By Paul Pickering
NEW Dandenong Stingrays region manager Mark Wheeler is looking forward to casting a fresh pair of eyes over the powerhouse TAC Cup club when he returns to Shepley Oval on Monday.
Wheeler was this week enjoying a well-earned summer break before assuming his role as replacement for long-time Stingrays servant Darren Flanigan, who is taking 12 months leave in Hong Kong with his wife.
Having spent four years as development manager at the club, Wheeler said he was looking forward to heading up the program alongside Graeme Yeats – back for his eighth year as senior coach in 2011.
“I was there for the development manager’s role, so going up to the next level is something I aspired to,” Wheeler said.
“It’s a good opportunity for me and probably a good opportunity for some fresh eyes to come into the program.”
Wheeler’s development duties included coaching the Stingrays under-16 outfit, and he also acted as an assistant to both Nathan Buckley and Garry Lyon with the Vic Country under-16 squad.
The Stingrays will commence full training on 28 January, with a pre-season camp at Mount Eliza to follow late next month.
Wheeler said the club was more than satisfied with its draw for the 2011 season, which sees the Stingrays travel outside Melbourne just twice.
“It seems pretty fair to us,” Wheeler said.
“Most of our travel games are in the Melbourne metropolitan area, and we start off playing against our nemesis, Gippsland, in round one, which is something that we love.”
That traditional season-opener at Morwell will be on Saturday 2 April.
MEANWHILE, former Stingrays co-captain Ryan Bastinac is set to miss the first two months of the AFL season after undergoing surgery on his right knee last week.
The Narre Warren teenager and North Melbourne midfielder was flying in preparation for his second season, before succumbing to a seemingly innocuous incident at training last Wednesday.
“I did the warm-up on Wednesday and felt good,” Bastinac told kangaroos.com.au.
“We went into one-on-ones and I just jumped and landed on it funny. I heard a click … that’s when I knew it wasn’t right.
“I was in a lot of pain and I knew I would be out for a little while as soon as it happened.”
