By JARROD POTTER
WHAT a difference a rest-week can make.
From the insipid Dandenong Stingrays team thumped by 65 against Geelong, the turnaround against Western Jets was stark – fighting down a rotation to claim an 11-point triumph.
Trailing at quarter time and going into half time, on top of losing Brady Egan to a concussion, the Stingrays were odds against taking the points, but persevered.
Finding some forward anchors – to help out Clay McCartney and Tom Lamb – were Nathan Gardiner and Taylor Joyce, with the former drilling seven goals in a best-on-ground performance.
Buoyed by their debutants – Joyce, Jack Lonie, Berwick utility Jake Gains and DaylanKempster – the Stingrays lifted in the second half to pile on nine goals and take the 15.8 (98) to 12.15 (87) victory.
“A super win,” Dandenong Stingrays coach Graeme Yeats said.
“Really, really proud of the boys.
“We were a man down – with Brady Egan off early after knocking himself out going for a mark – so we had to pinch hit and the boys were just fantastic – resilient and worked really hard.”
“We overcame some obstacles and it’s indicative of the way we’ve been working to improve certain things we’ve been going about it.”
Yeats praised Gardiner’s forward play – snaring his bag of seven from 11 kicks and marks in his best Stingrays performance yet.
“He got a couple of goals, which will really build his confidence up,” Yeats said.
“We kicked the balls into the right areas and gave him a good chance.”
With the “hiccup” against Geelong out of their system, Yeats said the Stingrays were happy to get back on the winners list and prepare for this weekend’s match against Murray – their first home match this season.
“Been out on the road for five weeks – it doesn’t matter where you play – our expectation is the same as whether you play at Shepley or anywhere else.
“When we’ve got the footy and when we don’t if we have the players doing what they need to, we’ll always be a good chance to win.”
The first bounce is at Shepley Oval from 2pm.
TAC CUP
Dandenong Stingrays 2.2 6.5 11.5 15.8 (98)
Western Jets 3.7 6.9 9.14 12.15 (87)
WESTERN JETS
Best: D. Viojo, J. Greiser, D. Iaccarino, J. McKenzie, D. Dawam, D. O’Leary.
Goals: J. Sicily 3, B. Said 2, D. Viojo, O. Abou-Zeid, D. Iaccarino, C. Sullivan, J. McKenzie, L. Hickey, J. Robinson
DANDENONG STINGRAYS
Best: J. Lonie, N. Gardiner, J. Harmes, A. Patolo, K. Gray, J. Pickess.
Goals: N. Gardiner 7, J. Lonie 2, A. Harnett, J. Harmes, A. Patolo, T. Joyce, J. Soroczynski, J. Pickess.
