Busselton Toyota Cup preview

The Busselton Magpies will look to improve their kicking efficiency when they defend the Busselton Toyota Cup in round two of the Dale Alcock South West Football League tomorrow.

The derby against the Augusta Margaret River Hawks at Gloucester Park has extra feeling this year, with only one meeting between the arch rivals in the shortened season.

The Pies were gallant in defeat against a mature Donnybrook side last week, leading until three-quarter-time and threatening to steal the four points in the dying stages.

Busselton were eight points adrift, with their midfield looking more desperate and fitter, repeatedly sending the ball inside 50.

However, Magpies forwards were inaccurate all day, with star players Ethan Maguire and Jed Kemp missing easy opportunities at important stages.

After the game, coach Dave Lewis rued his side’s poor decision making — an area of the game the Pies will attempt to address on Saturday afternoon.

“I think we’ve just got to make better decisions going forward. Our contested footy and pressure game is good but we need to clean up our disposal efficiency,” he said.

Busselton burst out of the blocks to take a 17-point lead to quarter-time and will need to start strongly again tomorrow to nullify the Margaret River crowd.

The heavily fancied Hawks got within a point of the Bunbury Bulldogs last week but were unable to take the lead in the last quarter and the Bulldogs kicked away to win by 22 points.

Several important players will go into the game under an injury cloud for the Hawks, with superstar recruit Simon Moore sore and strong-bodied midfielder Jake Davis suffering a nasty shoulder injury early in last weeks match.

The Hawks had their own problems forward of centre against the Bulldogs, with coach Matt Jamieson hoping his impressive midfield trio of Moore, Hayward medallist Mitch Lynn and the silky Matthew Jukes can be more assertive.

“We gave off the odd lazy handball which did not need to have been given and blokes who were 60-70m out could have just rolled and hit the forward up to get the ball in there a little quicker,” he said.

The grudge match in Margaret River begins tomorrow at 2.20pm.