THE NAB League Grand Final will be local derby after Dandenong Stingrays and Sandringham Dragons continued what has been a topsy-turvy finals series by rolling the competition’s top two teams in contrasting preliminary finals at ETU Stadium on Saturday.
The Stingrays won a one-point epic against Tasmania Devils before the Dragons qualified for the Grand Final from eighth spot with a convincing triumph over minor premier Gippsland Power in the second game.
The two southeast Melbourne rivals are now on a collision course for IKON Park at 5.10pm on Friday evening.
2ND PRELIMINARY FINAL
3.DANDENONG STINGRAYS
2.1 6.4 8.6 9.9 63
2.TASMANIA DEVILS
2.3 5.6 7.7 9.8 62
KEY forward Justin Davies made himself a hero at the other end of the ground with a clutch contested mark on the behind line as Dandenong held off a desperate Tasmania by one point in a thrilling finish to book its spot in the Grand Final.
The Devils came from 12 points down in the last 6½ minutes with a strong mark and goal to Sam Banks-Smith followed by a free kick to Will Splann, split by a behind from Stingray Ziggy Toledo-Glassman that ended up being the final margin.
The Apple Islanders pressed hard to the Fred Cook End in the last 90 seconds, with a shot from the boundary by Colby McKercher drifting across the face and Splann going within a split second of marking against the behind post.
A desperate snap from Jack Callinan from the resulting throw-in fell inches short of the behind that would have sent the match into golden point, with Davies clinging on to the most important mark of his career so far with just 20 seconds to play.
There was nothing between the teams all day, with the lead changing on nine occasions and no more than five points the margin at any break as they traded blows – three second-quarter goals in a row that gave Tasmania its biggest lead of 11 points was the biggest run while Dandenong never managed more than two in a row, although the Stingrays did kick five out of seven from that point.
When Sam Latreille kicked the first goal of the last term to give the Stingrays a 10-point lead, followed by misses to Jaxon Binns and Harrison Jones, they were going like winners, especially with Kobe Shipp making a couple of huge defensive plays to repel the Devils.
But Tasmania kept coming and set up the grandstand finish that gave meaning to the saying that football is a game of inches.
Binns was terrific for Dandenong with 26 disposals, eight inside-50s and a goal, with third-game inside-mid Luke Bailey producing some great extracting work to gather 27 touches (eight kicks, 19 handballs), Shipp (17, five marks, five tackles) vital when it mattered most and Kade De La Rue (20, one goal), Nick Collier (19, one goal), Ned Moodie (16, six marks, seven rebounds), Sam Frangalas (16, six marks) and Cooper Simpson (16, two goals) also important.
Davies only had five touches to go with 10 hitouts, but they were a critical five which included his match saving mark and two majors at the other end.
Tasmania put in an even display, with Tom Beaumont (23, five marks, nine entries), Morrish medallist and skipper Lachie Cowan (22, five marks, five rebounds), Callinan (18, five marks, one goal), Seth Campbell (20, one goal), Cam Owen (18, 23 hitouts), McKercher (23, five marks), Heath Ollington (21, five entries) and Arie Schoenmaker (21) all doing everything they could get the Devils over the line.
1ST PRELIMINARY FINAL
4.SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS
4.2 8.6 13.9 14.12 96
1.GIPPSLAND POWER
3.2 4.5 6.7 9.8 62
SANDRINGHAM continued its march through the finals by overwhelming minor premier Gippsland through the middle two quarters to win by 34 points at ETU Stadium and cruise into its first Grand Final since 2017.
The Dragons did their homework and reduced the impact from Power stars Bailey Humphrey, Zane Duursma and Coby Burgiel as they took a six-point quarter-time lead and blew it out to a match-winning 44-point gap by the final change.
Sandringham kicked four goals to one in the second term and five to two in the third, with an assured display from Gus McLennan, who stepped into the huge shoes of the injured Jakob Anderson, and Darcy Gilbert continually repelling the Power’s long bombs into the forward line, although Archer Reid (12 disposals, five marks, six tackles, five entries, three goals) did cause them plenty of headaches.
The Dragons likewise had issues getting their long and high kicks into attack to come off, but they were able to find more avenues to goal with Harry Sheezel (16, three goals) looking dangerous every time he went near it, Jamie Hope producing his third three-goal effort of the season from minimal opportunities and Charlie Clarke (19, six entries, two goals) putting on a highlight reel.
In the middle, Will Ashcroft was again prolific for Sandringham with a game-high 32 possessions, seven tackles, nine entries and a goal, Cam McKenzie showed his class with 22 and five entries, but apart from that, Gippsland had best of the midfield battle and it went down to McLennan and his defensive crew to start the Dragons’ springboard.
The Power hasn’t been able to produce its best in the last third of the season after starting 9-0, winning just two of its last six games, but can still hold its head high after its best performance in a decade has a large contingent of players in contention for November’s NAB AFL Drafts.
Team of the Year ruckman Max Knobel had 25 hitouts and Harvey Howe 21 as Gippsland won that category 50-12, providing plenty of chances for Tom Hanily (22, six marks, two goals) and returning star Mitch Moschetti (26, six marks, eight tackles), while Max Walton (25, five marks, five rebounds) was again outstanding out of defence and Jonti Schuback (19, five marks) and Cooper Vickery (18, one goal) could also hold their heads high.
THIS WEEK
Friday, September 16
NAB League Grand Final
Dandenong Stingrays v Sandringham Dragons
IKON Park, 5.10pm
Watch live on AFL.com.au and the NAB League app
NAB LEAGUE LEADING GOALKICKERS
34 Aaron Cadman (GWV) (winner)
33 Brandon Leary (Tasmania) 0
32 Harry Sheezel (Sandringham) 3
32 Will Splann (Tasmania) 2
31 Zane Duursma (Gippsland) 1
31 Logan Morris (Western)
28 Charlie Clarke (Sandringham) 2
26 Jovan Petric (Western)
23 Brady Wright (GWV)
21 Jack Callinan (Tasmania) 1
21 Ingo Dammersmith (Oakleigh)
21 Bailey Humphrey (Gippsland) 1
20 Euriah Hollard (Geelong)
20 Jason McCormick (Northern)
19 Fletcher Hart (Murray)
19 Harrison Jones (Dandenong) 0
19 Harry Miller (Western)
19 Beau Tedcastle (GWV)
18 Nate Caddy (Northern)
18 Brayden George (Murray)
18 Tom Gillet (Geelong)
18 Nick Watson (Eastern)
17 Carlos Egan (Calder)
17 Jacob Konstanty (Gippsland) 0
17 Archer Reid (Gippsland) 3
16 Anthony Caminiti (Northern)
16 Seth Campbell (Tasmania) 1
16 Joeve Cooper (Murray)
16 Toby Murray (Murray)
16 Riley Weatherill (Eastern)
15 Vinnie Caia (Gippsland) 0
15 Justin Davies (Dandenong) 2
15 Jamie Hope (Sandringham) 3
15 Jerome Lawrence (Oakleigh)
15 Amin Naim (Calder)
15 Chris Rousakis (Sandringham) 1
