Sport
22 April, 2024
Magpies downed by Flat
Maryborough’s wait for a drought-breaking victory goes on after a strong second-half performance from Kangaroo Flat saw them take a 55-point victory at Barker Oval Princes Park. The Magpies put together a very strong team, with Bailey Edwards...
Maryborough’s wait for a drought-breaking victory goes on after a strong second-half performance from Kangaroo Flat saw them take a 55-point victory at Barker Oval Princes Park.
The Magpies put together a very strong team, with Bailey Edwards, Bailey Snelling and Cody Nyhuis key inclusions, and were extremely competitive in the first half before the Kangaroos started to pile on the goals.
But it was Maryborough who got off to the better start, with Joel Swatton’s outstanding read of the play yielding an intercept mark before cruising through to goal with a classy finish for the first goal of the day.
After Kangaroo Flat responded, Coby Perry was next on the scoreboard, as his efforts off a step sailed through over the goal umpire’s head.
Kangaroo Flat would kick the next three goals in what was proving to be an entertaining, end-to-end quarter, before Maryborough were able to respond.
Firstly, Robert Castiglia read the ball perfectly at the bottom of a pack to kick the Magpies’ third goal, before Edwards added another to bring the margin back to two points.
Another goal to Flat meant the margin would be seven points at the first change.
Fraser Russell got the first goal of the second term to bring the Magpies back to within two points, and they’d soon have the lead when Russell and Nyhuis combined in the goalsquare.
Nyhuis soon had a second goal when it was Russell again who combined well to regain the lead, but that was as good as it got for the Magpies, who conceded the last four goals to trail by 23 points.
Kangaroo Flat kicked the first three goals of the third term of have the game seemingly out of reach, before Nyhuis soccered through a third goal from the goalsquare. Kaian Constable added another soon after to give the Magpies a glimmer of hope, still trailing by 27.
Flat would, however, prove too strong, kicking the next three goals inbetween the end of the third and the start of the fourth to maintain control of the game.
Maryborough at least fought the game out, with Russell kicking three final quarter goals to take his tally to four for the day.
The Magpies would eventually lose 12.6 (78) to 20.13 (133). While it was a game the Magpies were disappointed to lose, from an offensive standpoint, this was their best score since round 2, 2022, when they scored 86 points against Castlemaine.
Edwards was instrumental through the midfield, as was Perry, while Russell was excellent up forward. Snelling, Alex Brown, and Kya Lanfranchi were also named in the best.
The Magpies will face a tough assignment next week when they face Gisborne away.
