With 3 massive games in play for our Magpie teams over the weekend in the Essendon District Football League we had plenty to play for and plenty to lose.

The first game for the weekend saw our Reserves boys take on Burnside Heights Football Club as we looked to tune up for finals and what a tune up it ended up being. With the fittest water boy you’ve ever seen keeping pressure on the boys in the side, and given we were also missing leading goal kicker Billy for the match, we more than got the job done. We hit the Bears with a 4 quarter blitz that didn’t relent until the final siren had sounded. As usual, the defence and midfield dominated their opponents which created plenty of easy ball inside 50. A 5 goal to nothing first term set us up perfectly, though the tough conditions on the day saw us kick 5.5 to 0.1 so the margin could have been much greater than the 34 points that we led by. We followed that up with a 6 goal quarter in the second term while holding our opponents scoreless as the lead had already blown out to 73 points at the main break. The absolute carnage continues after half time as we booted another 6 goals (6.6 to be exact) and the lead was above 100 as we entered the final break. With this being the last home game of the year, the boys wanted to reward the faithful for coming out on a cold and dark day and they did just that with a 9.6 quarter to completely dominate Burnside. The final scores showing a 174 point smashing – 26.20-176 to 0.2-2. In the absence of Billy, JayJay popped up and kicked 7 to take his season tally to 39, Micko and Mindy added 3, Dom, Tyla and Marz 2 each, while others to hit the scoreboard were Tilly, Lamanna (who’d go on to take out the Reverse Draw later that night!), Youi (yes, he actually kicked on this time, but credit to Micko for the pass), Verga, Anth, Liam and Stoney. Our best wereour goal kicking small forward JayJay, Tilly, Matty, Youi the backline colossus, Beany and Tyla. Another great display boys, just need to keep this going for another few weeks and ride this wave all the way through.

The Seniors faced a Bears side on a good run of form coming in who had travelled to Cole Reserve the week before and knocked off the Lions so could not be taken lightly. As you will see from the scores, our boys made sure they concentrated on what they needed to and executed Faz’s plans to perfection. the Senior game started much like the Reserves game, with our boys dominating the play and kicking 5 goals but struggling with the conditions a little and also adding 9 behinds. A 27 point lead at 1/4 would blow out massively in the second term as we put the Bears to the sword kicking 9.3 for the term and taking the lead out to 78 points at the half way point of the match – the scores showing 14.12-96 to 3.0-18. The 3rd quarter saw us take the foot off the throat somewhat as we added 3.6 to 1.1 but it was enough to push us to within a kick of a 100 point lead at the last change – 17.18-120 to 4.1-25. At 3/4 time Faz implored the boys to keep pressing and not give the Bears any respite and that’s exactly what we did as we obliterated them with an 8 goal to 1 quarter, winning 25.20-170 to 5.4-34. For once it wasn’t Cappa or Saddy kicking all the snags, but the evergreen JC who bobbed up this week and kicked 7. It was a great sign of the adaptability and scoring power we can put through the forward 50 and a warning to all other sides of what we are capable of come finals time. As well as JC’s big bag, Geeza booted 4, Saady 3, Saba kicked 2, as did Pitty and Marg (included some after the siren “Me time” for Margs) while we got singles from Cappa, Ferras, Barney, Riggers running down from half back and Pratty. Faz’s best were JC, Geeza, Kaj, Pitty, Mosh (the GRH/GOAT) and Pratty. What made the win even better was that we had Macca on the bench at the 5 minute mark of the first with a hammy twinge and Ferras sat out much of the second half once the result wasn’t in doubt to rest him up for the important games to come.

A total of 51 goals kicked by our two senior teams on Saturday was a great way to start warming up for finals as we started to find out mojo again.

On Sunday our Under 18 Youth Girls were looking to make history in taking out the first ever Division 2 girls flag. After a sensational season where we had not tasted defeat since round 4, our girls went into their final against Hillside Sharks Football Club full of confidence. In terrible conditions at Joe Brown Oval, things got off to the worst possible start as we let the Sharks jump us and open up a 13 point lead at quarter time – 0.1 to 2.2. The girls kept going and tried to get back into it but at half time the lead had grown to 18 points but still appeared to be in reach if we could play to our best. For the second time on the weekend we lost a Macca to an injury as our CHB went off with a knee injury that would see her unable to return and made our job that bit harder. The Sharks were again on top in the 3rd term and kicked another 3 goals to 1 and the lead was out to 29 points and it looked a long way back. We went as hard as we could in the last, but could only add 1.4 to 1.2, eventually finishing runner up after a 27 point loss.We had all single goals kicked by Ash H, Sarah and Biance while our best players on the day were Ash, Angel, Sarah, Bianca, Cookie and Juanessa. You’ve made us all very proud this year girls and to make a grand final is a massive achievement. It;s a great shame that we could not get the result we deserved today but let this drive you next year to go one better and get all of the girls back for another go at it and bring that flag home next year. From a team that struggled to win most weeks to becoming a force this year has been great to see so keep your chins up and get back into it when pre-season starts again.

Next week is the final home and away round for the seniors and it doesn’t really come any bigger than this. It’s First versus Third on the ladder as we take on Moonee Valley FC away at the construction site. The winner locks in a top 2 spot and the double chance in finals. If the win and the Bears knock off the Saints we can still finish in top spot but our focus will simply be on winning and doing all that we can! The Ressies have a 1 v 2 clash but given the points difference we can’t be knocked off top spot. This is now the 3rd straight season we’ve finished the season on top of the ladder so let’s hope history repeats from the past 2 years when it comes to Grand Final day.

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