Timmy McPhillips is one of many young Yass Magpies who’ve made their first grade debut this season.
That Saturday at Phillip Oval, July 19th, the chill wind lingered, mirroring the sting of the Woden Valley Rams’ 40-6 victory over the Yass Magpies. Magpies coach Luke Berkrey, reflecting on the match, acknowledged the Rams’ strength.
“They are certainly a good side; they are a big, strong side,” he stated, lamenting the shift after a promising start. “We were six-all at half time. Once again, we put together a really good forty minutes, and the second half didn’t go our way.”
The first half showcased the Magpies’ resilience, holding a formidable Woden side to just six points. Woden’s tries came from Daine Spencer, Tomasi Bikaca, Thomas Scrivener, Josh Fattore, John Papalii, Trai Henderson, and Memphis Hennessy, with Josh Fattore clinically converting six of seven.
For the Magpies, Kaidan Bell scored and converted his own try, keeping them in contention. Despite relentless attacks from the Rams, the Magpies’ defence held strong. However, the second half saw a significant drop-off.
Berkrey pinpointed a recurring issue. “I keep saying each week, we need to learn to be better for longer periods in the game,” he sighed. He attributed this partly to a potential dip in fitness due to ground closures, noting that the team had been finishing games stronger earlier in the season, particularly against Goulburn and the Sharks.
“Certainly, our fitness over the last month may have dropped away a touch due to closures of the grounds,” he explained. “But certainly the main issue has been lapses in concentration over 80 minutes.”
Despite the outcome, individual efforts stood out. Berkrey praised the work rate of his forwards. “Rana Baker and Daniel Mason did a massive job in the middle for us in that game,” he noted, highlighting their efforts against a larger pack. He also singled out Brock Sing, saying, “I thought he was one of our better players. I thought he was really good. He played a bit of a different role in 13 at times and was good there.”
With the team heading back to Yass for their next game, Berkrey expressed optimism, recalling their stronger performances at home. “Back at Yass this week, obviously we played most of our better games of the year at Yass, so we are looking for another strong performance there,” he said.
The key, he stressed, is sustained focus and resilience: “But we just need to be switched on, as I said, just for longer periods and being able to handle some adversity when it gets thrown our way.” Acknowledging the team’s size disadvantage, Berkrey stated, “One thing I knew coming in that we were a smaller side, and there have certainly been a lot bigger sides than us.” He believes there are ways to mitigate this, but the team has yet to fully capitalise on them. “It certainly has been one of the bigger challenges.”
The Magpies’ attack has also faced hurdles. “Our attack has been a little bit clunky the last couple of weeks, which probably again is due to some changes throughout the team and then also the lack of training that has taken place,” Berkrey admitted. He hopes for a productive week of training to address these issues. The next opponent, West Belconnen, presents a similar challenge to Woden.
“West Belconnen are a very similar side to Woden. They are a very big side, so we will have to be ready to physically take them on,” Berkrey warned. He identified their halves as key players, but sees an opportunity for his team.
“They’ve got a couple of really good halves, so it will be a tough game, but one I certainly think we have a big chance in.” Looking to improve team cohesion, Berkrey is hopeful for the return of a key player. “Hopefully, now we can just get a bit of cohesion. We get one of the boys back from suspension. I think he will help strengthen the team.”
The potential is there, he believes, if the Magpies can unlock it for a full eighty minutes.
– Tully Potts
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