By Jonty Ralphsmith
St Kilda father-son prospect Elwood Peckett has continued his strong form in Dandenong’s 15.11.101 to 6.8.44 thumping of Murray at Wangaratta on Saturday.
Playing as a midfielder-forward, Peckett finished with 25 disposals, five goals and eight tackles, showing some flair following a hard-working performance in the wet last weekend.
The Stingrays opened up an early buffer and were never seriously threatened by the Bushrangers, with plenty of players showing their weapons.
After a season-best game last week, Harry Doughton was again clean and tenacious in a 16 disposal performance in the midfield, lined up on explosive draft prospect Joe Berry in the first half.
It’s fitting that those two have performed in a fortnight where Dandenong has staked its claims to go deep in finals.
After losing its first two games of the season, the Stingrays have won nine of their last 11.
The only losses have been: in Tasmania against a well-drilled Devils outfit hard to beat at home, and to premiership favourites Sandringham by eight points – a game they had opportunities to win.
The Rays entered the season with co-captains Harvey Langford and Cooper Hynes as known commodities, alongside key-position player Noah Mraz, who has been sidelined with injury.
While the leaders have excelled, it’s been the form of Peckett, Doughton, defenders Charlie Orchard and Kane Hurst, and ruck Jordan Doherty, alongside the emergence of Sam Toner and bottom-agers Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves, Archie Le Clerc and Toby Sinnema which have given the team a backbone and spread the load.
Doherty is averaging 19 disposals and 11 hitouts, Hibbins-Hargreaves regularly stands up in big moments, Orchard and Hurst are hard to beat, while Le Clerc’s marking and Sinnema’s tank have rounded the Stingrays outfit nicely.
The Rays will regain disciplined hard nut Charlie Rowe and key forward/ruck Tairon Ah-Mu from school footy for their next game, against Calder on Saturday 17 August at Shepley Oval.
Dandenong’s girls comfortably outclassed Murray 7.6 48 to 1.5 11 on Saturday at Wangaratta.
After a tight first quarter, Dandenong’s talent shone through in the second quarter as they broke away from their hard working opponents.
Highly-regarded clean bottom-aged forward Nalu Brothwell had the most productive game of her Coates League career with four goals, including two in the second term, to go with nine tackles.
Debutante Josie Brent kicked two, while Elli Symonds continued her excellent form showing her power and polish with 14 disposals
