The Dandenong Southern Stingrays finished the home and away games for season 2010 with a strong win over the top of the table Northern Knights by 8 points in the Round 17 TAC Cup clash at Shepley Oval, Dandenong. With 4th placed Oakleigh Chargers defeating the 2nd placed Geelong Falcons, this left the Stingrays on top with 13 wins and 3 losses and a healthy percentage of 177.
The Stingrays added Dylan Shiel, Adam Treloar and Arryn Siposs to last weeks 119 point winning team but lost regular mid fielder Alex Benbow to injury. It was close to the best team for the year for the Stingrays, just in time for next weeks finals series. In tough conditions with a very wet centre and a bitterly cold 3 goal breeze heading to the creek end, the Stingrays had to work very hard to keep in the contest. The Knights jumped out of the blocks and had 8 of the first 10 inside 50’s but could not find the goals. The Stingrays rallied with Tom Curren, Shiel and Luke Parker finding plenty of it through the mid field and the side managed to kick two vital goals. The first goal was from a bit of magic from Tom Lynch out of a Ruck contest and the second was a long range punt from wingman Jarryd Amalfi. At the first change the visiting Knights held sway by 9 points in what was a fast flowing and physical encounter.
The second term had the Stingrays with the wind at their backs and had control of the ball for long periods of the term. Heading wide into the forwardline and some resolute Knights defending kept the Stingrays 2-3 with the Knights kicking 3 goals into the wind. All 3 Knights goals came from free kicks and 50m penalties against the Stingrays Ruckmen, Daniel Harrison and Todd Elton. With the Knights Rucks 8-10cm taller, the Stingrays had to be physical to stay in the contest and this overt physicality caused the 3 free kicks. Two goals to Mitch Hallahan who spent his time between small forward and on ball had the Stingrays 12 points behind at the long change.
The third term was similar to the first with the Stingrays managing 3 goals 3 into the wind whilst the Knights wasted a lot of opportunities kicking 2-4 for the term. The ¾ time margin of 7 points was well within the Stingrays range. The Stingrays defenders were all in very good form with Andrew McInnes, Matt Buntine, Jordan Kelly and Riley Heddles all on top of their direct opponents. The last term was when the Stingrays finally got ahead on the score board kicking 3-4 to the Knights solitary goals which came after the siren. The Stingrays ended up 8 points ahead but know that there is still a lot of improvement in their team. Hallahan, Siposs and Treloar had not played much footy in the last month and private schoolers Shiel and Kelly were just back to the TAC Cup standard and picked up the pace of the game.
Next week is the first of the four week final series with the Stingrays taking on the in form Oakleigh Chargers at Visy Park on Saturday at 11.00am in a qualifying final.
Last Modified on 02/09/2010 10:58