Ready for rivals

Magpies Captain-Coach Jake Grace is feeling confident about the pre-season clash with Parkes Spacemen.

“I’m keen as mustard,” he said. “It’s Parkes vs Forbes.”

He said the game always draws the crowd from both communities – what a great way to start the season.

“At the end of the day, it just comes down to rivalry between towns and who gets the wood to be honest,” Grace said.

“We got it last year but that means nothing now. It comes down to a new year every year, so we’re going to be ripping in and we’ll make sure that we’re doing our best to get it.”

With several new players coming on board for the season, Grace is adamant the Magpies can bond together as a team. 

“We’ve got plenty to work on still, but for a lot of new blokes in our squad they’re filling in really well and feeling comfortable and just learning our shape,” he said.

“The field’s great, the atmosphere’s there, the attitude’s there and the discipline. I’m happy with all that, it’s just new boys probably getting familiar with our structure, our players and all that.

“For the job they're doing, I’m very happy with them,” Grace said.

Coming off the back of a major premiership, the boys will be held to high expectations. 

“We prepared good enough last year to win the comp so this year it’ll be a lot the same,” Grace said.

“We’re not going to change a lot because what we found last year worked for us, so we’re just going to keep on our forward pack, it will have to be dominant. It’ll have to bend their line and our backs will just do the job that’s required of them.

“I think we’re going to be definitely pushing hard again.”

18's kick off at 5pm, followed by League Tag at 6pm and First Grade 7pm at Pioneer Oval, Parkes.