By JARROD POTTER
TAC Cup – Round 5
FLYING out with an ANZAC Day victory in tow, Dandenong Stingrays made the most of their trip to Queensland beating the northerners 10.9 (69) to 7.13 (55).
Getting a chance to feature on ANZAC Day – a rare occasion in TAC Cup football – the Stingrays made the most of their time on the big stage in a fast-paced opening term.
Travis Young was exceptional up forward as he brushed off the extreme heat to clunk a suite of strong marks en route to a four-goal haul.
Young’s goal marked the beginning of a strong passage from Queensland, but the northern force could not strike hard on the scoreboard.
Dandenong held on to take a 12-point margin at the first break and it would be Queensland’s errant kicking would prove its downfall.
The sunshine state had 20 shots on goal, but it wasn’t enough to take the triumph against Dandenong’s more efficient 19 forward forays.
James Freeman (two goals) hit the scoreboard squarely for the Stingrays as Dandenong booted three in the final term to take the points and return home triumphant after another successful interstate sojourn.
“It was really good – it was a pretty hard fought win,” Dandenong coach Craig Black said.
“They were a pretty good team, so we battled hard.
“We started not too bad and it was really hot – over 30 degrees – so you always worry when they’re not used to that, especially with the travel as well.
“But I thought we ran out the game as well, if not better than, the opposition and managed to hold on.”
Jacob Weitering, Bailey Rice, Brandon White and Tom Jok all featured in the best alongside Young while up-and-coming ruckman Jayden Bubb had his best match in the Stingrays’ colours.
The only downside to the victory was a nasty knee-injury to Liam Myatt – who has a suspected ACL tear and could miss the rest of the season.
“We don’t know as yet, but we’re 99 per cent sure that he has, so we’ll find out once he gets the scans,” Black said.
“We’re hoping that he does his rehab and all that sort of stuff now and maybe he’ll be able to come back next year as a 19-year-old if he does everything right.”
Dandenong faces NSW/ACT next week at Shepley Oval from 11am.
TAC CUP
QUEENSLAND 1.3 3.8 5.10 7.13 (55)
DANDENONG STINGRAYS 3.3 5.4 7.6 10.9 (69)
Queensland Goals: C. Filewood 2, R. William, J. Butler, D. Budarick, C. West, E. Hipwood. Best: C. Wagner, J. Joyce, E. Hipwood, D. Henderson, G. Woosup, C. Filewood.
Dandenong Goals: T. Young 4, J. Freeman 2, D. Warke, M. Poholke, Z. Roscoe, J. Di Pasquale. Best: J. Weitering, B. Rice, T. Young, B. White, T. Jok, J. Bubb.
