Cody Bell – 12 tries in the Canberra Raiders Cup this season, Luke Berkrey – Current Yass Magpies coach who will depart the Club at the end of the season, Kaidan Bell – Yass Magpies halfback whose been in scintillating form this season.
Coach Luke Berkrey announced at the Yass Magpies training on Tuesday night that he would not take up the second-year option in his contract, opting to leave the Magpies upon completion of the 2025 season. Berkrey joined the Magpies earlier this year, bringing with him a wealth of experience as well as a group of players who he entrusted to drag the Magpies off of the bottom of the Canberra Raiders Cup ladder. It hasn’t quite been the fairytale season the champion coach would’ve hoped for, with the Magpies having won just two games this season.
Berkrey says the decision was a tough one, but he believes it will be the right one. “We’ve certainly had so many little areas we could have got a lot better, off the field, like training, that I’m sure would have had an extra few wins on the board for us. “If you’re not going to build good habits and consistent habits at training, you just can’t build them in a game coming from where we are.
“I had a two-year contract, but the second year was my favour to decide, it’s probably become a little bit too hard, which is why I decided to leave.
“That’s not saying that I haven’t enjoyed my time here, I’d love to keep doing it, but things are just not working out in and around the job as well.
“Everyone’s been great, especially Tim Clayton (Yass Magpies President), he’s been awesome, and made things so easy for me.
“My kids are playing down in the Group 9 area and I’ve been missing all their footy, and just with the work stuff, the travel is becoming a bit too much.
“It has been disappointing, but hopefully the group is going in the right direction. There are some good local blokes there playing that will hold the club in good stead, so it’s a good job for someone to come in and pick up.
“He (Clayton) does a great job each year with the recruitment and retention and all that stuff, it’s a big job for him, but he does an outstanding job and gives the players everything they need.”
The Magpies’ most recent encounter, a clash against the formidable Gungahlin Bulls, had encapsulated much of their season’s narrative. It was a game where effort was undeniable, but execution sometimes faltered against a rapidly improving opponent.
Coach Luke Berkrey, ever the realist, reflected on the Bulls’ game with a mix of frustration and cautious optimism. “We were in the game for a long period,” Berkrey conceded, his voice carrying the weight of a hard-fought battle, “but they scored some good tries against us down our end, so it’s something we’ve probably got to look at.”
The Magpies had shown flashes of their defensive prowess, holding strong for periods, yet crucial errors proved costly. “I thought we defended our line pretty well this week, but lapses in concentration, when they were coming off their line, killed us,” he explained. “They’re a team with a lot of speed and they made us pay.”
The Bulls, it seemed, had turned a corner. “They were just a little bit too good for us,” Berkrey admitted, acknowledging the opposition’s growth. “They’ve come a long way Gungahlin, they are playing some good footy. I think they might scare a few of the bigger sides on the way home.”
For the Magpies, the focus remained internal, particularly on shoring up their defensive line. “Certainly from our end, we have to defend better as a unit, it has gotten to the point where we just have to be better in that area.”
The coach pointed out how the Bulls had exploited their flanks: “They closed in on our edge a few times.”
Despite the loss, there were glimmers of hope and valuable lessons. Berkrey wasn’t expecting miracles, especially given the challenging lead-up. “There were some positives to take out of it. We haven’t been able to train for three weeks because of ground closures, so I wasn’t expecting miracles on the weekend but there were times we did try hard.” The commitment was there, even if the polish was missing due to disrupted preparations. Individual performances, however, shone brightly. Lekani Mpaso continued to be a dynamic force in attack.” Lekani Mpaso was very strong for us with his attack,” Berkrey praised.” We had a lot of guys that put a lot of effort in it, just didn’t come off for us on the day.”
Another standout was the young Kaidan Bell, whose development had been a joy to witness. “Kaidan Bell was a highlight for us with his attack, he scored a lovely try and played a beauty of a pass to set another up. He’s only very slightly built and he’s becoming a genuine First Grader now and it’s been good to watch him develop over the years.”
Looking ahead, the Magpies faced another stern test against Woden. “We play Woden this week. They are another good side and that is going to be another good test for us.”
Berkrey knew what was coming. “They have got some pretty big boys, so we are going to have to pack our attitude in our footy bag this week.” Crucially, the team had escaped the Bulls’ clash without further injuries. “We were pretty lucky again on the injury front. We got through unscathed, so it will be all hands on deck for this weekend.” The forward pack, in particular, would need to rise to the occasion against Woden’s physicality. “We are going to need our forward pack to stand up. They have got a very big side and we are going to have to hold our own to give our backs a chance.”
The Yass Magpies’ season was far from over. Each game was a chance to learn, to improve, and to demonstrate the unwavering spirit of the club. With key players stepping up and a clear directive from their coach, the Magpies were ready to face the next challenge, knowing that every effort, every tackle, and every moment of concentration would be vital in their pursuit of climbing the ladder.
-Tully Potts
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