Stingray Damien Johnston lays a strong tackle on Charger Anthony Soriano. 70713 Picture: Jarrod PotterIt was a hard day at the office for the Stingrays, losing a preliminary final to the Oakleigh Chargers, and it was shown in the demeanour of Lachlan Wallace (3), Matt Buntine (29) and Robert Hill (4). 70720
By Jarrod Potter
GRAND final dreams for the Dandenong Stingrays came to an end on Saturday, as the Oakleigh Chargers won by nine points to snuff out their premiership hopes.
The Chargers motored away from the Stingrays in the last 10 minutes, after Dandenong took the lead 71-68 through back-to-back Brett O’Hanlon goals.
Chargers’ Sebastian Gotch, son of Casey Scorpions coach Brad Gotch, drilled two to push the Chargers ahead of the Stingrays by four points before Daniel Pearce and Nick Murphy put the equation beyond Dandenong’s reach.
A late goal to Stingray Lachlan Wallace was too little too late as Dandenong had to face the reality of a fourth straight year in the top four without raising the TAC Cup.
The first half saw Dandenong battle uphill against the run-and-carry style of the Chargers, with Dom Tyson (30 possessions) supported by Toby Greene (23) and Mitch Wooffindin (23) controlling the midfield and extracting first use for Chargers forwards Gotch and Anthony Soriano, who both snared three goals.
While less than a goal down at each of the term breaks, the Stingrays were unable to maintain their intensity and were at the mercy of the Chargers for all but a 20-minute period at the end of the third term and the start of the fourth quarter.
Stingrays coach Graeme Yeats thought the Stingrays weren’t able to take it up to the Chargers in critical moments.
“No question, our ability to extract the ball from the clearances was our biggest Achilles heel,” Yeats said.
“We allowed them to get first possession too many times.
“They possessed the ball 45 more times in the first quarter, so there was a big discrepancy in possession, and that’s clearly where they controlled the game.
“More of our good players didn’t have significant impacts on the game and their best did.
“Our consistency and effort was OK, but we lacked the class we usually have and we needed a few of our better players to play big games.”
Yeats highlighted the efforts of Jordan Kelly, the AFL Combine-listed tall defender, who toiled in defence, despite copping a few knocks to his gloved broken hand.
“Jordan Kelly did a super job in defence,” Yeats said.
“Nick Haynes in the forward line was best and continued to work really hard and push through an injury. Darren Minchington as a small forward-mid was one of the better ones. Alex Benbow battled manfully and Rob Hill was consistent.”
The task at hand for the Stingrays turns to the AFL draft and looking over the Stingrays list for 2012.
“We’ll look at the squad for next year and for who gets drafted,” Yeats said.
“We think we’ve got six strong draft prospects and are hoping for a couple more if we’re lucky … but that’s in the lap of the gods.
“We’re hoping these kids have done enough to get an opportunity.”
