Dandenong Stingray Daniel Calteri strains as he looks to fire off a handball in a hectic passage of play against Calder on Saturday.Stingray Ziggie Alwan is caught red handed by a Cannon tackler.By Glen Atwell
THE only way is up for the Dandenong Southern Stingrays after suffering their fifth consecutive loss on Saturday.
The Calder Cannons thrashed Dandenong by 55 points in round five of the TAC Cup at Shepley Oval.
The loss has left the Stingrays stranded on the bottom of the TAC Cup table after the Sandringham Dragons and Western Jets both managed to register their first wins of the season last weekend.
On Saturday the stage was set for a high-class game and Shepley Oval looked in mint condition.
But the first quarter painted an entirely different picture, as both teams struggled to maintain possession.
Russell Gabriel and Darren Sheen stood out for the Stingrays inside their attacking 50 and across half-forward.
James Magner worked tirelessly in the midfield, while Andrejs Everitt stood tall in the backline and spoilt a number of Calder marking attempts.
At quarter-time, the Stingrays tailed by 14 points and Dandenong coach Graeme Yeats gave his side clear instructions.
“We’ve got to start concentrating on running with the ball,” he said. “Just tuck the ball under your arm and go, back yourselves.”
Despite dominating the second quarter, Calder’s inaccuracy in front of goal (6.7) kept the Stingrays (3.1) in the game at the main break.
But spectators were in for a treat after half-time.
The standard of the game improved tenfold as the Stingrays began playing on at all costs and soon found themselves within a kick of the lead.
Sheen and Gabriel booted five goals between them for the quarter as the Stingrays erased the half-time deficit of 24 points to get within a solitary point in time-on.
But two clangers and a centre bounce clearance allowed the visitors to kick three goals and gain a 19-point lead by three-quarter-time.
After regaining the momentum, the Cannons exploded into action in the final quarter and dominated across the ground.
Calder outscored Dandenong seven goals to one in the final term.
This weekend the Stingrays travel to Queensland to play the Queensland state team.
The match, to be played at the Gabba, is as a curtain-raiser to the Brisbane Lions v Fremantle Dockers AFL game.
