Magpies Show a lot of Spirit in Defeat by Roosters                                                    22-7-08

Despite the score line of 46 to 6 looking less than flattering as the Picton Magpies went down to premiership leaders the Thirlmere – Tahmoor Roosters on Sunday at Victoria Park in round 14 of the first grade Group 6 rugby league competition, Magpies coach Noel Wood was very proud of his players effort.

Missing five regular first graders was always going to be a huge disadvantage to the Magpies up against the premiership heavyweights, but they showed plenty of fight and they headed into the half-time break the Magpies trailed 16 points to 6 before going on to let in 30 unanswered points during the second half to make the score the full-time score 46 points to 6.

The Magpies were minus key players, Captain Daniel Bacon, Justin Miller, Matt Brinkworth, Nathan Sutton, and Rob Chauvet, and they were then forced to blood a number of younger players with six coming up from the Under 18s.

Up against a Roosters side that boasted several former NRL players, the Magpies were never going to find it easy, but they never dropped their spirits, and that was what Magpies coach Wood was pleased about the most.

“Everyone gave it their all, and I cannot ask for anything more than that,” Wood said.

“It was always going to be a tough assignment for such a young and inexperienced side, but they will become better players for the experience and that is what it is all about.

“We had numerous decisions not go our way and there were some things that they Roosters got away because the match officials didn’t pick them up, so that all played a part in the final score.”

Sitting in fourth on the premiership ladder, the Magpies have three remaining games, two against the Moss Vale Dragons (one being a catch up match from round two), and the Camden Rams, and coach Wood is confident that his troops can win all their remaining matches to seal a place in the semi-finals.

“With our side at full strength we have proven that we can match it with anyone in the competition, and the semi-finals is going to be a whole new ball game,” he added.

In reserve grade the Magpies scored a 30 to 22 win over the Roosters, while in Under 18 A’s the Magpies took a comfortable 26 to 0 win over the Roosters. The Under 18 B’s took on competition leaders, the Warragamba Wombats, at the Warragamba Sportsground on Sunday and were beaten comprehensively 54 to 0.

This Sunday (July 27) the Magpies travel down to Community Oval in Moss Vale to take on the Moss Vale Dragons in first grade, reserve grade, and Under 18 A’s. The Under 18 B’s have a bye this weekend.