The Dandenong Southern Stingrays completed a 3 home game hat trick with another impressive win, this time over the Bendigo Pioneers, by 63 points in the Round 14 TAC Cup clash last Saturday.
The Stingrays started a bit sluggishly with the aid of a slight breeze and it took until the second half of the opening term to assert its dominance. Five goals for the term all from general play to the Stingrays to the Pioneers two had the home team in front by 15 points. The Stingrays struggled to hit up their leading forwards and it was crumbs and converted spillages that the Stingrays converted into scores. Forward Aaron Purves was in good touch again with two first term goals and Levi Casboult was on top of the Pioneers dangerous big man Jordan Florence in the Ruck to provide the Stingrays mid field with first possession.
The second quarter was where the Stingrays played their best football, keeping the Pioneers goal less while they kicked four into the breeze. All the Stingrays goals came from marks to their key forwards with Purves kicking another two and Andrew Hunter having a welcome return to form with two as well. The half time lead of 6 goals was a bit inflated as the Pioneers squandered a number of shots at goal. The Stingrays backline, led by Steve Gaertner, with the help from Stingrays mid field was resolute repelling the Pioneers time and time again. Coach Graeme Yeats was generally pleased with the Stingrays output especially the defensive pressure applied to the visitors.
The second half was once again dominated by the Stingrays, winning both quarters, five goals to three. Casboult continued to dominate the Ruck and took some telling contested marks around the ground in his best afield performance. Hunter and Purves gave the Pioneers plenty of headaches and kicked five goals each for the game and the mid field was very even with Ryan Bastinac, Shane Savage, Rick Ferraro, Riley Heddles, Madison Andrews and Scott Sienkiewicz all finding plenty of it.
A special mention must go out to the Eumemmerring Secondary Colleges Sports Academy program with the school providing six players in the Stingrays line up. Aaron Purves, Ryan Bastinac, Shane Savage, Tom Gillies, Ben Wragg and Luke Sheppard all turned out and played very well for the Stingrays TAC Cup team last week against the Pioneers. The AFL Academy program is going ahead in giant strides under the superb guidance of sports coordinator Ben McGee and school Principal David Barclay and it will be interesting to see who the next Stingrays player to come out of the elite football program.
Next weekend the Stingrays have bye followed by a tough 5 week run against high quality opposition. Starting with an away game against the Oakleigh Chargers the Stingrays tackle finals aspirants, Gippsland Power, Murray Bushrangers and North Ballarat Rebels in the lead up to the finals which the Stingrays are certain to appear in.
Last Modified on 27/07/2008 14:03