The final chapter of the Dandenong Stingrays 2012 TAC Cup season was the annual vote count and presentation night which was held at the Dingley International Hotel, Dingley on Friday 5th October 2012 with 35 players polling votes, 17 of those being bottom age players.
The vote count saw ultra consistent dashing midfielder Tim McGenniss awarded the newly established Justin Leppitsch Stingrays Best and Fairest award for season 2012. 18 year old McGenniss established himself as a top line TAC Cup Midfield come forward with his strength in the air, run and carry and precise foot skills making him a draftable commodity as he headed to the AFL National State screenings at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne. McGenniss polled in 9 out of 18 games averaging 5.944 votes per game played for a total of 107 votes to win by 25 votes from hardnosed top age player Jason Pongracic. Pongracic played in 11 of 19 games for the Stingrays this year, as he juggled AIS and Vic Country duties along with injuries. Pongracic was awarded the Chris Newman runners-up Cup after polling a total of 82 votes and averaging 7.455 votes per game played.
Third was the ever reliable Robert Hill who progressively enhanced his standing as the year went on. Hill polled 77 votes in 13 games from a possible of 18 at an average of 6.077 per game. Hill also won the same award in season 2011 polling 86 votes in 15 out of 19 games. Hill was again the unsung hero who flew past a field of 6 in the remaining two rounds, where he was moved up the ground as a high half back flanker, to finish in the top 3. The third best and fairest award was also named after a club great in Adam Ramanauskas.
Key forward/defender Matt Rennie won Graeme Yeats’s Coaches Award for dedication and selflessness. Matty played a utilities role in 2012 collecting 168 contested possessions for the year, as well as taking the most contested marks for the club and coming 3rd for the entire TAC Cup competition.
Small lively forward and bottom age player Clayton McCartney won the inaugural Stephen Milne Goal Kicking Trophy with 23 goals from Matt Rennie on 22. Clayton also came second in goal assist for the club in season 2012 in front of highly touted draft chance Lachlan Whitfield.
Ryan Marks-Logan was awarded the Most Improved Player after cementing himself in the side on the back off numerous individual match winning acts throughout the season. Ryan’s aim for the year was to play at least one game for the club after coming off the Rookie list in 2011. He established himself as a high half back running player who moved further down the ground as the season progressed, finding himself in the forward line at times to stretch the opposition.
Ryan Morrison was awarded the Most Dedicated Trophy through his diligence, dedication and perseverance to games, training and off field workloads to improve himself as a key position utility player. Ryan played games for Vic Country and was used a key in forward and defence.
Nathan Foote won the inaugural Young Gun Award which recognizes a bottom age player who contributed well above expectations. Nathan played in 18 out of 19 games as a hardnosed small back
pocket polling 58 votes and finished 7th in the count. Foote and will be looking forward to 2013 to step up and be an A-Grade TAC Cup Backline/Mid-fielder and aiming at representing Vic Country.
18 Year old Lewis Pierce won the trainers award for his efforts to overcome his long battle with knee Tendinitis and growing issues. Lewis went to great lengths to get his body right, including spending time in Hydro therapy and getting blood injections into the knee. The club also recognised long serving football administrator Bev Chalmers for her work with the CMV Truck and Bus Under 16 squad with the prestigious Club Person of the year.
To top the night off 2 other Stingrays staff were recognised with their long serving effort of 20 year service awards in:
Bob Riddle, who started as the Team Manager for the Under 18’s and went on to coach the under 16’s in the school boys competition as well as stints as assistant U18 line coach to today’s role as bench coach/Boardman. Bob has also just completed 20 years as President for the Outer Southern Region Football Coach Association, which we believe is the longest serving President in Victoria.
And long time serving U18 Team Manager Peter Bainbridge. Peter has also been an Auskick District Manager in the zone for 20 years, as well as 18 years service to the NAB AFL draft state and combine.
TOP 3 STINGRAYS INDIVIDUAL PLAYER KPI – 2012
• Total Disposals – Morrison 316, McGenniss 310, Rolfe 290
• Contested Possesions – McGenniss 165, Rennie 158, N.Newman 133
• HB Gets – McGenniss 66, Foote 62, N.Newman 60
• Tackles – McGenniss 87, Tuddenham 66, Foote 65
• Hand Ball Recieve – Morrison 114, Rolfe 99, McGenniss 96
• Clangers – McGenniss 73, J Newman 47, Rolfe 43
• Inside 50 – J Newman 59, N.Newman 57, Rennie 55
• Rebound 50 – Morrison 71, Williams 59, Tuddenham 51
• Contested Marks – Rennie 39……. 2nd in TAC Cup Competition
• Goals/Score assists –Whitfield 17/27…… 3rd in both Stingrays & TAC Cup
SEASON WRAP OF ACHIEVEMENTS:
Whilst a grand final appearance or a premiership would have been the icing on the cake, the year for the Stingrays overall was exceptional. Below are some season highlights:
Finishing the TAC Cup season in 3rd position.
