By JARROD POTTER
HISTORY is up for grabs for Dandenong on Monday afternoon in many ways.
While most people will be up to their eyeballs in Easter eggs and hot cross buns, the only thing the Stingrays want to sink their teeth into is their AFL Victoria Youth Girls Academy Challenge grand final opponents Sandringham.
Stingrays Youth Girls’ captain Georgia Walker knows what’s on the line as the side aims to capture the inaugural Challenge premiership.
While the Stingrays lost the opening clash of the 2016 Challenge to the Dragons, Walker can’t wait to get back out there against the high-calibre opposition and test the side’s strength.
“It’s so exciting,” Walker said. “So to be able to get back at Sandy (Sandringham) after losing to them in the first game and we’ll see how we go and try to get the win.”
The ‘Rays had to toil to make the last clash of the season, after a nail-biting three-point victory over Calder in the semi-final to avenge their 2015 finals loss.
“Last year we lost to Calder as well, so it’s a pretty big effort for the girls to be able to come back and win like that,” Walker said.
“Those last five minutes were so intense, so full on, and we showed our true colours and got up in the end.
“Calder is a very, very physical team – so physical and first to the footy and we were chasing them for most of the day.
“Monique Conti and Georgia Patrikios were so fast through the middle – but we got them in the end.”
There will be a very different looking number 31 running out for Dandenong on Monday afternoon as Walker has not only discarded her once signature helmet, but also snipped off her hair as she raised over $1200 in the Leukaemia Foundation’ Shave for a Cure.
“The last games I’ve played in the helmet I didn’t think I played well, so I decided to take it off and it works and don’t think I need to wear it anymore,” Walker said.
There are three minor place finals at Frankston Park on Monday, before the showcase match kicks off 4.15pm.
Walker and her Stingrays can potentially become the first Dandenong side to bring a premiership back to Shepley Oval – the first in the club’s 25-year history.
