Sport
15 June, 2023
Magpies looking to challenge Gisborne
An interesting task awaits Maryborough this week — the reigning Bendigo Football Netball League senior premiers Gisborne, who have yet to win a game on their home deck at Gardiner Reserve in 2023. Intriguingly, the Bulldogs come in riding...
An interesting task awaits Maryborough this week — the reigning Bendigo Football Netball League senior premiers Gisborne, who have yet to win a game on their home deck at Gardiner Reserve in 2023.
Intriguingly, the Bulldogs come in riding a four-game losing run, and will be looking to get back on the winners list this week. But Maryborough will be looking to take advantage of any vulnerability the Bulldogs currently have to make a game of it.
Maryborough have shown that their best football is enough to compete at a decent level with a number of good teams. Last Saturday against Strathfieldsaye, it was the second and last quarters which were their best, outscored by 35 points across those quarters.
But the first and third quarters showed that there’s still plenty of work to be done at Magpie land, having been outscored by 99 points in those two quarters, and failing to kick a goal.
The learning curves continue to be thrown to the young Magpies, with many still learning the trade at senior level.
In terms of better performers on the weekend, Jake Lohmann made a welcome return to the fold to the Magpies midfield and showed just how much he has to offer, collecting 34 disposals and laying 10 tackles.
Matt Johnston wound back the clock against his old team, collecting 26 disposals, while Lachlan Bursill had 23 touches, including 21 kicks.
Chris Freeman and Alex Gavriliadis led the way with two goals each.
Looking ahead to Gisborne this week, the Magpies will be looking for a good effort to take some confidence into a clash with second-from-bottom Castlemaine the following week.
In their two meetings last year, the Magpies weren’t able to sustain the Bulldogs.
In round four, a 10-goal second quarter helped the Bulldogs take a 141-point victory.
Thomas Gardam, Ty Stewart, Kya Lanfranchi, Jayden Hooper, Lucas Hurse and Nic Swan were named in the best, while Freeman and Patrick Van der pol were the goalkickers.
In the return meeting, Maryborough got off to the perfect start with Van der pol kicking the opening goal of the day, but that was as good as it got, with Gisborne kicking the next 26 goals to take a 172-point win.
Gardam, Coby Perry, Aidan Hare, Lanfranchi, Swan and Mitch McClure were named in the best.
