Join community footy writer, Beth Newman, as the 2013 preliminary final between Magpies and Palm Beach gets underway.
5:05pm: FULL-TIME: PALM BEACH 19.21 (135) – MAGPIES 12.5 (77)
Palm Beach ran away with a massive preliminary final win over the Magpies at Sunlinc Oval, setting up a grand final
against Springwood.
The Magpies were on the back foot from the start, with
Jimmy Rozynski a late withdrawal, while Alex Dickfos was lost from half-time.
Palm Beach butchered their opportunities early, but once they started kicking straight, they looked invincible.
Magpies’ youngster, Brady Allen, fought hard all day, while
Reid Dobson and Tim McEvoy were good, but it wasn’t enough.
The hole left by Rozynski could be felt and seen across the ground, with the Magpies’ lacking their usual physicality at the stoppages.
The Coasters went on a final-quarter rampage, and the Magpies simply could not stay with them.
Anthony Corrie was let off the leash late, but it was little consolation as the Magpies’ season slipped away.
Palm Beach will pay Springwood in next Saturday’s grand final, at Coorparoo.
5:03pm: Carr kicks another, while former teammates Gerard Moore and Matt Dillon look like they’re catching up down the other end.
5:02pm: Jaenke-Cain snaps from a pack but it drifts left.
5:00pm: Nathan Carr lines up for another goal. He slots it.
4:58pm: Carr has a quick reply and they’re keeping the Magpies at arm’s distance.
4:57pm: The Magpies have half a chance and Ben Jaenke-Cain kicks it. The margin is back to 40 points.
4:54pm: Corrie kicks his second consecutive. Palm beach has taken its foot off the pedal a bit.
4:51pm: Anthony Corrie takes a mark for the Magpies and kicks it. Margin is now 50. And I’m hoping the siren blows soon, because my laptop battery is circling the drain.
4:50pm: Zane Murphy runs around two and launches one. It looks set to be the game sealer, but it’s touched on the line.
4:47pm: Brady Allen kicks one for the Magpies from the boundary, but it’s going to be too little too late. The rising star has shown plenty today though.
4:45pm: AROUND THE GROUNDS:
An unbelievable score at Yeronga. Coorparoo is headed for a third- straight premiership, with a massive upset over Robina. The Kings lead the Roos 22.15 (147) – 7.4 (46).
4:43pm: Darryl Dyson kicks yet another for the Lions – their fourth of the quarter.
4:41pm: Kelly lines up from a tight angle, and he’s been kicking these all day. But, this one misses.
4:39pm: They couldn’t kick one for the first three quarters, now Palm Beach can’t stop kicking goals. Kelly gets his third, kicking to an open goal square. They’re up by 55 points now.
4:37pm: Jesse Derrick continues his super season with a timely goal. Derrick has been close to the Lions’ best this season and has incredible versatility.
4:36pm: The Magpies butcher a couple of opportunities, through their own turnovers and some unlucky bounces, but the Lions don’t punish them.
4:32pm: Dean Shegog hits a perfect pass to Shane Hutchinson, who slots it with ease. Reckon that is pretty close to game over. But, hey, stranger things have happened.
4:31pm: We’re back. One quarter to go. Can the Magpies save their season?
4:25pm: THREE-QUARTER TIME: PALM BEACH 12. 16 (88) – MAGPIES 8.1 (49)
Everything went right for Palm Beach in the premiership term, with the breeze at their backs.
They had all the opportunities early but struggled to convert.
Once they started to kick straight, they were almost unstoppable.
Kristen Higgs had a sensational term, kicking two goals, while Jesse Derrick was also sensational for the Lions.
The Magpies lost Alex Dickfos at the major break and lacked their signature physicality at the stoppages.
Reid Dobson was solid for the Magpies, while Dylan McDonald stepped up in the ruck.
It’s going to take a mighty effort from the Sherwood side to get them into a grand final.
4:23pm: Another shank from the Lions.
4:19pm: Higgs has popped up again to boot one and the PPALLLMMYYY chant has started in the stands.
4:15pm: Dobson gets the Pies’ first for the quarter. They’re going to need a few more.
4:13pm: NATHAN CARRRRRR!!!! He has kicked an absolute ripper from the far boundary line. They haven’t been able to kick from in front all day, but he gets that one with ease. They’re out to a 37 point lead now.
