The Dandenong Southern Stingrays opened season 2008 with a hard fought 12 point loss to local rivals, the Gippsland Power, in the Round 1 TAC Cup clash at Traralgon last Saturday.
In overcast and breezy conditions with the wind blowing directly across the ground, the game started as most early season TAC Cup games; high paced, hard hitting and a high standard. Both teams worked each other over from half back to half back but it was the local Gippsland boys who made much more of their forward entries. Better organised at stoppages, more proactive and very efficient in the front half the Power lead 5-5-35 to the Stingrays 1-3-9 in what was to be a match winning quarter.
The second quarter was a lot closer as the Stingrays lifted its mid field work rate but it took a while for the Stingrays to work their way back into the game. Aided by some very inaccurate kicking at goal by the Power the Stingrays matched the Power with two goals apiece and at half time were still 5 goals behind. Aaron purves was in good touch as a marking forward, Tom Gillies was solid at full back against a flood of Power forward entries and on-ballers Marcus Dal Lago and Ricky Ferraro started to win some 1 on 1 contests and hard ball gets.
The third quarter saw the game really open up with both teams peppering the goals. A restructure of the Stingrays forward line created more space and with Andrew Hunter kicking two goals and singles to Scott Sienkiewicz, Matt Clark and Ryan Bastinac the Stingrays narrowed the gap only to have the Power steady and enter ¾ time by 26 points. The last quarter had the Stingrays full of running but could not bridge the gap created but the hard working Power. Two goals 3 points from nearly 20 forward entries was scant reward from the midfield dominance and the final difference of 12 points in favour of the Power probably should have been more like 4-5 goals such was their all ground dominance and work rate.
A solid performance by first gamer Riley heddles in the second half was encouraging and Sienkiewicz was a solid contributor all day but too many of the Stingrays “star players” had down days and played in fits and starts. Overall the Stingrays will need to fix their slow start, poor stoppage work and indifferent work rate and this should put them in good stead for the rest of the season. Next Sunday the Stingrays play their first home game of the season at Shepley Oval, Dandenong against the always powerful Geelong Falcons at 1.30pm. Entry is free.
Last Modified on 18/07/2008 12:31