By JARROD POTTER
NEW Dandenong Stingrays coach Craig Black is a Stingray through and through.
The newly-announced replacement for long-time Stingrays mentor Graeme Yeats knows Shepley Oval well, having captained the TAC Cup side back in 1997 and helped lead the team into the TAC Cup (formerly Teal Cup) grand final against North Ballarat.
Following his playing career with Carlton and Frankston, Black started his coaching with Somerville before advancing into the TAC Cup system with Dandenong four years ago.
Going from captain to coach of the football club that has done so much for him is a proud achievement for Black.
“It’s obviously a big honour – obviously the club meant a lot to me and helped me through my playing days to get to here, so it’s like I’ve done a big full circle,” Black said.
“I’m really happy for the opportunity to get out and coach a club that over the last few years has had so much success with players getting drafted.”
The running of a TAC Cup club altered dramatically since Black walked through the doors in his teenage years and admits the boost in responsibility for all coaching staff helped develop his abilities and give him the perfect foundation for the start of his TAC Cup coaching career.
And the sting of last month’s 112-point TAC Cup grand final belting at the hands of Eastern Ranges rings doubly loud for Black – having captained the Stingrays’ first grand final defeat at the hands of a young Adam Goodes and his Rebel team mates.
On the plus side, Black knows the loss will spur on his returning Rays and make them better players in the long run.
“Any time you lose a grand final it’s disappointing – I captained the first losing one and was involved in this one,” Black said.
“But the pleasing thing is that we’ve got a lot of players coming back from last season’s team and it will be really good to see how their attitude is … and see if they can do something about it.”
Black is the fifth coach in Dandenong Stingrays history.