4:12pm: Kristen Higgs steps up at a crucial time for the Lions, and kicks his first goal of the day.
4:11pm: Jesse Derrick gets a free kick and lines up for a crucial….almost goal. It’s another point.
4:07pm: Brady Allen has a coach killer moment and kicks it away in the goal square. And Palm Beach finally kick a major, courtesy of cool head Matty Carroll.
4:05pm: Sam Bourke launches one, but it’s yet another miss. Have the Lions’ mid-season goal kicking wobbles come back at the worst time?
4:03pm: Carr catches a loose ball and snaps from the boundary. It misses everything. They’re up by 16 points now and the only thing keeping the Magpies in it is Palm Beach’s inaccuracy.
4:00pm: The Lions have had the say of the game early this term, but there’s no rhyme or reason to their forward entries. No one can take a mark and udsually reliable kickers, like Matt Carroll, are struggling to convert.
3:59pm: Brady Allen’s struggling to get away from the ball early in this quarter.
Some injury news: Alex Dickfos looks to have come off the ground – was getting his foot looked at during the break. Possible ankle? Not great news for the Magpies.
3:56pm: Great grab from Nathan Carr about 35 out, on a tight angle, clubhouse side and he can’t quite squeeze it through. The Lions have all the confidence early.
3:55pm: We’re back and ready to go in the second half.
3:38pm: HALF TIME: Palm Beach 8.9 (57) – Magpies 7.1 (43)
In a see-sawing quarter, both sides lifted their intensity.
The Magpies’ defence continued their superb first-quarter performances, cutting almost every entry off.
Their pressure outside the back line was also sensational, including some terrific desperation from Anthony Corrie in the Magpies’ forward 50.
Palm Beach did themselves no favours, turning the ball over too often going into attack.
Kristen Higgs was crucial in transition off half-back, while David Manning showed plenty of speed on the wing.
The Coasters pulled themselves together late in the term and took control of the football.
Goals to Tyson Dyer and Bryce Perry-Bolt put the Lions up by 14, the biggest lead of the day.
It’ll be a worry for the Magpies if Palm Beach start kicking straight.
3:36pm: Bryce Perry-Bolt adds to the highlights reel, with a monster boot, putting the Lions up by 14 and giving them the biggest lead of the day so far.
3:34pm: Clint Kelly saves a dying ball, snaps around the body aanndd… IT HITS THE POST!
3:33pm: It is hot out there today, and I think the players will be ready for half-time, which shouldn’t be too far away.
3:32pm: Tyson Dyer goes back for a shot and kicks his first of the afternoon, to put the Lions up by seven points.
3:28pm: Kristen Higgs sets off an electrifying passage of play for the Lions, and iti finishes with an Angus Munro behind. Scores are level. Too early to think about extra time?
3:26pm: The Magpies’ pressure is getting to Palm Beach.
3:23pm: Apparently, there’s a few steak sandwiches for $6 available. They’ll bring them to you.
3:21pm: Clint Kelly takes a strong pack mark and goes back for his second. Palm Beach are down by one again. 7.1 (43) – 6.6 (32)
3:20pm: AROUND THE GROUNDS:
Could be a massive boilover in the Division Two GF at Yeronga. Coorparoo leads Robins 70-20 into time on of the second quarter. The Roos have only lost one game all year.
3:19pm: Jack Fox kicks it to his former teammate, Matt Dillon. Oops.
3:17pm: The ball doesn’t get out of the Magpies 50 for long and as soon as it’s back there, Matt Thompson takes a mark and he’s KICKED IT. It’s his first senior goal since round four, before a lengthy injury absence.
3:16pm: Youngster Thomas Thynne gives away a free and Kubby Reed lines up for his first of the day. And just as soon as I gave gave him a rap to the guys around me, he misses everything. Sorry Magpies fans.
3:14pm: The Magpies defence are putting the sword to the Lions, and it’s forcing the Coast side into uncharacteristic turnovers.
3:12pm:
There’s a mix up in the Lions back line and the last person they’d want to pick it up gets his hands on it, in Anthony Corrie. And the league leading goalkicker ssnaps around his body and punishes them immediately.
And then from the next clearance, Shane Hutchinson slots one for the Lions.
3:09pm: Clint Kelly takes a mark and goes to ground. He kicks it with ease and the margin is back to one point.
