Dingoes roll over against Oaks

By Paul Pickering
A FEROCIOUS half-time spray from playing-coach Adam Quinn failed to put the bark back in a tame Dingley outfit on Saturday, as the Dingoes rolled over for Oakleigh District in a finals preview match-up at Princes Highway Reserve.
Sitting on 10 wins and two losses for the season, Dingley came out flat in the first half, giving up an eight-point lead to the less fancied Oaks at the main break.
Few Dingoes were spared Quinn’s wrath in the rooms, with only Paddy Edwards and Shane Frost prepared to put their heads over the footy.
Edwards was forced to leave the field with a knee injury in the second term and was unable to return to inspire his team-mates.
With his brother Andrew tweaking his hamstring pre-game, it was left to Shane Frost to set the standard for Dingley.
According to Quinn, the burly 18-year-old was the only four-quarter winner for the Dingoes.
“It was an indictment on the rest of the team that the youngest guy out there was our hardest player,” Quinn said post-match.
Faced with the task of listing his six best players for the day, Quinn later told a club administrator to “put six Shane Frosts down”.
Trailing by 30 points at three-quarter time, the Dingoes lifted the intensity in the last term but couldn’t capitalise in front of goal – kicking six behinds against the scoreless Oaks.
“We had a lot of opportunities but we couldn’t convert them,” Quinn said.
“Under pressure we didn’t have the poise to hit spot-up targets.”
Having beaten Oakleigh District by 79 points at home in round five, there was nowhere to hide for the Dingoes after succumbing by 21 this time around.
Despite the injury problems, Quinn labelled the performance as “unacceptable”.
After a two-hour workout at Souter Reserve last Tuesday, the Dingoes will again be punished on the track this week in a bid to reach peak fitness before the finals.
Quinn has also flagged the inclusion of some fresh legs for the home game against Ashwood on Saturday.
Shannon Hughes is likely to return to the seniors after kicking seven goals in the curtain-raiser last week – and 36 in his last month of footy.
James Farrugia, 16, may also get the call-up for his second game after making his senior debut against Hampton two weeks ago.
“You’ll see a different team this week,” Quinn vowed.
“We’ll have a real crack.”
Demons keep streak alive
The Springvale Districts juggernaut rolls on towards September, with the Demons surviving a minor scare to account for Caulfield on Saturday – extending their unbeaten streak to 14 games.
The Demons’ unblemished record almost looked in jeopardy during the first half, with the finals-bound Bears drawing within two goals at the main break.
Springvale Districts broke free from the shackles in the second half, kicking six goals to Caulfield’s four in the third term before cruising to a 29-point win.
Demons skipper Mick Odachowski was sublime throughout, leading from the front with his second best-on-ground performance in three weeks.
Up forward, Mark Charles (four goals), Mark Williams (three) and Gavin Vassallo (three) ensured the Demons had multiple avenues to goal.
After being cast aside in the second half, the Bears relinquished third spot on the ladder to Oakleigh Districts.
The Demons continue to prove that winning – like losing – is a hard habit to break, and few people would be tipping an upset this week against the mediocre Moorabbin Kangaroos.
Hammers drop on Pumas’ finals tilt
ANY hope Lyndale may have had of sneaking into the finals was vanquished by Hampton on Saturday.
The Hammers belted the final nail in the Pumas’ coffin with a 27-point victory at Peterson Street Reserve.
After a promising start saw Lyndale up by seven points at quarter-time, the Pumas were steadily overhauled despite the admirable efforts of Daud Khan, Chris Briggs and Tristan Caples.
Adrian McCracken was the man most likely up forward for the Pumas, kicking four goals to go with seven in a losing side the previous week.
Lyndale has the task ahead of it in the next fortnight, with games against top-four certainties Caulfield and Oakleigh District.