Last weekend, our HPC squad hit the road to Innisfail to take on the Northern Pride for Country Week and what a trip it was. Floyd Aubrey and Prinston Esera got things started early, visiting local schools to share footy tips and run drills with the next generation of footy players. By Friday, the whole team had arrived and settled into Innisfail, soaking up the local hospitality at nearby cafes and taverns and getting fully into the Country Week spirit. Then came game day. Out on Billy Slater Oval.
The Magpies held their nerve to escape Innisfail with a thrilling 28-26 win over Pride on Hostplus Cup country week, surviving a spirited fightback from the home side to get the points.
We set the tone early, with Callum Eggerling and Michael Waqa crossing inside the first ten minutes to race out to a 12-0 lead, Thomas Duffy converting both. Pride hit back through Tyler Moriarty, but the Magpies kept finding answers, with Maika Poese extending the lead to 18-4 halftime. Pride snuck one back just before the break to go into the sheds 18-8.
Floyd Aubrey was straight onto the front foot after the restart, scoring almost immediately to push the margin back out to 24-8 and give the Magpies breathing room. Pride threw everything at it in the second half, closing the gap to single figures, but Byron Johnson's try steadied the ship and had the Magpies out to a healthy 28-16 buffer with 20 minutes to go. A sin bin to Thomas Duffy in the 70th minute gave Pride a sniff, and the home side made the most of the extra man to close the margin to just two points late on, but the Magpies defence held firm when it mattered, weathering the late pressure to close out a hard-fought two-point win.
Thomas Duffy was the difference with the boot, landing four from five conversions to help get the job done, in a performance built on a strong start and just enough composure in the closing stages to hold off a determined Pride outfit in a Country Week showdown.