The Dandenong Southern Stingrays sparkling run of wins extended to seven in a row and their win loss record to 8 and 1 with a meritorious 33 point win over the North Ballarat Rebels at North Ballarat Oval, in the Round 10 TAC Cup last Saturday.
The Stingrays were once again undermanned with six players rested for Vic Country under 18 duties, injuries to Jerred Savage and Nathan Allen and 3 or 4 of their best 22 still with school duties. North Ballarat had 3 on Nationals duties and only two injuries and was; on paper, a real chance to end the Stingrays winning streak.
In cool and windy conditions, the Stingrays good work into the breeze in the first term was to prove critical in the Stingrays good win. Four of the first five goals of the game were Stingrays and only a late burst of 3 goals on the back of some poor defending and manning up by the Stingrays Wings kept the Rebels in the game. Jake Greeley kicked 2 crumbing forwards goals and one each to goal kicking machines Corey Buchan and Arryn Sippos rounded out the Stingrays majors for the first term. Three points down, kicking into a 3-4 goal wind was a very good return for the travelling Stingrays unit.
The second term was dominated by the Stingrays as they managed 5 goals to 1 and went into the long break leading comfortably by 25 points. The Stingrays had 5 separate goal kickers for the term but it was defender cum forward Jake Batchelor who was getting all the shots at goal but from 5 attempts, he recorded a measly 4 behinds. Piva Wright, Lachie Wallace and Riley Heddles were solid down back, Stewart Damon and Todd Elton battled manfully in the Ruck and midfielders, Mitch Gent, Ben Wells, Alex Benbow, Matt Lee and Brad Tagg were all serviceable without being outstanding and forwards Buchan, Batchelor and Sippos were all troubling their direct opposition.
The second half went the way of the wind with the Rebels outscoring the Stingrays 6 goals to 4 in the third before the Stingrays returned the favour winning the last term 6 goals to three and finished the game 33 points in front. Best for Stingrays was hard to find such was the evenness of the contribution of the entire team but for the whole four terms it was livewire small forward Jimmy Jennings whose defensive pressure and deft skills pleased the Stingrays match committee. Buchan and Sippos both finished with 5 goals each in a dominant display.
Next weekend is a big weekend for the Stingrays with the chance 9 players will be named in the final squad of 25 for Vic Country in the NAB AFL Under 18 Nationals. Heddles, Matt Buntine and Sippos look likely to join Mitch Hallahan, Luke Parker, Tom Lynch, Daniel Harrison, Adam Treloar and Andrew McInnes for the last two games against Qld at Visy Park on Saturday and the grand final against SA at Etihad Stadium on Wednesday 30th June. The Stingrays meanwhile have a top four clash with the perennially strong Geelong Falcons at Shepley Oval, Dandenong at 12 noon on Sunday 27th June. Entry is free.
Last Modified on 28/06/2010 18:39