The Dandenong Southern Stingrays finally hit the goals with a 21 point win over the Oakleigh Chargers at Shepley Oval Dandenong in the Round 4 TAC Cup last Saturday.
In superb conditions, the game started with all one way traffic as the Stingrays completely dominated the first term. 5 goals, four points from 15 inside 50’s to the Stingrays to 1 point on the counter attack to the Chargers had the Stingrays 33 points up at the first change and looking like the game safely in the Stingrays keeping. Two first term goals to Nick Haynes and singles to Brett O’Hanlon, Adam Giobbi and Travis Bravo were the finishers to some fine mid field work by the Stingrays.
The second term saw the Chargers rally on the back of a restructure of their mids and forwardline and an old fashioned chat from the Chargers coach, Greg Doyle. The Chargers dominated the second quarter like the Stingrays did in the first and kicked the first six goals before the Stingrays kicked their one and only goal to be 4 points up at the long break. Stingrays Coach Graeme Yeats challenged the young Rays change their mindset with too many broken tackles and incipit efforts from many players creeping into the game, which had allowed the Charges in with a fighting chance.
The second half was more to and fro between the two teams with neither team able to control the game for long periods. Seven goals six to the Stingrays after half time to the Chargers four goals six was an indication of the evenness of the two sides. Patches of quality football was regularly interspersed with basic unpressured errors put down to inexperience mainly by the new players from both sides. Max Gearon was superb under duress on a Wing, Alex Benbow and Lachlan Wallace racked up a heap of possessions in the mid field, Piva Wright and Nathan Wright controlled the backline and Lewis Pierce showed patches of good work in the Ruck and around the ground. Up forward, Nick Haynes continued his remarkable start to TAC Cup football with another 4 goals and Brett OHanlon and Adam Giobbi finished up with 2majors each.
Next Saturday, May 7th the Stingrays host the Queensland Under 18 team who play invitational games in the TAC Cup in preparation for the NAB AFL Under 18 National carnival. The game starts at 2.00pm at Shepley Oval, Dandenong and entry is free.
Last Modified on 02/05/2011 10:04