By JARROD POTTER
TAC CUP – ROUND 14 PREVIEW
REFRESHED and ready for a tilt at the finals, Dandenong Stingrays begin the run towards the TAC Cup with another new-look line-up.
Heading to a not-so-happy hunting ground at Preston City Oval on Sunday, the Stingrays face Northern Knights – who, while languishing in 13th, have given plenty of headaches to the high-ranked teams.
There will be a litany of changes throughout the team – both on and off the field – as the Stingrays rearrange the decks and prepare for the last few rounds of 2015.
It starts at the top as the coach Craig Black steps aside just for the weekend to give assistant coach Wayne Siekman the main seat for the first time.
The other major in is the return of skipper Lachlan Williams – who has made a speedy recovery after requiring emergency surgery to remove his appendix.
“It was pretty disappointing for him as he finally found some form and the appendix came at a bad time for him – but he got a three-week break and from the footy side of things just refresh,” Siekman said about Williams’ rehab.
“Footy side of things he’s ticked all the boxes – running the house down and champing at the bit as he got the all clear from the doctors on Friday.”
The Stingrays will also be bolstered by the return of a different Dolphin – as Daniel Capiron returns to the line-up after seven weeks in the VFL.
The 19-year-old former skipper marks his first appearance in the TAC Cup since May and will add a fair bit of defensive strength to the squad, especially with All-Australian defenders Jacob Weitering and Keiran Collins – as well as Josh Battle and Thomas Jok – out for school duties.
Harry Prior is set to continue his time in the VFL – after impressing in his Frankston Dolphins’ debut on the weekend in a relief ruck role against Collingwood.
With that set of big-name outs, it allows for a new face to grace the Stingrays’ roster, as Narre Warren’s Brenton Wells – a 172cm, 67kg defender – is set to become the next player to join the Dandenong pantheon.
Wells’ effort in his senior SEFNL debut on the weekend was enough to catch the Stingrays’ attention.
Despite the Magpies getting knocked over by 20 points against Berwick – Wells’ efforts have granted him a chance to become the 45th Stingray to play this season.
“Opportunity to give the 23rd a chance – Brenton Wells – that’s my most exciting thing about this week,” Siekman said.
“On Tuesday night I congratulated him on making the side and I get a great thrill out of telling a kid he plays his first game.
“I was impressed with him in the pre-season – hard, tough, lock-down defender, and obviously worked hard on his game and got a chance to play in the seniors at Narre last week.
“Playing at Northern, probably going to be wet cold and miserable and his toughness around the ball will be a big help.”
Dandenong has first spot within its sights and also needs to keep at bay a chasing pack of four when it faces the Knights from 1pm.
DANDENONG STINGRAYS LINE UP – ROUND 14
B: Glen, Rouse, Batten.
HB: Pickess, Capiron, White.
C: Holden, Cox, McKay.
HF: MacHaya, Young, Williams.
F: Gladman, Freeman, Poholke.
R: Nyuon, Mutimer, Di Pasquale.
Int (from): Stoffels, Kelly, Bubb, Lovett, Turnbull, Wells*, Warke, Kiely, DeWit.
