By Stuart Teather
DESPITE five losses in a row and the league’s in-form team waiting in the next round, Dandenong coach Dale Waters is staying positive about his team’s season.
The Rangers come up against fourth-placed Bulleen this Friday, the side that two rounds ago gave them a 24-point hiding at the Veneto Club.
The next night, the weary outfit faced the top-of-the-ladder Capitals and fell short by five points.
But Waters took the two losses with a grain of salt.
“I guess the pleasing thing out of that weekend was our ability to bounce back the next night against Canberra,” he said.
“For us to really push them and to have a chance against them was a really good effort and we probably paid the price having the game the night before, we just ran out of legs a little bit down the stretch.”
It was a familiar story for the Rangers, with import Jenni Benningfield leading the way with 13 points and seven rebounds against Bulleen and 12 and six against Canberra.
In the first game Alison Downie chimed in with 13 and five; against Canberra captain Caitlin Ryan shot 11 points.
But with the Christmas break out of the way, Waters said his charges were ready to fire.
“I think with some key players freshened up, we’re aiming to make that sixth spot ours.
“With Bulleen and Bendigo still to play twice, and Sydney to play twice, we’re still vying for that fourth or fifth spot, which I think is fairly realistic for us.”
The Rangers are a different look outfit this year and Waters said the younger group was starting to find its rhythm.
“The thing with our group is given we’re a little younger this year, it’s taken some time for us to gel together.
“The signs are there, the main thing for us now is our ability to execute, particularly when we do get a margin of four or six points.”
In other news, Rangers stalwart Emily McInerny will play her 300th game on Saturday week at home against Bendigo.
McInerny is something of a club legend, having played at the Rangers since the 1998-99 season.
Named the defensive player of the year nine times throughout her career, McInerny has forged a reputation as one of the toughest forwards in the league.
