By Jonty Ralphsmith
A hot start has seen Dingley to a comfortable victory over Port Melbourne.
Dingley was willing to transition and use the width of the ground in a six goal to two opening quarter.
The Dingoes won it out of the centre and played with belief and buy-in to the new system while still generating run and speed going inside 50.
The Dingoes were also able to lock it inside 50 with Kristian Feehan leading the impenetrable defence with several intercept marks and important bodywork.
Port Melbourne got on top in the second quarter to keep themselves in the contest, kicking three of the four goals after the quarter-time interval.
After that, the contest was tight with Dingley able to hold on to their lead and never let the Colts within three goals.
Port Melbourne, missing their ex-AFL stars Josh Caddy and Billie Smedts to different injuries, allowed Dingley to take the upper hand in the midfield battle.
They were well fed by ruck Adam Lloyd who used his size at stoppage and in marking contests around the ground.
“He’s been going alright but he really got on top in the ruck battle I thought,” Dingoes coach Zach Horsley said.
“He gave us first access which meant we were (ahead) in clearances but around the ground we probably won more than what we did in the centre.
“It was just as much his ability to get around the ground and take contested marks for us and give us that option which was really impressive.”
After going down comfortably to Cheltenham in round one, Dingley has now posted consecutive wins – over reigning premier Cranbourne and the highly regarded Colts.
The likes of Lachie Lamble, skipper Jackson Peet and Walmsley all played with their usual dare, but Dingley is playing a brand that is much more willing to open the ground up.
In recognising times to slow the ball movement down, the defence has also been able to stymie opposition’s dump kicks and attacking bursts as the players seem to have adapted to Horsley’s way.
“Last week gave us a lot of belief in it and now we can just trust each other and the program and the system and just play footy because we know what we need to do, which is great,” Horsley said.
“It’s good to keep the momentum going.”
THE CAT’S OUT OF THE BAG
Horsley didn’t want to speak about Lochie Benton in preseason.
He wanted the youngster to be a secret weapon, with the 20-year-old who has played VFL footy for GWS virtually unsighted prior to this season in the Southern League.
Eagle-eyed Dingley watchers would have seen him kick five goals from the midfield in both the practice games, against Pakenham and Woori Yallock.
Round one was quiet, then he played an important role last week, setting up attacking chains late in a tight clash with Cranbourne.
But it was Saturday that he really announced himself for the season.
He had three of Dingley’s first four shots on goal, then set up Adam Peacock to kick a pearler from 50.
When he was at his best, Dingley was at its most rampant.
The son of Dingley vice president Matt led the first quarter rampage as he was everywhere in the front half and looked damaging every time he went near it.
He was moved onto a wing and remained a key part of their offensive ball movement through the middle of the game, before rising to first gear again in the final stanza.
With Port still nagging and several of his teammates missing opportunities to put the game to bed, he won a free kick from 30 and calmly slotted it to extend the margin behind four goals 12 minutes into the quarter.
He put his head over it all quarter and had his hands on the pill repeatedly inside 50 with his cleanliness, selflessness and ability to step through traffic exemplifying his class.
“He’s a match-winner,” Horsley said.
“I don’t think he came off in the second half, we played him wing and half-forward and just let him run, so a player of his calibre, you just have to let them go.”
The Dingoes will face another big test next week against Springvale Districts, which remains undefeated after it recorded a 22-point win over Chelsea Heights on Saturday night.
Meanwhile, Cranbourne looked a level above Bentleigh and the floodgates opened in the second half, as the visitors won by 79 points.
In Division Two, Doveton went down for the second consecutive week, this time to Murrumbeena, while Hampton Park’s undefeated start was ended by premiership favourites East Brighton.
