By JARROD POTTER
RED and blue is back at Shepley Oval … even if it’s just for one weekend.
The Stingrays will don the Dandenong Redlegs guerneys for Saturday’s TAC Cup heritage match against the Oakleigh Chargers – who will wear the famous “Purple and Golds” jumper.
The TAC Cup clubs decided to pay homage to their footy predecessors at Shepley Oval and Warrawee Park respectively, with both of the Victorian Football Association (VFA) clubs folding in the mid-1990s.
It’s not just a jumper worn for jumper’s sake though; both clubs have invited back some of the VFA legends to present the jumpers and tell the tales of clubs dissolved before these junior players were even born.
The Stingrays were presented their jumpers on Tuesday night by Redlegs icon Jim “Frosty” Miller – the enduring Dandenong goal-kicking legend who the VFL’s goal-kicking medal is named after – Phil Partington, Kev Shinners, Sean Millane, Daniel Charles and Jack Marshall among others.
Dandenong Stingrays region manager Mark Wheeler said the idea was a special one as it honoured not only the Redlegs, but the legacy of footy in Dandenong as a whole.
“It’s been going on behind the works for about three years now,” Wheeler said.
“It’s taken about two years of planning but the idea is to make this an annual event – the first one is at Oakleigh this week which is great but to bring out the old Redlegs jumpers is pretty special for a few of us.
“If you have a quick glance at the jumpers we’ve honoured them on the top of the jumpers as well, so there’s a couple of special names on the jumpers and the boys got a chance to hear the stories and probably a little bit more of what it means.
“For us, Shepley Oval has been the home of footy for nearly 100 years so we want that tradition to keep on going.”
While a Chargers versus Stingrays clash is always heated, there’s a little bit of extra spice in the rivalry this week with the heritage jumpers on show.
“There’s a bit of passion in this one,” Wheeler said.
“We can bring the rivalry back out.
“We play Oakleigh once a year traditionally – because of the draws and that and being in the country side – so it should be a good game and both sides at full strength for the first time since round one.”
The match starts at Warrawee Park, Oakleigh from 1pm on Saturday.
