Palmerston Magpies looking for more wins in their quest for a late finals berth

Magpie skipper Matt Dennis says finals football is still on his side’s agenda despite a four-game break between themselves and the fifth-placed Darwin Buffaloes

Palmerston skipper Matt Dennis fires out a handpass in the game against the Tiwi Bombers on Bathurst Island. Picture: Celina Whan AFLNT/Media

PALMERSTON’S nine-point win over the Tiwi Bombers on a rain soaked ground at Wurrumiyanga has the potential to turn the club’s season around.

That was Magpie captain Matt Dennis’ assessment of his side’s first win in eight rounds against a Tiwi side that played some desperate football in search of premiership points.

Palmerston was missing key trio Chris Williams, Nigel Lockyer Jr and Daniel Stafford, but found some able replacements in Josh Grabowski and Sam Autio.

“Obviously the boys are really pleased after getting a win and with a couple of potentially winnable games coming up before Christmas we’re looking forward,’’ Dennis said.

To grind out a win in those conditions was a good result and we have to carry that over to this weekend against Southern Districts.

“They’re pretty tough to beat out there (Norbuilt Oval) but with the side we’ll field this week we’ll be a good chance if we play well again.’’

Dennis’s Magpies are four games out of the top five with eight games to play, a tall order in terms of making next year’s finals.

But the surge in form by players like Eric Guthrie, Jack Mentha, Tyrell Lui, John Harvey and Autio combined with Dennis’ consistency around the ground leaves room for optimism.

“I’m not sure how the other sides are situated with fly-in players, but we’ve got mostly local boys so hopefully we can keep building and string a few extra wins together,’’ he said.

“The mood among the players is positive and we need to build on that by playing some good footy every week.’’