Sherwood head down the M1 to take on the Broadbeach Cats in the QAFL Preliminary Final this tomorrow at Subaru Oval, Broadbeach. The Cats are undefeated minor premiers, however in a shortened season this doesn’t carry the usual weight, and they are very beatable on their home deck by this talented young Magpie team. The Pies haven’t dropped a game for over a month now and are on a roll and full of confidence after a fantastic win last week vs Maroochydore. The Pies will also look back to their encounter with Broadbeach in Round 3 when the Pies were missing several players and still finding their feet as a cohesive unit, but pushed Broady all the way but for a 10 minute lapse that proved the difference.

Magpie Senior Coach Anthony McDonald will stress to his charges the importance of the opening clinches and most importantly, applying scoreboard pressure when in control of the ball. Scoreboard pressure, physical pressure and the pressure of an undefeated minor Premiership may see the Cats in unfamiliar territory.

The Pies have made one forced change to the team with young half back Riley Greene returning to the side after an injury layoff, and he replaces tough nut on-baller Caleb Franks who is suffering from facial fractures. Key forward Brody Lumber, who was a late withdrawal last week with a quad strain, failed to overcome his injury so his late replacement Zane Lovell retains his spot.

The Pies will need to play the full quarters at maximum intensity, something that has eluded them this year. The Pies played the Top 3 sides in consecutive weeks early in the year and matched each of them for long periods of the game only for poor goalkicking and quarter by quarter lapses in intensity to cost them. This was the case in all of the Magpie outings this year, even the victories - so will be a key focus this week.

Will Fletcher and Riley Easton have been brilliant in recent weeks in the midfield and Samson Ryan improves every week with his ruckwork against experienced opponents. The Magpies high class defensive unit will come up against the best attack in the competition in what will be a crucial battle for ascendancy. Luca Winton, Aaron Highlands, Ethan Sivijs and Errin Wasley-Black are more than capable of the task of both stopping and rebounding, but the Pies will also need to get on top in the midfield to make the defenders lives easier. The Pies will also look to their AFL experienced players in Harwood, Beams and Dawson to fire and cause plenty of headaches for the opposition. On the open expanses of Subaru Oval, Bruce Reville and Dan Edwards will be looking to cause plenty of damage with their speed and Tom Baulch will have plenty of work ahead of him as he looks to continue his fine form.

QAFL Preliminary Final:  Sherwood v Broadbeach at Broadbeach on Saturday, September 19th at 2.30 pm
B: Brenton Saunders - Luca Winton  - Ethan Sivijs

HB: Errin Wasley-Black - Aaron Highlands - Jack Goodall 

C: Jayden Gallagher - Will Fletcher - Dan Edwards 

HF: Bruce Reville - Jack Austin - Aaron Maricic

F:  Claye Beams- Liam Dawson - Riley Easton

Foll: Samson Ryan - Tom Baulch  - Ryan Harwood 

Interchange:  David Lewis (Capt) - Drew Mitchell - Jack Briskey - Riley Greene - Zane Lovell

Emerg: Trystan Juffs-King - Sam St John - Connor Bulley - John Baker

In: Riley Greene Out: Caleb Franks (injured)