Reigning Albany fairest and best winner Coen Marwick the latest big recruit for Magpies along with a host of other in their bid to play finals

Denmark-Walpole Football Club will be buoyed by several strong recruits this season, including latest addition Coen Marwick. As the Magpies enter their final fortnight of preparations ahead of the Great Southern Football League season, the club confirmed Ash McGrath was definitely playing and was among a host of inclusions for 2020. McGrath, who played 214 games for the Brisbane Lions, was announced as the Magpies’ boom recruit earlier this year and Magpies co-coach Simon Barker said McGrath was set to play the majority of the season. Marwick is last year’s Sharks’ fairest and best winner and a renowned ball winner who will add more depth to the Magpies midfield, along with the return of star duo Jayden Woods and Jaden Guidi. Tom Candy will return to McLean Park and the Magpies have also picked up Manjimup Tigers duo Josh and Kenny DeCampo along with the leading goal kicker Dionne Woods (Mt Barker), Brandon Woods (Royals) and Dave Scriven (North Albany) from rival GSFL clubs. Barker confirmed the loss of Kalin Lane, Dave MacDonald, Sam Finigan, Ethan Burton and brothers Brodie and Jack Hickey. Work commitments will leave Magpies’ star and reigning fairest and best Tyler Stone only available to play every second week. Barker, who will again share the coaching duties with Ryan Gaerth, said their team was shaping up nicely with a good balance of youth and experience. “Our No.1 aim is to be competitive over entire games and try to avoid the 10-15-minute lapses that have plagued our football club over the last four or five years,” Barker said. “We want to be competitive for the full four quarters every week this season and continue to develop our younger players so in years to come the club is in good shape and can become a desirable club on and off the field. “If we can achieve this it will go a long way towards us being competitive. “Training has been good with numbers increasing as the season restart approaches.” Barker said McGrath would mostly play forward with stints in the midfield and was a huge boost for the club as they looked to return to finals. “Ash will bring leadership and experience both on and off the field,” he said. “For our younger guys he will help with development, preparation for now and the future and he’s fully committed to our vision for success from the ground up.” The Magpies will play Railways in a scratch match on Friday night ahead of their season opener against Albany at home.