The Woodsmen are at home to UQ this Friday night and with the Red Lions without a win the fifth placed Pies will be favourites for the 4 points to maintain their place in the five but they have Yeronga-South Brisbane one game behind them and breathing down their necks. So it shapes as an interesting run towards the finals in coming weeks.
For a great read then make sure you have a look at the "Magpie Chatter" Newsletter put together by "Grey Magpies" Convenor Shane Bridley. The newsletter is placed on the Old Boys Facebook page and also sent to Old Boys via email. Two of the of the articles are re-produced below. If you are not on the email mailing list contact Shane Bridley on shanebridley@optusnet.com.au
For the newer members of the club "Magpie Chatter" was a weekly newsletter produced by the club in the 1960s and 1970s. It seems the name "Grey Magpies" has stuck to become the nickname of the Sherwood and Western Magpies Old Boys Association. Not sure some of the recently retired players are too happy with that but I am afraid it looks like it will stick, certainly not appropriate for some - you need to have hair for it to be grey - (not mentioning anyone Chris Mihalopoulous!)
Excerpts from this week’s Magpie Chatter re-produced below.
Hagley’s Heroes
. At the home game against Surfers Paradise, we were all pleasantly surprised by the roll up of past players and supporters in attendance, especially the re-union of “Hagley’s Heroes” , a group of over 25 past players/supporters including a mixture of former Premiership winning – 2003 and 2005 Colts(U18’s) players, coached by Allan Hagley and assisted by Wil Ivinson and Mark Wysoszanski, who were all in attendance. Allan, Wil and Mark had played together since U13’s, and then coached various teams together.
There is a great story on Hags in the ‘In Black and White” club history book, which is a history of the Sherwood Districts/Western Magpies Football Club from 1956 – 2011, and a ‘must read’ for all past players/supporters of the club.
Hags travelled up from Melbourne for the day, to join a handful of those at the game who also played together in the 2007 Division 3 Premiership side coached by Hags (basically an ‘old boys’ side with a mixture of younger players who couldn’t commit to senior football).
A number of other players at the re-union travelled from afar to be there, including Rohan Bail from the 2005 Colts Team, who went on to play over 70 Senior Games with Melbourne Football Club in the AFL Competition. Rohan travelled from Melbourne for the day, whilst Shaun Tapp (Vice Captain of the 2005 Colts Team and later a player for Glenelg in the SANFL) travelled up from Adelaide for the weekend, whilst others travelled from Northern NSW, Middlemount and Dalby/Roma areas of Qld.
The boys are hoping to make the gathering a bi-annual event, however no need to wait until then boys, put a table or two together for the Grey Magpies Lunch on Saturday, July 20th when the Pies host Sandgate and catch up with other past players from all eras of the Club.
Hagleys Heroes, other old boys from various era (and BM!)
Club Welfare Manager - Alistair Mitchell ran his second formal session with the playing group and coaches last week and discussed setting team values and behaviours that are non-negotiable for everyone involved in the club.
He stated the values and behaviours have to be the same as the standards that players want to set each week and also must be consistent with the coach's directions for communication, training schedules , selection criteria and match day preparation.
He spoke about the importance of developing the following values and behaviours to develop a good club culture which will then develop personal, team and club success.
VALUES:
Mateship, Respect, Work Ethic, Enjoyment
BEHAVIOURS:
Training times and expectations for late arrivals; pre-training routine; change rooms (respect your home); general behaviours on and off the field; dress code for all games; pre-game routine; your own personal routine to match with the team expectations.
MINDSET BEFORE SKILL SET:
The mindset for success shows us how we think and is the new frontier of performance. The difference between the good and the great is the difference between your mindset and your skill set.
Mindset separates the best from the rest!! The right mindset drives the right habits which drives the right performance
THINK AND ACT LIKE WINNERS ON AND OFF THE FIELD
BE THE CLUB EVERY ONE ELSE ENVIES