By Jonty Ralphsmith
A young Dandenong team containing 15 bottom-agers was far too strong for Sandringham on a Frankston evening that delivered four seasons in one day, winning 8.9 57 to 4.0 24.
The Stingrays girls dictated terms throughout, keeping Sandringham to a six-point quarter time lead when the visitors had the breeze, before cashing in during the second-quarter.
Key forward/ruck Zoe Besanko’s rise continued with a pair of goals during the four-goal second stanza.
She also had a team-high four marks and 15 hitouts on a tough day to control the footy in the wind.
“It’s unbelievable what she does at training,” said coach Josh Moore of Besanko.
“She clunks marks and has confidence now as a forward. I think at the next level, she’ll be a forward.”
Makheala Bloom formed a potent one-two punch with Besanko, getting rewarded with three goals in her second game at the level.
Having been a dominant ruck at local level, Bloom has adapted to the inside 50 role by making repeated contests and bringing it to ground.
Kayla Dalgleish’s strong season continued, given midfield minutes and shining with her cleanliness, finishing with 14 touches.
“She’s come a long way in a short space of time,” said Moore.
“In preseason, we would have been happy for her to play one game as a bottom-ager.
“She trained the house down, earned her spot in round one and played really well as a small forward, having been a defender at local level.
“In the first three games she was in the best each week so I decided to give her a bit of midfield time.
“She’s 12 months before her time. (in the midfield) but she has done that for the last three weeks and taken her game to the next level which doesn’t normally happen as a bottom-ager.
“She is a small girl and a night like tonight is made for contested beasts. She proved that she is competitive, is clean and dishes so she does the little things really well.”
Skipper Jemma Ramsdale pressed her Vic Country claims with 14 touches in a performance underlined by defensiveness and voice.
Top-end talent Mikayla Williamson (23 touches), Meg Robertson (16 touches) are building into form nicely ahead of the girls Vic Country fixtures, which start later this month.
Meanwhile, the boys had their best unavailable due to Vic Country also playing this weekend which provided the opportunity for others to step up.
In-and-under bottom-aged midfielder Harvey Langford was given the captaincy and delivered on the field, arguably the best midfielder from either team on a difficult night.
His 28 touches and five tackles allowed Dandenong to start strongly with the wind and absorb the pressure to remain in the contest against it.
But Sandringham, trailing by just 10 points at the final break and with more depth behind the representative footballers, was able to outlast Dandenong, winning 11.11 77 to 8.7 55.
Big-bodied bottom-ager Cooper Hynes backed up his five goal game with three this week, including two crucial ones in the third quarter.
Sam Frangalas and Matt Nelson also played well given midfield time and Ben Hopkins proved he’ll be a crucial part of the backline come finals time with some one-on-one wins and amassed 26 touches of his own.
