By JARROD POTTER
TAC CUP – ROUND 17 REVIEW
JETTISONING their Western opponents in the second half, Dandenong continued its ascension up the TAC Cup ranks with an 85-point romp.
While it looked lopsided on paper – with Dandenong’s line-up chocked up with All Australians, Vic Country representatives and draft-worthy prospects – the Jets mustered their courage and held on as long as they could.
Sunday’s effort was almost a carbon copy of the Stingrays’ earlier rampage against the Jets at home in round eight, when they booted 23 en route to a 78-point victory.
The difference this week was the personnel. Dandenong had loaded up one of the stronger line-ups in TAC Cup history.
An evenly matched first half – as the Jets scrambled to keep pace with the mighty Stingrays – the game opened up after the main-break.
The Jets booted four of their eight for the afternoon in the first quarter to leave only eight points between them and the almighty Stingrays.
Craig Black’s men put the clamps on anything the Jets threw up them going forward and flung it back with added velocity.
The Jets were left scoreless through the third term as Dandenong piled on five of the own before firing up the afterburners to boot seven in the final quarter.
Dandenong had option upon option as it rotated most of its roster through the forward line to help rattle off 20 goals via 12 goal kickers.
The impressive return of ruck/forward Liam Hulett (two goals) will have impressed many recruiters while Jake Kelly (two goals) and Keiran Collins (two goals) also filled up on a couple of majors to cap off the impressive rout.
“The first half I thought we were only up by about 10 points at half-time and the first quarter was a bit of a shoot-out,” Black said.
“That wasn’t the way we really wanted.
“I think they got a couple of easy goals, but in the second half, we asked at half-time to have a lift and we kept them scoreless for the third quarter and their first score (of the half) was about the 18-minute mark of the fourth.
“Our second half was fantastic.”
Black was impressed by the effort of third-gamer Jake Kelly, Tom Jok and Collins.
Dandenong sits in second on the TAC Cup ladder with one round remaining in the home-and-away season.
The Stingrays travel to face Geelong on Sunday afternoon in a probable finals-preview with the Falcons in a three-way battle for fourth spot.
“I know that fourth spot is still up for grabs and Geelong will try to grab it along with Eastern and Murray – as long as we turn up in the right frame of mind and keep going hopefully the performances will just take care of themselves.”
TAC CUP
DANDENONG STINGRAYS 5.3 8.7 13.10 20.16 (136)
WESTERN JETS 4.1 6.2 6.2 8.3 (51)
DANDENONG STINGRAYS
Goals: S. Gladman 2, K. Collins 2, J. Di Pasquale 2, L. Hulett 2, J. Freeman 2, J. Kelly 2, J. Holden 2, Z. Roscoe 2, J. Battle, L. Batten, L. Davies – Uniacke, J. Lovett.
Best: J. Kelly, K. Collins, M. Cox, T. Jok, J. Holden, S. Gladman.
WESTERN JETS
Goals: M. Norton 2, F. Campisi 2, J. Harrison, J. Cotter, J. Hickey, O. Junker.
Best: F. Campisi, J. Volpato, B. Monk, O. Junker, J. Hickey, M. Norton.
