Stingrays build to September

THE Dandenong Stingrays’ last bye of the season allowed the secondplaced Stingrays to prepare for the upcoming finals before playing lastplaced Bendigo Pioneers away and home games against top side Gippsland Power and finalists Eastern Ranges. One win will wrap up a topfour spot and two wins second place.
Becoming available for selection for the Stingrays following the school football season were 10 players who have already represented the Stingrays, as well as Shane Wright and Matt Robinson, who return after injury. Fitting all 12 players into a winning team will pose many headaches for coach Graeme Yeats and his match committee.
“There will be a few disappointed players,” Yeats said. “We have to reward the players who have continued to improve themselves over the course of the season. Players who have got fitter, stronger and improved their skills will get first crack at the selection table.”
The club’s annual sportsman’s night and auction will be on 20 August at 6.30pm following the home game against Gippsland Power. Tickets are $25 per head, which includes a threecourse meal and entertainment.
The Stingrays are in discussion with secondary schools at Mornington and Hallam with the aim of setting up Sport and Recreation Vocational Education Training courses in years 11 and 12. This would allow pupils to undertake football as a VCE subject and get a bonus TER ranking because of the VET course. Similar schools are already in place at the Box Hill EssendonKeilor secondary colleges and many AFL stars have been through these programs. Further details are to be announced.