Picton Magpies Primed to Tackle Moss Vale Dragons on Home Soil                         27-2-08

The annual pre season comp will kick off the 2008 Group 6 season for the Picton Magpies when they take on the Moss Vale Dragons in the opening round on Sunday, March 9 at their home ground of Victoria Park in Picton.

After quite a disappointing 2007 Group 6 season, where they finished with the wooden spoon, the Picton Magpies are eager to return to their winning ways, and look to start the new season with a strong performance up against one of the success stories of last year’s Group 6 1st grade season, the Moss Vale Dragons, in the opening round of the pre season comp.

With new recruits Country Origin representative Justin Miller, Nathan Sutton, Clayton Parkin, and Matt Brinkworth to the 2008 playing roster, the Picton Magpies are looking to start their season on a successful note. Aside from the new recruits, the Picton Magpies are looking strong with the likes of Matt McPherson, Daniel Bacon, Dave Beddall, Darren Nolan, and youngsters Matty White, Danny Thackeray, Shane Rolfe, and Mitch Gleeson, who are all keen for strong season in the black and white colours.

Picton Magpies first grade coach, Noel Wood, is very optimistic about the 2008 season, and there is no doubt that they are looking to shake off the wooden spoon and return to being a semi-final contender.

“We have recruited strongly, and we have done this in order to move back into semi-final contention and with a mixture of our players local, everything is looking in good shape for a competitive season,” Wood enthused.

“There is no question about it, the pre season comp is very important, as it allows for me as the first grade coach to trial a few players in various positions in readiness for when the season officially starts.

“For this season there are going to be quite a few positions up for grabs, and that can only be a good thing for this coming season, simply because we have something that we didn’t have last season, and that was depth within our playing ranks.”

Sunday’s opening round of the pre season competition at Victoria Park up against Moss Vale is to begin a tough draw that will see the Picton Magpies take on the Camden Rams and the last year’s 1st grade premiership runner ups, the Thirlmere Roosters, over consecutive weekends.

“In our pre season comp we have three tough draws up against some very strong sides, and that is going to be a good gauge for how we are travelling heading into the season proper,” added a positive Wood.

Apart from first grade, the Picton Magpies will also face Moss Vale in both reserve grade and under 18 A’s, and the Under 18’s B are going to take on the Mt. Annan Knights.

-ENDS RELEASE-

Picton Magpies media enquiries Daniel Powell – Redline Media

Phone: 0246 832 287

Mobile: 0432 126 210

Email: daniel@redlinemedia.com.au