The Dandenong Southern Stingrays have moved to second position on the TAC Cup ladder with a workmanlike 20 point win over the Western Jets in cool and blustery conditions at Burbank Oval, Williamstown last Saturday.
It was one of the most inexperienced line ups the Stingrays had put on the park with 26 of their 50 players unavailable due to injury, school football, VFL senior and state representative duties. Leadership was needed desperately from the more experienced Stingrays and it was these players who showed the way. Jarryd Amalfi and Dylan Roberton were again in the best as important defenders, Jake Mold and Levi Casboult did the job as forwards and through the mid field and this enabled some of the younger brigade to step up to the standard.
The Stingrays got off to a great start peppering the goals and skipped out to a handy lead which in the end was never threatened. The three late goals by the Jets narrowed the scores to the final margin of 20 points but in a low scoring game, it was the Stingrays in control for the majority of the contest.
Encouraging signs for the Stingrays with 16 year old Luke Parker the best with 2 goals and nearly 30 possessions and another bottom ager, Andrew McInnes dominant across half forward as a marking target. The Stingrays have exposed 38 players to TAC Cup football already this year so all bears well for the future.
At a National Under 18 level, five Stingrays have been participating. Tom Scully has been in fantastic touch as Vic Metro captain being named best in 2 of the 3 games. For Vic Country Ryan Bastinac has been in the best in 2 of their 3 games with Mitch Hallahan playing all three, Corey Millard two and Matt Shaw playing last weekend against SA. The national carnival continues on June 27 with Vic Country vs NT and Vic Metro vs Qld at Casey fields before the grand finale at Etihad Stadium on July 1st. Vic Country will tackle the undefeated WA and Vic Metro will take on SA in the showcase of the next collection of AFL prospects.
Three times a Stingrays player has been promoted to play senior VFL football for Frankston already this season. Madison Andrews has played the last two weeks against Geelong and North Ballarat and Levi Casboult had a run back in April. The opportunity for an underage TAC Cup player to take on AFL listed players at a VFL level is a wonderful chance for a player to assess where they are at in their own football development.
Next weekend has the Stingrays heading across town to take on the Eastern Ranges at Box Hill at 2.00pm Saturday followed by home game on June 27th against the Bendigo Pioneers at 12.00 noon.
Last Modified on 18/06/2009 22:53