By JARROD POTTER
TAC Cup – round 7
MUD on the shorts and painful memories will be the only things Dandenong takes away from a lacklustre outing against the Eastern Ranges.
The hot-and-cold Stingrays evened out the strong performance against NSW/ACT Rams last week with an embarrassing capitulation against Eastern this weekend.
Dandenong’s six games thus far this season – win, loss, win, loss, win and finally a 34-point loss to Eastern.
“I’d love to show the consistency where we can string together consecutive games,” Stingrays coach Craig Black said.
“I believe that we’ve got a strong enough group to do it, but that’s the challenge with the under-18s and the kids to get that four-quarter performance and take it week to week.
“I think we’re a good footy team and we’ve got good players – as long as they’re playing their role and doing what is expected of them.”
Two rotations down at half-time did not help the Stingray cause, but the damage was done in the second term as the Ranges ascended to the top of a 33-point lead on the back of bags from Rory Sheridan-Ferrie (4 goals) and Christian Petracca (3).
Matt Homfray (knee strain) and Rourke Fischer (dislocated finger) took no further part in the clash after the half and in some respects were spared further embarrassment as Dandenong limped towards defeat.
The Stingrays performed ably in the second half as Kempster, Bailey Dale (2) and a defensively-shifted Keegan Downie impressed coach Black.
“Bailey Dale was really good again… he continually gets better every time he plays,” Black said. “Keegan Downie showed some signs when he was forced to go back, competed really well, Bailey Rice showed again and Jack Lonie always competes really well.”
Where it stings further for Dandenong will be with those who faced the 112-point TAC Cup grand-final humiliation last season by the Ranges, as Daylan Kempster, Kyle Gray, Jack Lonie, Tom Lamb and Blake Mullane gain no satisfying revenge the Stingrays would have desperately wanted.
Black said the slightest drop in form can spell trouble in a competition as strong as the TAC Cup this season and Dandenong did not perform at its best standard.
“I think we play in a really strong competition you can’t afford to not be at 100 per cent of your game,” Black said.
“I think we dropped off a bit and the other team pounced on us.”
A one-week hiatus is on the cards for seventh placed Dandenong before facing Tasmania at Shepley Oval on Sunday 25 May from 11am.
