SWFL: Busselton keen on finals action in 2020

After finishing last season dwelling near the rear end of the ladder in eighth spot, the Magpies will be leaning on bigger bodies in the midfield and dash from their young players to see them back to finals action this time around.

Like the rest of the South West Football League, Busselton will finally kick off their campaign this weekend.

Their clash with Donnybrook will mark the end of a hiatus that has had them out of action for more than three months, and will be the club's first official game since August 25, 2019.

But head coach David Lewis was optimistic about his side's finals chances in the shortened season.

He was specifically excited about a somewhat new-look midfield, which he hopes can take the side to another level.

"Reviewing our season last year, we just thought we were a bit skinny and a little undersized in the middle of the ground," he said.

"Our aim was to get a bit bigger around the ball and bat a bit deeper in the middle, and I think we've done that.

"Our goal at the start of the year was to play finals and that hasn't changed."

The likes of Ethan Maguire, Jaxon East, Jackson Arbon and Mitch Tenardi will play key roles for the Magpies, while Lewis also cited the improvement of a handful of reserves players as a boon for the league team.

"I'm really encouraged by the progress a few of our reserves players from last year have made during the break," he said.

"They worked hard to get themselves fit and have been a big factor in some scratch matches for us."

Much like the men's squad, the Busselton women will also be hoping to push up the ladder this year.

Having narrowly missed finals last season with a fifth-place finish, the women's outfit will be eager to claim a few more scalps in 2020 and break into the top four.

The Magpies will be at home for their first games of the season, with the league kicking off at Sir Stewart Bovell Park, 3pm.

The women's will play at 1.30pm, while the colts and reserves precede them.