Magpies trials

[gr8_1]

Does anyone know who they went on Saturday ?

 

[westie]

Flegg was pretty much a selection trial, they got up though I think. PL was made up of mostly flegg players and new signings. They won, but it was very much just a f**k around game.

 

[westie]

Flegg was pretty much a selection trial, they got up though I think. PL was made up of mostly flegg players and new signings. They won, but it was very much just a f**k around game.

 

[yappy]

Yeah all the newbies got a go in all grades.

Matthews suffer from Wests usual problem in this age group - lack of size. They've got plenty of ticker, but will struggle to match it with the big boys. Outside chance of the eight only.

Ball look at least as good as last year. Some of the boys have added some real size. Luke Barron for one is huge. They've only lost Asa from last year's side, but he's a big loss. They seem to have some good big lads their to cover it though. Should be well in the top half of the comp all season. More than half of the squad are under 17's though so 2005 could be the Magpies year in Ball.

Flegg played lots of newbies and chopped and changed it around a fair bit. Some combinations didn't work in defence. Still with plenty of guys playing the Premiers trials who'll spend most of the season in Flegg we're looking good. Lots of Flegg guys had a run in Premiers including McMahon, De Gois, Hampson, Borg, and Waters.

Premiers was a great hit out. The Tongans were ferocious. Massive hits (some of them were even below the neck ) and hard runs from BIG strong hard men. Wests more than matched them. Even without Cashy, Wheels, and Siika (for all but 5 mins) the Maggies side was as big up front and showed lots of quality. Richie Parker is a man mountain and fine exponent of the Maori side-step. Byers and Aspin also showed a bit of their quality. Out wider Steve Matthews is a big big lump in the centres, showed some glimpses and also some mistakes, but mostly these can be put down to lack of cohesion early on. Dalts though had a whale of a game. He's still last one home on every run but he's apparently busting a gut. On the field though he is 100% and just proved yet again what a great footy brain he has (please someone get him living next door to Satts so he can drag him out on some extra training sessions!). He was the dominant player whenever he was on the field, made some great runs in traffic, and put plenty of guys away. the huge cut out pass he threw to put Macca over untouched was beautiful. As I said elsewhere, put your dough on Narellan. I wouldn't want to be trying to select the Maggies team this season. Most of the guys who played are gonna struggle to get a starting spot when the entire squad is available. Georgie looks real happy.

 

[yappy]

I forgot to give a massive wrap to Tere Glassie. With the prime beef Wests have available Tez is out of the engine room and getting out wide and loving it. In the 7's he showed what he still can do with a bit of room and Saturday was more of the same. He was lurking around in the centres and creating havoc. Definitely gonna remain a firm favourite at Campbelltown.

 

[yappy]

Some more trial info.

Westie the bald 16 was Matthews went super good I thought. Apparently has played back row but we don't need any more of them and Georgie likes the look of him wider out with the Duff running off him.

The big hairy unit we thought was Matthews was Graff, like in the 7's did some good stuff, and made a couple of blues. Probably looking Narellan bound but will provide good back up.

Superboot's return to the pack begins on Sunday. He'll play a period at lock. should be no drama for him. It's where he started out for us.

We've got another centre trialling who apparently has HUGE wraps. NO names until we get ink on paper but Warren was very happy.

Buettner looks like he's still allocated to Wests going by my info. Whether that's for anything other than selling tix at the gate remains to be seen.

Things are starting to get serious. Liam, Deano, Cashy, Super, Kerr, and Harps are all back this week (although Kerr is still a ? ) Atkinson, Rimmer and Wheels are still on the sidelines with niggles. Tim must have plans for Mears and Patto because they're listed as unavailable. No mention of Brycey so my prediction of a year in Flegg is looking good (or bad if you happen to be on the opposition).

At Narellan ex maggies Adam McCallum and Ronnie Jones are apparently playing so they'll have some quality and leadership around the halves. A few of the Tongan lads from Saturday wanted a trial with Wests but they've left their run too late. Warren is directing them to Narellan for a game. This includes Sam and Tevita Amone. They weren't fit enough for us, but they are sure big units and would go good in JBC. Another in the same boat is a young half tipped to us by former Magpie favourite Brett Clarke. Country lad that has moved to Campbelltown and can play supposedly. Warren was talking to the Narellan coach today and it seems him and Georgy are going to be working reasonably closely. We may even see the Narellan playing with Wests on occaisions so their seems to be a good close and mutually beneficial relationship developing.

