Levi Casboult booted two goals in a strong showing against Eastern Ranges on Saturday, but couldn’t prevent the Stingrays from suffering a comprehensive defeat. 29525 By Paul Pickering
DANDENONG was monstered by a bigger and hungrier Eastern Ranges outfit at Box Hill City Oval on Saturday.
The second-placed Stingrays barely fired a shot on their way to a 61-point defeat – their heftiest of the season.
The visitors had no answers for Eastern spearhead Luke McDonald, whose seven-goal best-on-ground performance highlighted the Rays’ vulnerability against genuine power forwards.
To be fair, Dandenong went into the game without its five state representatives and a handful of private school stars, and the task became even tougher when proven ball-winner Madison Andrews and rangy wingman Luke Sheppard left the field with injuries early in the second term.
But the Eastern boys had already made their intentions clear by that stage, tackling, smothering and dominating general play in the first quarter to lead 3.4 to 2.1 at the change.
The home side – bolstered by the return of four Vic Metro representatives – broke the game open in the second, kicking three quick goals before Dandenong’s Luke Parker snapped truly to stem the flow.
The Rays couldn’t shift the momentum though, as the Ranges running brigade – led by Kieran Harper, Matt Scott and Jay Kinder – provided expert service to McDonald and 197cm giant Ben Griffiths.
Trailing by 20 points at the main break, the Stingrays rallied to win the third term before falling away to concede eight goals in a lamentable final stanza.
Dandenong coach Graeme Yeats questioned his players’ body language during the quarter-time huddle and later reflected that the writing was on the wall early.
“We might have just come into the game a bit flat and we certainly weren’t ready for their intensity,” Yeats said.
“They moved the ball a bit more precisely than us – we tried to play a bit too cute – and we just couldn’t put enough pressure on.
“We were probably ripe for the picking, because we’ve been up for a while, so it might be good for us to get a kick in the arse.”
Yeats knew he had very few options for the likes of McDonald and Griffiths, with first-choice opponents Matt Clifford and Jarryd Amalfi giving away a combined total of 14cm and 26kg.
Versatile Stingrays big man Levi Casboult was required as a focal point at the other end, kicking two majors and providing a strong contest in between stints in the ruck.
Casboult’s hands are among the best in the competition, but his improved footskills were on full display when he roved his own marking contest and snapped a brilliant left-footed goal in the second term. The Rays could have done with three of him on Saturday.
Parker continued his own rich vein of form with four goals in an efficient 15-disposal outing.
Stand-in skipper James Hallahan was damaging with his 13 kicks from a wing, while speedy midfielders Riley Heddles and Mitch Gent both made promising returns from injury.
Dandenong (6-3) held on to second spot despite the loss, but will have a point to prove when they host Bendigo at Shepley Oval on Saturday.
The Pioneers (4-6) clipped the Rays by five goals in round three and returned to the winners’ list on Saturday with a 27-point victory over the Northern Knights.
