Dandy downs tall timber

By Jarrod Potter
DANDENONG Stingrays overcame a mountainous Queensland Scorpions representative team to walk away 45-point winners at Shepley Oval in their TAC Cup contest last Saturday.
Brett O’Hanlon slotted three goals, with able support from Nick Haynes, who crashed multiple packs and unselfishly set up goals for his team-mates in what Dandenong coach Graeme Yeats described as an “all-round great team performance.”
“Really happy with our win … and I was more impressed with the overall effort and competitiveness of the group,” Yeats said. “Last week we played in patches, but this week we were more consistent with our effort.”
Queensland, showing just what sunshine state footballers are made of, brought down the trio of Josh Kolka (200cm), Fraser Thurlow (195) and Sam Cabrera (203) to test a weakened ruck attack for the Stingrays, with Lewis Pierce on private school duty and Todd Elton rested from the AIS tour.
Queensland were out to prove a point of hard-running and supremacy in the air, with Kolka and Cabrera winning 41 hit-outs between them, giving first option to midfielders Jackson Rolfe and Tom Davison.
The Scorpions were right in the hunt at half-time, when only trailing by eight points, but the intensity of the Stingrays’ run-and-carry style of football, coupled with three interstate flights in less than a week, took its toll as Queensland petered off in the last quarter.
In spite of the height and size advantage which the Scorpions talls had, Dandenong ruckmen Stewart Damon and debutant Jake Calvert fought hard and managed to steer the ball effectively towards midfielders Jason Pongracic, Max Gearon and Lachlan Wallace.
Calvert, from Narre Warren, impressed Yeats, kicking three goals on debut and tapping 13 hit-outs against Queensland’s massive rucks.
“If you told me beforehand he (Calvert) would kick three goals and be competitive in the ruck, I’d be really pleased,” Yeats said. “He deserves it, because he has worked hard and is generally enthusiastic about his opportunity.”
Best on ground was Piva Wright, who racked up 30 possessions from centre half back and spoiled every marking contest in his territory.
“He’s a terrific defender,” Yeats said. “I couldn’t question Piva’s commitment and his impact on the game was enormous. He was profoundly good for us.”
The Stingrays travel to Preston City Oval this weekend to face the Northern Knights, a battle the Stingrays will want to win to retain fourth spot on the ladder.