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Sport

1 October, 2024

Magpies mark best and fairest, discuss club’s future

There was high emotion at Maryborough’s best and fairest count on Thursday night, where it was announced the Magpies could seek a recess option in 2025.

By Michael Thompson

Amanda Durbridge and Coby Perry shared the spoils in Maryborough's night of nights, taking home the A reserve and senior football best and fairests.
Amanda Durbridge and Coby Perry shared the spoils in Maryborough's night of nights, taking home the A reserve and senior football best and fairests.

President Scott Quinlan addressed members, supporters and players in the latest update that the club had indeed approached the Bendigo Football Netball League (BFNL) board about a recess option throughout the 2025 season, which would be the first time the Magpies had explored that option since the Second World War.

“Our board met about three or four weeks ago, and we decided to approach the BFNL board about potential options for next year, and what that looks like,” he said.

“Obviously with the finals series afoot, they put it on the backburner, but they delayed the correspondence to us as late as Wednesday night. Myself, Daryl Groves and Melissa Adams had a meeting there with the BFNL.”

Quinlan revealed that there was a motion put forward by the club to continue fielding an under 18s football team as a way of keeping players on the books throughout the season, with the intention of giving their successful under 16s team from this season an opportunity to thrive in the league, but that was knocked on the head by the BFNL.

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“We then received confirmation from the BFNL that while they will support Maryborough to have a recess period in 2025 to reset, restart and regroup, they will not allow an under 18s football team to play purely for the fixturing, which would be an absolute nightmare,” he said.

“I can understand where they are coming from, but at this stage, the answer is no to that request, but they have been receptive to us going into a recess period.

“Although that decision hasn’t been made, we will meet as a board in coming weeks to thrash that out, and work out what the best course of action is going to be. But at this stage, we have a green light there.

“It won’t affect our junior football whatsoever, the 2025 season won’t be affected in any way, shape or form, so that will push on along with Auskick. At this stage, we’ll communicate more as it comes to hand, but as we sit here, that is the highly probable outcome for senior football and netball for next year.”

While Maryborough are still thrashing out the details of what a potential recess for the club looks like, Quinlan confirmed that there will be special permits for footballers to move clubs without consequences throughout 2025, before they are returned to the club for the 2026 season.

“We will have more information on netball in coming days. On football, we got confirmation that everyone will be free to play, if we do choose the recess option, to play where you want to play next year without penalty, and will be on a special permit which lets you play without any restriction at any club, without affecting your opportunity to play finals,” he said.

“At the end of the 2025 season, once the last game is completed, you are a registered player at the Maryborough Football Netball Club effectively immediately. It would give the club every opportunity to regain its players, get them back, and push on for 2026.”

Quinlan confirmed there will be further information before the end of October.

“There will be a couple of caveats that the BFNL will want from the club over the next six to eight months, a few KPI’s, but we’ll communicate that before the end of October,” he said.

“We don’t know exactly what that looks like, but I’m sure that will be deadlines and timelines on what recruiting looks like, both football and netball. So that is where we are at on a playing basis for next year.”

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The night did not overshadow what was a thrilling count in both the Geoff MacIlwain Medal count, as well as the A reserve count.

The Geoff MacIlwain Medal was a thrilling two-horse race between captain/coach Coby Perry and exciting defender Kya Lanfranchi, with Perry eventually winning out with 80 votes, while Lanfranchi’s excellent season saw him poll 72 votes.

Perry said that result, his first best and fairest win in nine years after winning the award as a 17-year-old, holds him in good stead ahead of a trip to the Northern Territory to play football with the Banks Bulldogs throughout the summer.

“I feel a lot of emotions, it’s nine years apart, and to get back and play good consistent football for a full season, especially in a year that we were experiencing, was super important to me and for the club. I’m happy I could be out there each week and perform, and do it for the club, really,” he said.

