Place Graceville Preview - QAFL Round 1 - Pelly Selvage Cup vs Mt Gravatt

Senior Match Preview - Round 1 vs Mt Gravatt - 2pm, Sat April 10 @ Sherwood

The Sherwood QAFL Senior side take the field for the first time in 2021 for Premiership points this weekend when they take on Mt Gravatt for the inaugural Pelly Selvage Cup in Round 1 QAFL action.

New coach Adrian Fletcher has run a successful pre-season program and has the squad humming along and ready for the year ahead. After reaching the 2020 Preliminary Final in a COVID impacted season, the Magpie list has undergone significant change and continues to grow from within with the Magpies impressive crop of youngsters.

Fletcher has named 3 Senior debutants for the Magpies. Magpie junior, 18 year old Darcy Prest comes in for his first Senior game after missing all of 2020 with a shoulder reconstruction. A classy player who has played for QLD for many years, Prest has been very impressive in his return to footy in recent months and is one to watch in season 2021 with his superb ball use and ability to read the play.

Another Magpie junior making his debut is 19 year old Charlie Thorpe. Charlie has played over 150 junior games at Sherwood since commencing in the u8s in 2009 and won a QAFL Colts Premiership in 2018 for the Magpies. Charlie is a tall wingman with great footy attributes and is the son of former Magpies Senior QAFL Coach Jarrod Thorpe, who was a father/son selection at Footscray after Charlie’s Grand Father dual Bulldogs Best & Bairest winner David Thorpe who also played in the 1974 Richmond Premiership side. Charlie is strong in the air, reads the play well and covers the ground beautifully and is ready for his opportunity at Senior level.

Another teenager coming in for his first game is local Wests Junior Connor Bulley. Connor was very strong in the Magpie Colts in 2020 with injury curtailing his senior progression. He can play at either end of the ground as a medium tall and is also capable of holding down a key position if needed. Very good in the air and a good ball user, he is signed with the Lions VFL squad for 2021 but gets an opportunity with Sherwood first. Connor is another one with good footy pedigree, with his father Cam having played over 200 QAFL games for Western Districts and Captaining the 1996 QAFL Premiership side that was a merger between Wests and Sherwood in the 1990s.

Four senior experienced players are also making their Magpie debut including 20 year old Coorparoo/Wynnum junior Josh Coombes who has been named at CHF. Capable of also moving through the midfield, Coombes has had a faultless pre-season and is a good target in the forward half at 6’4” and with excellent speed for a big man, he is also exceptionally good at ground level. The exciting Kobe Tozer also returns to football after several seasons out due to injury. VFL listed with Aspley, Tozer is a talented key forward who can take a game by the scruff of the neck and its exciting to see him back on the paddock in 2021. Well and truly on the draft radar prior to injury, he will be looking to re-etablish his position as one of the best key position prospects in QLD. Down back, Toara Marango also comes in for his first game for the Magpies. Marango is a Caloundra junior and has played significant NEAFL Footy with the Brisbane Lions. He was the best performed key defender in his age group taking on (and beating) future AFL listed players and was also an Allies representative. Incredibly strong in the air, elite closing speed and already strong leadership credentials - he is a fantastic inclusion into the side. The last of the experienced recruits is former VFL midfielder Billy Hawkes, a solidly built midfielder with excellent balance and a classy ball user who is also tough around the clinches and will put his head over the footy. Hawkes is originally from Bundaberg and after his VFL stint, began playing in the Loddon Valley league against some of the favourite sons of Sherwood in Jimmy Rozynski and Luke Scott.

The team looks nicely balanced with experience and youth with other key inclusions being the return of former AFL footballer Jackson Allen to Sherwood to provide leadership and stability across half back, while his brother Brady also returns to Sherwood full-time after moving to Mebourne in 2020, giving the Magpies a couple of key weapons with ball in hand. Captain Luca Winton has made the transition to the midfield after spending 3 productive seasons down back, including a Best & Fairest in 2019. Winton has an elite engine and explosive pace, and the transition to the middle is an exciting development.

Another big inclusion is 207cm ruckman Trystan Juffs-King. TJK was unlucky not to play more senior footy in 2020 after a strong Round 1 debut, but with shortened quarters - playing two ruckman was a tough proposition and he was kept out of the side by 2nd Round draft pick for Richmond Samson Ryan, so it was a tough side to crack for a young ruck. He should give the boys first use and get himself into good position around the ground.

Southport VFL listed Riley Greene also returns to Sherwood and the Pies are delighted to have the talented youngster available this week coming off the half back, but with his versatility he could play a role anywhere on the ground. Dan Edwards on a wing will be looking to continue on from his electric 2019 and 2020 seasons and Luke Mitchell also returns after a 12 month absence, as due to his work with the Brisbane Lions he was not permitted to play QAFL footy in season 2020.

It’s exciting times at Sherwood as our young side brimming with local talent takes the field, and the club is expecting a bumper crowd for the big rivalry against the Vultures.

Reserves Match Preview - Sat 10 April, 1130am @ Sherwood

A strong looking Reserves outfit will take the field this week against the Vultures with a great blend of experience, in addition to 6 of last years Colts side progressing to the Reserves in 2021. The backline looks solid with senior experience coming from Zac Collison and Sam Hartog, while both Campbell brothers Hamish and Lawson will be looking to have a big impact on the game, Hamish with his excellent aerial work and Lawson with his brutish attack on the footy.

Through the midfield, Ethan Harris steps up into the ruck and will be supported by his 2020 Colts Coach the experienced Ben Jaenke-Cain and youngster Zane Lovell. Lovell has played plenty of senior footy and is returning from an injury interrupted preseason for his first hitout. Completing the starting midfield is 16 year old Jaspa Fletcher also makes his Magpie debut and is one to watch after making his senior debut with Coorparoo in Division 1 in 2020.

In the forward-line there is over 300 games of senior experience via former Senior Captain Drew Mitchell and Senior Development Coach Alex Mitchell. Alex is a local Kenmore junior who had stints in the VFL between stints at Morningside, and crossed in 2020 for a coaching role, however club physio Lindsay Trigar has him in good shape for footy in 2021. The 2018 Colts Premiership captain Noah Resuggan also features across half forward and after making his senior debut in 2020 before injury curtailed his year, he will be looking to put further selection pressure on the senior squad.

Its an exciting Reserves outfit this week, with plenty of players looking to put the Senior side under pressure with a strong performance and also maintain their own spots with plenty of talent either injured or missing selection.