Redemption rays

By Paul Pickering
DANDENONG is one win away from a shot at grand final redemption after over-running Gippsland in the second qualifying final at Visy Park on Saturday.
The 2008 TAC Cup grand finalists snatched the game from within the Power’s grasp in the final term, running out 14-point winners to earn a weekend off ahead of its preliminary final.
The vanquished Power, which has now suffered two fatal fade-outs at Visy Park in three weeks, faces the unenviable prospect of a cut-throat semi-final against the in-form Calder Cannons at the same venue this Sunday.
The expansive surface is no place for tired legs, as hard-running Dandenong skipper Tom Scully (35 disposals) proved on Saturday.
The boom AFL prospect was the catalyst for the Rays’ fightback, moving into the midfield with devastating effect after spending much of the first half across half-back.
Scully and co-captain Ryan Bastinac (26) were among seven players from Saturday’s group who played in the demoralising loss to Murray in the 2008 decider, and they look determined to go one better this year.
All is not lost for the Power, which could easily have set-up a match-winning break in the opening term if it had kicked straight with the advantage of the breeze.
John Butcher, Jed Lamb, Nathan Vardy, Dean Woodhead and Ed Carr all missed gettable shots at goal, before Tim Northe (18, three goals) finally broke the trend with a quality finish in the 20th minute.
Gippsland’s forward pressure, led by Northe, Butcher and Kele Asa Leausa, deserved a greater reward, but a return of just 2.7 was only enough to lead by 11 points at the first break.
The Rays were only marginally better in front of goals in the second, kicking 3.5, but key forwards Myles Pitt and Corey Millard looked ominous when the ball was in the air.
James Hallahan (22) was finding plenty of footy in his patrolling role across half-back, while Vardy (13, 20 hit-outs) dropped back after the ruck contests to perform a similar role for the Power.
Dandenong hit the front midway through the second term, before a rebounding goal from half-back Michael Ross and another from Northe restored the Power advantage.
Ross’s run ignited Gippsland in the second, before dashing wingman Dyson Heppell kicked two booming goals in as many minutes to give the Power a 20-point lead – its biggest of the afternoon – early in the third.
Still, the Rays midfield seemed energised after half-time, with Will Petropoulos, Madison Andrews and Scully working harder in the clinches.
And when the Power did go forward, Dandenong backmen Dylan Roberton, Andrew McInnes and Matt Shaw were able to turn defence into attack.
The Power took a two-goal buffer into the three-quarter time huddle, where both coaches urged their charges to keep running. Only one group responded.
Goals to Rohan Kerr and Levi Casboult gave the Rays the lead within six minutes and the Power heads dropped.
The will to chase wasn’t there, which afforded Dandenong’s star-studded midfield the time to display its skill.
Goals to Asa Leausa and Woodhead gave the Power a sniff approaching time on, but Myles Pitt sealed the result with a mark and tracer-bullet conversion from the boundary line.
Dandenong coach Graeme Yeats was rapped with his side’s strong finish.
“I reckon it was a combination of them tiring and us increasing the intensity level a bit,” he reflected.
“At half-time we asked our midfielders for a bit more effort, especially on the defensive side, and we probably got an extra 5-10 per cent out of them in the second half.”
Yeats also praised the efforts of defenders McInnes (12) and Roberton (22), who kept the dangerous Butcher (12) and Lamb (4) goalless.
Millard, who returned from injury via an impressive outing with Frankston in the VFL, was something of a revelation up forward, having played much of his footy at centre half-back.
Yeats believes he may be the finals wildcard for Rays, providing a third marking option alongside Pitt and Casboult.
Heppell and Vardy were the players who looked most likely to spark Gippsland, which missed the presence of injured skipper and midfield star Koby Stevens at the stoppages.
Co-captain Ed Carr tried his heart out, as did Asa Leausa and defender Jack Weston.
Gippsland coach Damian Carroll rued his side’s wayward start and made no excuses for the lacklustre finish.
“We knew we had to keep the pressure on all day and I thought we did that for three quarters, but unfortunately we couldn’t maintain it,” he said.
Despite the setback, Carroll believes his group has the character to refocus ahead of Sunday’s clash with Calder.
“There’s definitely some positives from today,” he said.
“And we probably had a few boys who were down a little bit, so we’ll get them up for next week and hopefully bounce back.”
Gippsland will play Calder from 11.15 am at Visy Park on Sunday, with the winner to play the giant-killing Eastern Ranges – 43-point winners over minor premier Geelong – in a preliminary final.
Geelong will play the Gold Coast from 2pm on Sunday for the right to face the Stingrays.