By JARROD POTTER
TAC CUP – round 17
HOPES of a TAC Cup double chance were treated with disdain by a fleet of lacklustre Dandenong Stingrays.
Depending on Sunday’s result between Calder and North Ballarat (17 August – no result as the Journal goes to press), Dandenong could be ejected from the TAC Cup’s top-four after its insipid last-term capitulation against Western Jets at Shepley Oval on Saturday.
Taking a lead into the last break, the moment it became tough in the trenches the Stingrays slumped, bowed their heads and accepted defeat as the Jets stole the 17-point win.
The benchmarks of Dandenong football were nowhere to be found in the fourth quarter as voices dropped, link-up play died and the ball became the sole play-toy of Western.
Dandenong’s one-point final-break margin was hard earned through the third term as Lachie Williams (2 goals) Taylor Joyce (2 goals) and Blake Mullane snagged crucial majors to knock the wind out of the Western attack.
It was mostly one-way traffic in the final term as Western slammed on four goals to one.
A likely shot on goal for captain Jack Lonie was squandered as his two-bounce run towards goals was halted by a superb Western Jets’ run-down tackle. The ball immediately sprung forward as the Jets stormed back up their end of the field and kicked the match-sealing goal through Jackson Volpato.
Dandenong hard-nut Alex Harnett crashed through the packs to help out the midfield after missing four weeks with a broken hand and was denied what would have been a goal of the year candidate in the fourth term as his tackle-busting 50-metre roost was stopped by a fingertip on the line.
Rourke Fischer conceded a free kick, then a 50-metre penalty, which Jets’ Jackson Viola drilled to put the finishing touches on the rampage.
Coach Craig Black told the group the lack of desire to fight for the ball cost them the game.
“That’s what it looked like from the outside today definitely,” Black said.
“We had the ball then they went up and kicked a goal, and all just dropped our heads… it’s something we have to work on.
“It’s one little part, but I wish we didn’t do that… that’s something to work on with a young group.”
Dandenong heads to North Port Oval on Saturday to face Geelong Falcons from 11am with both sides in desperate need of some form heading into the post-season.
“We play Geelong, who I rate as a really good team when they have all their schoolkids, but that’s the great thing about being in the TAC Cup – we get to come up against them and if we get the double chance I’d much rather make it with good form behind us… the kids have to bounce back so it’s good to see the character of the boys.”
Cranbourne’s Dylan Barfoot earned his first match of the season, but was left with an injured hand and played no part in the fourth term. Strength did come from the defenders as Matt Homfray and Jacob Weitering were listed best on ground along with midfielders Rourke Fischer and Blake Mullane.
Taylor Joyce remains in the hunt for the TAC Cup’s goal kicking prize – trailing Northern Knights’ Reece McKenzie by four heading into the final round.
