The Dandenong Southern Stingrays took on the TAC Cup leaders the North Ballarat Rebels last Saturday at Shepley Oval, Dandenong in the Round 15 TAC Cup contest to walk away with a 24 point win, as well capturing third spot on the TAC Cup ladder after a few upsets with teams around them.
Kicking with the swirly wind in a perfect Sunny Melbourne day, the Stingrays quickly scored the first goal of the game on the back of clean movement from the middle into the forward line which saw a strong mark to Ryan Morrison 30 metres out. The Stingrays were getting on top through the midfield early and repeatedly pumped the ball forward into the wind off rebound efforts from Whitfield, Wright, Rolfe and the Newman brothers. The Stingrays unlike previous weeks were taking full advantage from inside 50 entries, from 50 entries for the game they scored 28 times, and the backs held the Rebels to 19 scoring shots from 52 inside 50 entries. Lachie Whitfield showed his class and magic kicking the second goal for the game, before the Rebels gained some composure kicking the next two and making it game on. The Stingrays stepped up to the challenge through small forward Clayton McCartney who danced around a few for a great crumbing goal, followed moments later by a great courageous mark back into space to Nic Newman who converted nicely from outside 50. When the siren sounded the Stingrays held a 12 point lead which was a very entertaining quarter for the huge local crowd and numerous AFL recruiters.
As the same as the last three weeks though, the Stingrays suffered another loss of personal a few minutes into the game with young gun Joel O’Sullivan being ruled out for the remainder of the game after he rolled a ankle, leaving the Stingrays a player down for the remainder of the game.
The second term was a great contest with both sides upping the ante and closing the game down. Tyle Williams and “Rowdy” (Ryan Marks-Logan) were controlling the high ball when the ball went into the Rebels forward line, whilst Nathan Foote and Nathan “Nafe” Wright were swooping on the loose ball to create numerous links ups and scoring opportunities down the ground. Ryan Morrison swung around and created drive off the backline as he stood tall, whilst the talented Clayton “Clay” McCartney and Bill “Billy the kid” Hartung smarts and speed were cutting the Rebels backs up as they swooped on the loose ball kicking the only two majors for the quarter for the Stingrays. The Stingrays slightly extended their lead to 17 points when the siren sounded. At the long break the Stingrays coaching staff tried to work on the sets up to adjust the conversion rates from inside 50 entries, with at least 4 scoring shots in the first 2 quarters should have been goals.
The third term was TAC Cup football at its best. The speed of the little men and the bigger bodies over the ball of Tim “Timmy” McGenniss, Josh Newman, Jason “Pongo” Pongracic and Billy “Rolfy” Rolfe had the Rebels chasing tail for most of the quarter and looking for the crunching tackle when the ball was loose. Talented top age player Lachie Whitfield was enjoying the run through the midfield and his class by foot and decision making a highlight. Ryan Morrison kicked two very good goals from the Moose Pocket with many believing it was an impossible angle for a lefty. Whitfield and Hartung class shone as they converted truly from set shots, Hartung’s was a highlight as he set the play up from the backline from very good hands to push forward and mark truly 40 out. At the end of the third the margin again slightly increased to 23 points in the Stingrays favour who went in with plenty of confidence as the siren sounded. A happy Stingrays coach Graeme Yeats spoke to the boys about the need to finish the day off and control their own destiny as the club moved towards the pointy end of the season. He spoke about controlling the ball when attacking and not to bomb away as Ballarat had dropped a player in the hole, and to take the game on more with more run and carry.
The last quarter the Stingrays and Rebels threw everything at it with some very big hits as both sides lifted their run and carry peppering the goals at either end. It was goal for goal, hit for hit and one of the better displays the Stingrays had produced this year. They worked hard defending and through the midfield and ran the ball in against the wind delivering truly to the forwards, who converted most to goals when the siren had sounded. Both sides kicked five goals in the last with many players spent as the siren sounded. Nathan Wright got into the act on the score board kicking two, Whitfield added another, and Josh Pickess showed some great goal awareness kicking his first, whilst Billy Rolfe finally broke the back of the Rebels kicking a nice long goal from outside 50 to keep the margin beyond reach. The stingrays had plenty of good players on the day, but the strength of the back six and the work rate of the midfield was the difference of the two teams, as well as the class and polish by foot.
Stingrays Coach Graeme Yeats was positive after the win, praising the effort of the team after being challenged by the competition leaders. He went on to say “I thought each time North Ballarat challenged us the boys reacted and were able to lift. There is no doubt over the past three weeks we have certainly learnt some lessons and we will keep trying to get better in some areas, or maintain others. Today we actually won on the scoreboard in all quarters, which I think is a first for us in 2012.” He finished by saying “The players all know how proud we were with them today but they all know we must move onto the next game where we come up against quality opposition on their home turf. Murray at Wangarrratta is always a tuff game, but coming off a loss they will be hungry.”
Next weekend in the AFL Victoria TAC Cup is a competition Bye. The Dandenong Southern Stingrays will take on the Murray Bushrangers at the Wangarratta Sports Development Centre, Wangarratta on Sunday 19th August at 1.00pm. Entry is free.
With a run home into finals the Stingrays take on two teams (Murray Bushrangers and Geelong Falcons) that will be playing in the finals, with the Bushrangers aiming at a top four chance that is also aided with two home games in Wangarratta.
Last Modified on 07/08/2012 08:50