By JARROD POTTER
TAC CUP – round 16
EGOS were bruised as Dandenong Stingrays were given a 31-point reality check by ladder leading Oakleigh.
After leading early in the second term – led by full forward Taylor Joyce (4 goals) and a brace apiece from Aaron Wilson and Jack Lonie – the Dandenong effort started slipping.
Tom Lamb didn’t enjoy a hard-tag placed on him by Oakleigh as youngster Daniel Beddison did a great job to keep the AIS-AFL representative off his game.
Sloppiness through the midfield proved costly for the Stingrays as turnovers led to Chargers’ majors.
Sam Geurts continued his bone-rattling exercise in tackling as did Bailey Dale and Lonie.
The Stingrays hold onto third spot – now sharing the place on equal points with North Ballarat – and have a one-game-buffer on Western Jets and Geelong Falcons in the battle for the double chance.
The small men impressed the coaching staff most as captain Lonie was best on ground along with Rourke Fischer, Joyce, Dale and second-gamer Brandon White.
Dandenong hosts Western Jets next Saturday from 2pm at Shepley Oval in the second last home-and-away match of the TAC Cup season.
Dandenong had three representatives selected for the AFL National Draft Combine with Tom Lamb, Daniel Capiron and Jack Lonie invited to the prestigious event later this year.
