23rd August, 2025
A perfect night as girls and boys roll into finals
The final home-and-away hit out for both teams saw them travel back home to Shepley Oval to take on the Gippsland Power in a twilight doubleheader clash.
With the girls’ match getting underway first at 4:20pm.
It was a scrappy opening ten minutes for both teams – with defences holding firm.
Gippsland drew first blood before we answered through Nalu Brothwell late in the term.
With a couple of behinds to our name too, we led by three points after one quarter.
Evelyn Connolly put home a major early on in the second and loomed dangerous.
Our third came from Charlotte Gilmore who found some space inside-fifty.
And we added another two almost immediately after. One more to Gilmore and then one from Ruby Geurts.
We continued to control the game, dominating the territory which made it difficult for the Power to generate anything.
At half time we had registered five goals from fifteen scoring shots which led to a thirty-four-point advantage, which could’ve been more.
Despite some early missed chances at goal in the third. Geurts broke through – kicking truly from a set shot in the tenth minute, for her second of the game.
Georgia Goss then got involved for a dribble kick goal off the ground before Jasmine Whitten kicked one of her own.
With one term to play, we had ballooned the lead out to fifty-four points.
Starting strongly in the last was Alice Cunnington and Whitten who both kicked goals in the opening five minutes.
Next it was Mizuki Brothwell who got forward and snagged one for our eleventh.
Gippsland found two of their own soon after but the damage was already done, with Connolly adding the cherry on top late in the term.
The Rays girls eventually ran out 12.17 (89) to 3.1 (19) victors.
Lily Snow (23 disposals, seven marks) was among the best, as were Matilda Argus (21 disposals, six tackles), and Gilmore (18 disposals) through the midfield.
Down back, Charlotte Hewitson (12 disposals) and Scarlett Marsh (15 disposal) were standouts.
Along with Molly Reimers, Jasmine Stephenson, and Makhaela Bluhm.
The win sees them finish with ten wins and four losses in the home-and-away season, good for third position on the ladder.
As the night turned dark, the boys ran out onto the oval for their match.
Coming off a dominant performance last week, Tairon Ah-Mu wasted no time getting involved in the contest. Muscling his opponent out the way and converting a set shot in the fourth minute to get the scoreboard going.
JayDe Varlet then finished impressively from the boundary to make it two in quick succession. He was awarded best on ground honours by the Stingrays’ past players who watched along on the night.
Gippsland would hit back immediately with the next.
Callum Smith found some space inside-fifty to mark before going back and slotting a major for his first.
However, the visitors answered just minutes later.
One more to the Power came after some undisciplined play.
After one quarter the scores were level.
Bentley Avenell found a major early on in the second but the Power hit back immediately again.
And they added another two in the next five minutes to go ahead.
We eventually hit back through Mitch Toner who ran home a major from the goal square.
But Gippsland responded straight away yet again.
In a relatively even half contest wise, we trailed by twelve points after two terms.
It was a hot start for us in the second half with Louis Hodder getting on the end of a spoil to finish and get his side back within a kick.
But Gippsland again, like most times, answered back quickly.
Sam Lewis then got credited with a major to trim that margin back instantly.
Receiving a dangerous tackle free-kick was Toby Sinnema who converted and levelled the scores again, continuing the seesawing trend.
Next it was Smith who took a nice grab inside-fifty – went back and nailed the left-foot snap to give us back the lead.
Ocean Shepheard then continued the momentum flow, finishing from the boundary for our tenth.
Just before the three-quarter-time siren, the visitors managed to peg one back and make it a five-point game with one quarter to play.
We opened the last with a major from Gus Kennedy to push the lead out past double digits.
And added another through Lochie Commons two minutes later.
Working our way from defence to offence to find another, this time through Toner for his second in the fourteenth minute.
Gippsland hit back soon after to keep things interesting.
And scored the next one too.
But we stayed composed and would eventually hold on to win.
Smith took the reliving mark on the far wing in the 13.8 (86) to 11.9 (75) victory.
Leading us for touches was Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves with 21 while Jack Lawrence accumulated 17 of his own.
Max Lee (20 disposals) was great behind the ball, as were Wil Antrobus, Kennedy, and Sinnema on the outside.
The result sees them finish with eight wins and seven losses which puts them fourth on the ladder.
Both teams will play finals – with the schedule releasing soon.
Dandenong Southern Stingrays 