3:08pm: Jack Fox kicks the first of the term, from a slight angle, at the scoring end.
3:05pm: Second quarter underway. Magpies with the breeze on their backs.
3:00pm: QUARTER TIME: MAGPIES 4.1 (25) – 3.6 (24)
The breeze was headed Palm Beach’s way in the opening term of the preliminary final, but it was the Magpies who got on top.
Without superstar, Jimmy Rozynski, the Magpies lacked a bit in their engine room, but it didn’t seem to matter too much.
The Sherwood side crucified the Lions at the centre clearances, particularly as the quarter went on.
Palm Beach shot themselves in the foot, struggling to take marks in the forward 50 and unable to convert their shots.
Captain, Angus Munro, stepped up for his side kicking two goals for the term, with Nathan Carr kicking the their third.
For the Magpies, Val Pope slotted two, while youngster Brady Allen and Alex Dickfos picked up one each.
The Magpies defenders have been clinical so far, cutting off the marking ability in the Palm Beach forward line.
2:57pm: Perry-Bolt looked to kick a goal, but the umpires are having a bit of a discussion and they’ve overruled it. It’s a behind. Lions down by three points.
2:56pm: Bryce Perry-bolt drops a sitter. Palm Beach can not take a trick today.
2:55pm: Spotted: to the left of the ‘media tent’, Lions’ Aaron Cornelius. If it’s not the big Tasmanian, then it’s one of the best doppelgangers I’ve ever seen.
2:53pm: Murphy goes for a run and sees off about four players, before handing it off. But the spectacle isn’t enough and the kick ends up as a point.
2:52pm: Nathan Carr kicks his first for Palm Beach. They’re down by five points.
2:51pm: Brady Allen kicks his first. The Magpies are getting on top here.
2:50pm: Val Pope replies. Palm Beach is being slaughtered at the centre clearances.
2:49pm: And he’s done it again! Munro kicks another for the Lions – he’s off to a flyer.
2:46pm: It’s been swings and roundabouts. Val Pope lines up from a difficult angle and he’s SLOTTED IT. Pope is all class. The Magpies lead by five.
2:43pm: If no one else can do it, the captain will. Angus Munro kicks a tue captain’s goal to settle the Palm Beach ship
2:41pm: Murphy boots one but it goes right.
2:39pm: The Magpies are showing a lot of class early, but they haven’t been able to punish the Lions on the scoreboard.
2:35pm: It’s tight early. There’s a major wind going the Lions’ way, and they’ve just kicked it out on the full again. They’ll be hoping this doesn’t come back to haunt them.
2:32pm: David Manning kicks one out on the full. Palm Beach has the breeze, but they’re not acting like it.
2:30pm: Clint Kelly takes one for the Lions and it’s across the face.
2:29pm: Dickfos lines up for the Magpies’ first shot. He’s a great kick and he slots it. Magpies up by a goal.
2:27pm: We’re underway. Three ready to become two. Let’s go.
2:21pm: The umpires have just run out. And there’s another fresh finals cut, this time for one P. Field.
2:19pm: Scoffing down a $6 burger now. Not sure it’s worth the extra dollar, but the service was nice. Surfers still leading my finals footy burger tour. And the big loser? My waistline.
2:14pm: Big team news: Jimmy Rozynski is OUT. The midfielder has failed to come up from a rib injury. That’s a massive blow for the Magpies.
Their interchange is Gabe McKinnon, Chris Judson, Drew Mitchell and Kale Reed.
No changes for Palm Beach. Interchange will be: Ben Heffernan-Roper, Kirsten Higgs, Brent Pearson and Blake Schneider.
2:00pm: We’re gearing up for the main event at SUnlinc Oval after a cracking morning of footy.
Sandgate pulled off a thrilling win against Maroochydore in the colts, to set up a rematch with Grange in next weekend’s grand final.
The Hawks were down by 22 going into the last change, and got away with a 10-point win.
Next up was the reserves, with another nailbiter between Palm Beach and the Magpies.
After an even opening half, the Magpies took the game by the scruff of the neck in the third term. Unfortunately for them, they couldn’t convert. Palm beach came home with the breeze and a wet sail.
The Lions butchered their chances too, though, and clawed back the deficit point by point.
The Magpies snagged a last-gasp behind, though, and they’re into the grand final against Surfers.
