By JARROD POTTER
BALLARAT’S infamously horrendous conditions went to the next level for Dandenong Stingrays’ clash against the North Ballarat Rebels.
Playing in what Stingrays coach Graeme Yeats described as the worst conditions he’s seen in 20 years of playing and coaching, Dandenong gritted teeth to run over the top of the Rebels – snaring a crucial 48-point victory.
Sideways wind that spat freezing cold rain, keeping players and supporters alike in a perpetual state of near-frostbite failed to dampen the Stingrays’ resolve.
The Rebels failed to get out of first gear against the Dandy boys – meagrely posting 1.4 for the entire match, snaring their first goal in the third quarter long after the match had gone.
“I don’t reckon I’ve seen or played in conditions like that for 15-20 years,” Yeats said.
“It was really windy, really cold, rained the whole game and I thought the players were superb in the way they handled the conditions and the state of the game.
They (Rebels) challenged us in a few areas and we fought back in a really positive way and really proud of our discipline and the way they applied themselves on the day.”
Yeats commended his backline’s ability to repel the Rebels – with 25 inside-50s for the home team reaping only one goal for the match.
“Thought our backs were super – backs and defensive mechanisms were good,” Yeats said.
“They had 25 inside-50s for one goal.
“Score entry ratio was really good for us.
“Put pressure on them in the forward line and their ability to get the ball into the right areas we were able to negate.”
Jack Lonie, Dale Gawley and Nathan Gardiner all snared a pair of goals to vindicate their efforts in the freezing cold.
It was a Narre-fest in the Stingrays best on ground list – with Gawley, captain Nathan Foote and Jack Soroczynski all featuring prominently.
Dandenong has drawn the short straw for its remaining two TAC Cup clashes – hosting Gippsland Power at Shepley Oval on Saturday from 1.30pm before taking on Geelong Falcons next weekend at Victoria Park in the final match of the home and away season.
Despite the toughness of the draw, Yeats relishes the chance to face the best sides at the end of the home and away competition to better prepare the charges for finals campaigns.
“We always want to play the best teams – the season gets mucked up with a lot of the better players not playing regularly enough when we play with teams down on personnel and it’s hard to get a gauge,” Yeats said.
“We want to play finals every year with the other teams at full strength and we’re keen to play the better teams in full form.”
TAC CUP SCOREBOARD
North Ballarat Rebels 0.2 0.3 1.4 1.4 (10)
Dandenong Stingrays 1.2 3.4 6.5 8.10 (58)
NORTH BALLARAT REBELS Best: M. Crouch, D. Willsmore, M. Bowman, S. Bennett, K. Hendy, J. Brennan. Goal: S. Bennett.
DANDENONG STINGRAYS Best: D. Gawley, N. Foote, C. McCartney, J. Bastinac, J. Soroczynski, B. Mullane. Goals: D. Gawley 2, J. Lonie 2, N. Gardiner 2, L. Batten, B. Egan.
