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Sport

30 May, 2024

Magpies look for big effort

With the backdrop of the 1974 and 1999 premiership teams watching on for tomorrow’s encounter, Maryborough will be hoping to improve on recent results when they host Golden Square. It’s undoubtedly been an emotional week for many at Magpieland...

By Michael Thompson

Tom Myers has battled manfully for the Magpies in the ruck this season. Photos: Daryl Groves Photography
Tom Myers has battled manfully for the Magpies in the ruck this season. Photos: Daryl Groves Photography

With the backdrop of the 1974 and 1999 premiership teams watching on for tomorrow’s encounter, Maryborough will be hoping to improve on recent results when they host Golden Square.

It’s undoubtedly been an emotional week for many at Magpieland, with recent results on the field forcing the club’s hand at investigating whether or not to move away from the Bendigo Football Netball League (BFNL).

However, the club now has the chance to focus entirely on getting the fundamentals right on the field and block out the outside noise against what has been a weaker Golden Square team than the one which took out last season’s premiership.

The last three games has been an almighty struggle for the Magpies, having lost all of them by an average of 258 points.

The club’s last game was against South Bendigo two weeks ago, and they were unable to get the better of the Bloods’ ball movement and powerful forward line combination of Brock Harvey and Steven Stroobants, losing by 184 points.

Again, it was a familiar pattern for Maryborough. While they were fairly even in terms of the inside ball, down by just five in clearances, it was the outside running which caught the Magpies on the hop, with the Bloods enjoying 162 more disposals and generating 48 more inside 50s.

Alex Brown got plenty of the ball in defensive 50, collecting 34 disposals, while Michael Romero provided great drive through the midfield, with 32 disposals and nine clearance. Kya Lanfranchi picked up 29 disposals, while Ash Humphrey had 22.

The clash against Square will see a Bulldogs team reeling from their last two losses to Gisborne and Sandhurst respectively look to maintain their spot in the top five, which they are just holding on to at the moment on percentage.

The last meeting between the two clubs saw Golden Square win by 193 points in round 14 last season.

On that occasion, the Magpies managed to kick one of their highest scores of the season, kicking five goals, but were powerless to stop the Bulldogs from putting together 36 goals.

The reserves team will be unlikely to play again this weekend, while the under 18s will have a tough task against the second-placed Square.

The Magpies were unable to stop South Bendigo in their last game two weeks ago, scoreless up until three-quarter-time, and eventually losing by 51 points.

Maryborough players celebrate Josh Britten’s goal against South Bendigo.
Tom Myers has battled manfully for the Magpies in the ruck this season. Photos: Daryl Groves Photography
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