Sport
16 August, 2024
A reserve team out to recapture form
Maryborough will look to dust off a loss to bottom-placed Golden Square this week when they return home for the final time this season to host Eaglehawk.
With a spot in the finals secured, Maryborough would have been disappointed not to make the most of a potential opportunity to keep themselves in the frame for the double chance with their 12-goal defeat to the Bulldogs.
It now means that, with a six-point deficit to Sandhurst in third, the Magpies will now almost certainly begin their finals journey via the elimination final in two weeks’ time.
Missing Ella Patten and Jordan MacIlwain at either end of the court meant that the Magpies had to get creative to find a winning formula, which kept themselves in the game for three quarters before the Bulldogs ultimately cruised away in the final term.
Still, the Magpies have winning form behind them, especially in their last meeting with Eaglehawk in round eight — one which saw them cruise to a 19-goal victory.
This will be the last game Maryborough will have against a bottom-four team for the season, with a big test against potential elimination final opponent Strathfieldsaye away at Tannery Lane still to come in the final round of the season.
Elsewhere, B grade will be looking to turn around a 12-goal loss from their last meeting with Eaglehawk, as they continue to seek their first victory of the season. The B graders were competitive for long periods last week, before ultimately going down by 19 goals to Golden Square.
B reserve will be hoping to take a good first three quarters against Golden Square into this clash with Eaglehawk. The team was well in the game at three-quarter-time last week, before fading away to lose by 20 goals.
With the double chance well and truly secured, Maryborough’s 17 and under team will look to build into a likely first week matchup with Golden Square when they take on the eighth-placed Hawks.
The Magpies are locked into third place no matter what happens courtesy of their 24-goal loss to Golden Square last week, and will look to plot their path through the finals starting with the last two games of the home-and-away season.