By JARROD POTTER
TAC Cup
REVIEW – ROUND 9
WILD conditions from the sky didn’t temper Dandenong’s resolve as the Stingrays gradually eased away from the Knights.
It all started in the midfield as Daniel Moloney and tackle-machines Alex Harnett and Sam Geurts went through any opponent.
Clearance after clearance hit up Dandenong’s triangle offence – Aaron Wilson (3 goals), Taylor Joyce (3) and Keegan Downie (2). The forward trio, along with Stingrays’ crumbers Jack Wheeler and Lachlan Williams (3 goals), blazed a path the Knights could not follow late in the match.
The Knights held their line until the third term when chinks appeared in the armour. Dandenong exploited the holes in Northern’s forward defensive pressure to run out easily and set up their own forwards.
Two goals to open the final term left the Knights with a sniff of victory but Dandenong pounced with goals to Lachie Batten, Williams, high-flying Jayden Tomkins and a goal-of-the-year snap from the right hand pocket by Moloney ran up the final scoreline.While the behinds flew a little too often for the Stingrays – a season-high 18 minor scores – the conditions were responsible for a lot of those errant shots.
Dandenong coach Craig Black said the Stingrays aren’t adverse to the wet but more importantly were able to win all contests and take the convincing win.
“I thought we’ve had a bit of practice,” Black said.
“We’ve played in the wet the last four games – so I was really happy with the way we started the game of footy and ran the game out to win every quarter on the scoreboard.”
Tackle pressure proved pivotal as well as the Stingrays ramped up numbers attacking the ball, and the opposition equally.
“I thought that we tackled really well,” Black said.
“I don’t know if the conditions helped that, but I thought we probably had our highest amount of tackles for a game this year.”
Dandenong’s fifth win pushes it to fourth on the TAC Cup ladder and the bye this week will need to be used for a strong preparation against traditional rival Gippsland Power next Saturday at home.
TAC CUP
DANDENONG STINGRAYS 3.3 7.8 12.12 16.18 (114)
NORTHERN KNIGHTS 2.2 4.3 7.5 10.5 (65)
DANDENONG
Goals: L. Williams 3, A. Wilson 3, T. Joyce 3, K. Downie 2, L. Batten, J. Wheeler, D. Moloney, J. Tomkins, A. Harnett. Best: K. Gray, M. White, A. Wilson, A. Harnett, D. Kempster, L. Williams. NORTHERN
Goals: B. Fiorini 3, J. Gresham 2, G. McDonagh 2, K. Declase, M. Dawson, J. Booth. Best: J. Perry, J. Gresham, J. El Moussalli, C. Porter, T. Leonardis, B. Fiorini.