Hope that gives you something tasty to chew on DA.

 

[Magpie]

Clarky is coaching Narellan?????
Also Yappy, do you know when Matthews finalise their squad????
Cheers

 

[yappy]

Nah Cleaky just tipped the younghalf to us. I have no idea what he's doing.

Col had a chat to us on Saturday and said he was off to finalise his squad that afternoon so I'd suspect it's been done.

 

[Magpie]

Cheers Yappy!
a friend of my girlfriends son has been playing for them,just wondering if he made the final squad.i know hes playing at Goulburn this weekend...

 

[yappy]

Then I'd say he's looking good

 

[Bluebag]

Glad to hear Tere Glassie is on fire, a terrific player and bloke to boot, still he would like nicer in royal blue.

 

[DA]

Hope that gives you something tasty to chew on DA.

Ummmm...I wasn’t hungry, actually, Yap. Good reading, though.

 

[Gobbso]

Sam and and Big Tav Amone are playing with Narellen hey? Interesting. i went to school with them, awesome players. Just never took that next step. Tevita did in a small way, playing a handful of 1st Grade games for the Maggies in '99 and more recently with the Cowboys in 2002, but good to see both the Amone boys back in Campbelltown. Yappy, is there a chance they could get a call up to Premier League for the Magpies, if their fitness and form warrants selection from the Jim Beam Cup? :-s

 

[tiger_nick]

Yeah great to hear about Tere, went to school with him and he was always gunna be a good player.

Did anything happen @ all with Damien Bower Yappy?? I have a mate who works for Saints and he told me late last year Wests were basically doing a direct swap of Greenshields and Olzard for Bower and Chris Nero? Any truth to that? Cause this bloke is usaually spot on!

 

[yappy]

haven't heard a peep about Bower or Nero. We got Kerr from the Drags.

Gobbs nothing is confirmed for the Amone boys - just that Warren told the Narellan boys to approach them as they wanted a game. I'd say they've got buckley's of playing for the Maggies though. Have a look at our depth in the pack. We'd have to suffer a catastrophe to call on them.

Even our outside backs are firming up well. Collis is a near certainty to play Premiers rather than Flegg so that's one centre spot gone. Ken, Matthews, Graff, maybe Super and Viane (who is playing in the centres in this weekends trial), and possibly the unnamed mystery man will battle out the other. Atkinson is looking pretty solid for one wing if fit so one of the left over centres or this new guy Joe Swamy who scored two tries on Saturday will cover the other spot. This is all without calling up any of the Flegg boys, and considering Covell as a forward or centre only. Longmore, Moore, and McMahon are all playing Premiers trials though. Atkinson, McGuinness, and Longmore are the obvious back ups for Duff. Didn't see any absolute blinding pace in the Tongan trial but Collis we know can motor, Atkinson is supposed to be quick, and of course Duffy in open space is gonski so we should be able to finish what the inside boys start pretty well. We're a genuine threat.

 

[DA]

Dunno about the outside backs though, Yappy. Seems to be some uncertainty in those possies. I think Covell might end up back on the wing, and if Gravy has to go back the centres, then there is certainly a lack of depth there.
Still, this IS the time of year to sort this out.

 

[yappy]

Mate I wouldn't be worried if Super was on the wing for us - he's never let us down, buts Sheens seems to have put the kybosh on his future as a wingman so he'll be moved in closer. And I don't think Gravy being out there is a sign of lack of depth, rather a sign of too much talent in the back row. I know I wouldn't like to be trying to fit Liam, Plum, Dalts, Tere, Wes, Covell, Gravy, Asouva, and Paulo into the same backrow.

On one look Matthews seems likely to feature well in the centres, Atkinson, Collis and Duffy are close to certainties if available so it looks like a lot of guys fighting out 1 or 2 spots to me. I suppose we'll all have a very much better idea come Feb 28.

 

[gr8_1]

What are the details of this weeks trials for the Magpies ? Who they playing ? Whereabouts ? Time ? Teams ?

 

[Nikki]

Yeah need more magies trial info. Cant believe I missed the first one... WHEELS!!!

 

[westie]

Yeah need more magies trial info. Cant believe I missed the first one... WHEELS!!!

He didnt play. Im not sure he'll play tomorrow either.