Dandy stings ‘Bushies’

DANDENONG has snatched top spot on the TAC Cup ladder after an ominous 40-point win over the Murray Bushrangers in Wangaratta on Saturday.
The Stingrays, minus their six-strong contingent of Vic Country under-18 representatives, further emphasised their extraordinary depth in brushing aside the Bushies, who also entered the game with a 5-1 win-loss record.
They now look best placed to cover the loss of key players during the AFL Under-18 Championships series, which begins this weekend.
Dandenong’s wire-to-wire win, punctuated by another seven-goal outing from second-gamer Corey Buchan, allowed the Rays to oust the Oakleigh Chargers from top billing for the first time since round two.
The Chargers suffered their first loss of the season on Saturday, while the similarly depleted Geelong Falcons also lowered their colours to the now-second-placed Northern Knights.
It was an almost unrecognisable Stingrays outfit that took the field in Wangaratta, with five injured players – including in-form defenders Jake Batchelor and Lachie Wallace – joining the resting Country reps on the sidelines.
Stand-in skipper Mitch Gent led a side that included three debutants in Jarryd Capiron, Mitch Viney and Adam Jaber, but the inexperience Rays didn’t put a foot wrong early.
They kicked 9.2 to Murray’s two goals in the opening term and had almost blown the game apart before a second-quarter fight-back saw the Bushies reduce the half-time deficit to 31 points.
Honours were shared in a hard-fought second half, but the Stingrays had every reason to be encouraged by the performance.
Buchan proved that his debut was no fluke, while Vic Country hopefuls Riley Heddles, Matt Buntine, Todd Elton and Arryn Siposs did their chances of a call-up no harm.
Nathan Allen, Alex Benbow and Max Gearon racked up possessions through the middle, Buntine and Heddles were brilliant in defence, while Elton battled away tirelessly in the ruck.
The Rays have the bye this weekend, before travelling to Blacktown Olympic Park to play Greater Western Sydney on 6 June.