By Jonty Ralphsmith
Dandenong’s season ended in the preliminary finals against Oakleigh for the second consecutive year on Saturday with a 4.8 32 to 3.0 18 loss at a wet Highgate Recreation Reserve, Craigieburn.
An 11-minute period in the second quarter erased a promising start for the Stingrays, forcing them to play catchup for the entire second half against the premiership favourites.
The Rays fought hard to close to within six points at the 14-minute mark of the third quarter, before conceding a 50-metre penalty which led to a goal soon thereafter.
That would prove to be the final goal of the game, with heavy rain in the last quarter creating a stoppage-heavy contest, robbing the Stingrays of the opportunity to make a late charge.
The first quarter was full of promise, with Dandenong clearly the hotter team, winning it at the source and applying greater pressure than Oakleigh.
AFL Academy member Elli Symonds played as a strong-bodied mid throughout that period, winning six disposals and laying two tackles in a powerful start.
She was well aided by defenders Indi Sherritt and Ruby Geurts who both won critical contests to keep the ball in the Stingrays’ forward half, with the attack led by Nalu Brothwell.
Brothwell was an aerial presence all day and her four first quarter tackles underlined her hunt and follow-up efforts.
Goalsneak Evelyn Connolly kicked the only goal of the first quarter to continue her strong year, before hobbling off late with injury.
Forced to defend repeatedly in the second term, it was Oakleigh’s transition game and multifaceted attack which broke the game open.
Tahlia Sanger ran hard all day and Jemma Reynolds was clean and industrious alongside her in the midfield, which gave them two goals in quick succession in the third quarter.
But the hope that provided was only brief, with Oakleigh’s quick response a momentum-sapper in a low-scoring game.
The match was an encore of several recent meetings between the two sides.
Oakleigh has been the pacesetter of the competition for the past two years, with Dandenong able to challenge them in general play and match them in the midfield across that period.
But the gulf has lay in Oakleigh’s ability to punish Dandenong when it has momentum, which the Rays have struggled to do with the same consistency, as happened on Saturday.
Bottom-aged defender Matilda Argus was another strong performer on the day, alongside fellow back Mizuki Brothwell and midfielder Lilian Snow.
Oakleigh will take on Eastern Ranges in the grand final next weekend.