“I’m certainly appreciative of the work that went in every week just so we could get onto the field on a Saturday afternoon, without that work and support from the club and the supporters, we couldn’t do what we love and play football, so I’m thankful for everyone involved in that aspect off-field who doesn’t get the mentions or accolades that go with some of us.

“I hope to be here next year but if we go into recess I’ll certainly be here in 2026. My heart bleeds teal. For now, I’m just concentrating on playing footy in the Northern Territory with Banks, and I’ll work out where I’m playing next year if we go into recess. I’ll certainly be back and I can’t wait.

“I’m looking forward to playing with Banks in a good position, and I play my first game this weekend.”

Perry has had a renewed focus on being the best footballer he can be for a young, impressionable Maryborough outfit, which has seen him rewarded with a spot in the BFNL’s team of the year, as well as an interleague berth for the league.

“I hit a bit of a crossroad in my career whether I wanted to be a footballer or a semi-professional athlete,” he said.

“I was a bit too fit, I wanted to be in triathlons, ride my bike, run, swim and play football, and after the few seasons I had, I couldn’t do that, so to make the commitment to just be a footballer has been fantastic.

“It’s been good to play a full season, to play well and contribute each week, and it’s been good for the younger guys, to be a role model and a professional player for them.

“My focus has been to be the best teammate I can be, and focusing on what I can control and what I can contribute to my teammates. It’s two and a half hours of hard work to do that.”

Meantime, in the A reserve count, it was Amanda Durbridge who took a second consecutive top level best and fairest award for the Magpies, polling 27 votes to win from Jordan MacIlwain, who polled 22 votes as runner-up.

Durbridge said it was thrilling to be able to get through a full season, as well as play finals with the Magpies, which was rewarded with a semi-final appearance.

“It’s been one of my most enjoyable seasons, playing with great girls and personally, it’s been a goal of mine to make it through a season, and to make it to finals was incredible,” she said.

“It’s great to be competitive, but it also goes down to the junior girls, which has been great about the league we play in, with the quality of netball from 17s right through to A grade. Even though we dropped back to A reserve, we are still playing against very talented netballers and it’s still a great pathway for those junior girls. To watch them step up has been great.”

Durbridge believes the whole club aspect has helped the A reserve team and the 17 and under team enjoy stellar seasons on the court, paying tribute to those who play in B grade and B reserve, despite neither team winning a game.

“We have under 17 girls who have stepped up to play against tough and quality netballers, even in B grade and B reserve,” she said.

“It’s a great opportunity for those girls, and I’m a big believer that if you want to be the best, you play the best, and stepping up into the higher grades help you out as players.

“Some of those players haven’t won a game for the last few years, and they turn up with a smile, and give us a good hitout at training. If we didn’t have them at training, we wouldn’t have the quality training sessions we have.”

With the club continuing to explore its options for recess in 2025. Durbridge hasn’t thought too far ahead, but described her love for the Magpies.

“To be completely honest, I haven’t thought too far ahead as we were in finals, and I wanted to savour that, and be in the moment, putting everything into it. We did have a lot of questions over what we were doing and we hadn’t even finished our season yet,” she said.

“I do want to strive to keep playing a high level of netball, only doing so in the last few years. It’s a fantastic opportunity to play the best quality netball I can.

“This has become my home club, and it’s high emotions as I’ve only been here for three years. It feels like I have always been here, there’s the people you are surrounded by, and it makes it the club that it is, and it always feels like my club.

“I think that’s what really makes you step back, and why I think about playing and why I do it at this club. I felt that every time I stepped on the court, I wasn’t necessarily stepping out for myself, I was doing it for the girls I play with, and for all the people who show up week in, week out. It’s a credit to everyone at the club, and it shows their character and resilience.”

Elsewhere in the club awards, Cooper Mark took a dominant win in the under 18 vote count, winning by 61 votes, while Megan Pritchard and Laura Johnston shared in the B grade best and fairest.

Celeste Lean was the winner of the B reserve best and fairest, while Ella Patten backed up her victory in the league’s Carol Sing Medal with a best and fairest win in the 17 and under vote count.

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