Holbrook in limbo over finals prospects after beating Murray Magpies by 192 points

News broke during the first quarter that regional NSW would be locked down from 5pm, leaving officials from both clubs to discuss their options.

It was decided to play straight 22-minute quarters after half-time, with no time on, allowing players, coaches and supporters more time to get home.

Holbrook won by a huge 30.19 (199) to 1.1 (7) but there was a strange atmosphere in the rooms after the game.

"I found out halfway through the first quarter that lockdown had hit and it's just an empty feeling," Brookers coach Matt Sharp said.

"You sort of reflect back to November, where the boys do all the hard work, and we find ourselves in a good position to have a real crack at finals so we'll see how it plays out."

It was always going to be a mismatch between Holbrook, who'll finish second on the ladder, and the winless Magpies at Urana Road Oval.

Holbrook had seven goal kickers in the first quarter alone, Luke Gestier opening the scoring inside 60 seconds as the visitors quickly asserted their authority.

They were sloppy early, a few casual set shots skewing wide, but soon found their radar and powered clear.

Gestier had three by quarter-time, with news of the impending lockdown starting to filter through.

The Magpies, scoreless in the first term, kicked their only goal after the break through Jarman Teesdale but the one-way traffic continued.

Ewan Mackinlay, having been well-shackled by Nick Lockhart in the opening exchanges, managed to wriggle free and join the growing list of goal-kickers.

The margin at half-time was 113 points although, to their credit, the Magpies were more competitive after that.

Rodney Williams hit the post but the powerful Brookers largely had things their own way, Gestier going on to kick 12 goals.

There were two for Jock Triggs, playing his first senior game and one of 12 players to get on the scoresheet.

"Some individuals definitely had their colours lowered and we had our colours lowered as a unit," Sharp reflected a week on from Holbrook's 66-point drubbing by Osborne.

"We control what we can and this week it was Murray Magpies.

"We did a really solid Thursday night, a mini pre-season and to the guys' credit, they fronted up and did the hard work again.

"We were able to hit the scoreboard as well so it was really pleasing."

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The Magpies had been hoping to register their first win of the season against Billabong Crows in round 18 but lockdown looks to have taken that chance away from them.

"We were a bit off," coach Brett Argus admitted.

"We were probably looking more forward to next week and once the lockdown news came through, our season was over.

"We found out at half-time. It was basically 'we've got two quarters of footy left for the season and that's it.'

"We got better as the game went along but Holbrook are a very good team.

"Hopefully we get a finals series and get to see them and Osborne have a crack at each other at full-strength."

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