Taylor Garner, Nathan Wright and Lachlan Whitfield all named in the TAC Cup Team of the Year.
Lachie Whitfield and Taylor Garner were also named All Australian.
13 players represented Vic Country in the Under 18 NAB AFL championships and another 5 Under 16’s represented Vic Country in their age group.
Three players were named in the 2013 AIS AFL Academy in Billy Hartung, Tom Lamb and Daniel Capiron on the back of the 5 this year in Lachie Whitfield, Jason Pongracic, Nathan Wright, Clayton McCartney and Billy Hartung.
Five Stingrays players attend the AFL Draft combine at Etihad Stadium and another eight players attend the state combine screening in Melbourne.
55 players played a game for the Stingrays in 2012, a club record and testament to the depth of talent in the zone.
Team success is only part of the Stingrays key performance indicators, the ultimate goal is to expose as many players at as high a level possible to be looked at a potential AFL recruits and to that indicator, the Stingrays season has been very successful.
Number
|
First Name
|
Surname
|
Total Votes
|
No Games in 2012
|
Average Votes per Match
|
Age
|
6
|
TIM
|
McGENNISS
|
107
|
18
|
5.944
|
18
|
37
|
JASON
|
PONGRACIC
|
82
|
11
|
7.455
|
18
|
16
|
ROBERT
|
HILL
|
79
|
13
|
6.077
|
19
|
1
|
BILLY
|
HARTUNG
|
77
|
10
|
7.700
|
17
|
27
|
RYAN
|
MORRISON
|
75
|
17
|
4.412
|
18
|
32
|
JAKE
|
CALVERT
|
68
|
15
|
4.533
|
19
|
43
|
NATHAN
|
FOOTE
|
58
|
18
|
3.222
|
17
|
13
|
RYAN
|
MARKS-LOGAN
|
57
|
18
|
3.167
|
18
|
20
|
MATT
|
RENNIE
|
54
|
19
|
2.842
|
18
|
11
|
BILLY
|
ROLFE
|
52
|
15
|
3.467
|
18
|
7
|
LACHIE
|
WHITFIELD
|
49
|
8
|
6.125
|
18
|
14
|
NATHAN
|
WRIGHT
|
47
|
7
|
6.714
|
18
|
30
|
JOSHUA
|
NEWMAN
|
46
|
15
|
3.067
|
18
|
10
|
CLAYTON
|
MCCARTNEY
|
42
|
13
|
3.231
|
17
|
21
|
NICK
|
NEWMAN
|
42
|
15
|
2.800
|
19
|
12
|
TAYLOR
|
GARNER
|
39
|
8
|
4.875
|
18
|
29
|
TYLE
|
WILLIAMS
|
31
|
17
|
1.824
|
18
|
8
|
NIC
|
TUDDENHAM
|
30
|
18
|
1.667
|
18
|
38
|
AGAPE
|
PATOLO
|
18
|
10
|
1.800
|
17
|
26
|
JOSHUA
|
WESTERMAN
|
11
|
16
|
0.688
|
18
|
3
|
ANGUS
|
SCOTT
|
10
|
8
|
1.250
|
17
|
22
|
JAMES
|
HAMMOND
|
10
|
10
|
1.000
|
17
|
44
|
JAMES
|
HARMES
|
9
|
6
|
1.500
|
17
|
47
|
JACK
|
SOROCZYNSKI
|
8
|
7
|
1.143
|
17
|
4
|
NICHOLAS
|
BATTLE
|
7
|
10
|
0.700
|
17
|
2
|
JORDAN
|
BASTINAC
|
6
|
13
|
0.462
|
17
|
34
|
DALE
|
GAWLEY
|
5
|
3
|
1.667
|
17
|
25
|
TROY
|
JACOBSON
|
5
|
5
|
1.000
|
17
|
41
|
JOSH
|
PICKESS
|
4
|
6
|
0.667
|
17
|
5
|
DANIEL
|
JACKSON
|
3
|
7
|
0.429
|
18
|
18
|
JACK
|
KERR
|
3
|
11
|
0.273
|
18
|
24
|
LEWIS
|
PIERCE
|
3
|
5
|
0.600
|
18
|
49
|
TRAE
|
TOHARIKI
|
2
|
3
|
0.667
|
18
|
17
|
DAMIEN
|
LAWRENCE
|
1
|
11
|
0.091
|
18
|
Last Modified on 12/10/2012 09:47