By Jonty Ralphsmith
PRECEDE: Last week, Star News journalist Jonty Ralphsmith had a sneak peek behind-the-scenes at the Dandenong Stingrays’ main training session as the girls prepared for the round-four clash against Oakleigh. He then listened to the pre-game, quarter time and three-quarter time address, finding out the ins and outs of the program and how the club intended to beat the Chargers. Below is a behind-the-scenes look.
Plan it. Train it. Execute it.
There were three ticks at quarter time of the Dandenong Stingrays clash with Oakleigh Chargers.
Dandenong had 65 per cent of the ball in its forward half in the first quarter.
It felt like more, much more, as the hosts led by 14 points.
The backline was aggressive all quarter – important in a weapons-centric Talent League program.
Recruiters lined the Shepley Oval grandstand and wanted to see players back themselves which the defenders did.
They, along with the rest of the team, were also able to play to the coach’s game-plan.
Eagle-eyed scouts are able to pick up clear indicators of selfish footy and through mid-week conversations with those at the club, such information will be found out.
By laying 18 tackles and creating eight stoppages, the girls have played to the system.
Even Jess Pacevski, done twice for holding the ball, was praised at quarter-time because she listened to coach’s instruction: don’t knock the ball free or their runners will hurt us.
Working both ways is another common phrase in Talent League programs.
Separating prospects from depth players is the work they are willing to do without the ball.
By applying forward pressure, the Stingrays showed a willingness to do that.
Shelby Crothers was a key part of that: told pre-game by forwards coach Dan Chapman that seven tackles is just as good as a couple of goals, her defensive intent is clear.
After the players have their individual line meetings, one group of players that coach Josh Moore highlights is the wingers: sisters Ruby and Poppy Murdoch and Tahlia Sanger.
Wing is arguably the most unrewarded position in Talent League footy.
Like any position you have to be willing to adhere to the craft to give yourself the best chance, and it’s easy to go ball-hunting when your work rate is not being utilised.
Ultimately, after delivering a few short, sharp messages, the coach lauds the first 20 minutes as the best quarter of the year.
It’s the Stingrays first match at Shepley Oval, for two years, with just five Rays having previously played an official match on the ground.
Home matches are usually played at Linen House in Seaford.
The coach arrived at midday full of excitement and the vibes built from about 5.30, crowds rolling in as the sunset.
The pre-game address was full of positive reinforcement – key when dealing with junior players in Talent League clubs.
Moore keeps the messaging simple: a key focus for each line is based on the manner that the Stingrays girls can best show their weapons against the Chargers’ structure.
When attacking, the squad has been given the license to switch and open the game up – show their flare.
In the contest, Dandenong went into the game with superior rucks and in-and-under ball winners but against a team that looks potent when allowed to handball.
The previous week, Oakleigh had 83 more handball receives than their opponents, highlighting the clear strength which Dandenong sought to nullify.
The defensive plan sung from the same beat – do not let them run and bounce.
Moore boosts the confidence of rucks Tahlia Black and Elli Symonds by giving them a pump-up in front of the whole team.
“Create stoppages then we go to work,” Moore says.
Once that is delivered, Moore has done everything he can, putting faith in the girls to execute.
It’s boxing coach Craig Lineham who gives the girls the final rev-up and burst of energy, while property steward and club icon Frankie Martinez also says some words before the girls run out.
Martinez is always around somewhere; during the week, he’s about before the girls arrive for pre-training craft and post-game he’s among the last to leave.
Pre-training craft is labelled as the ‘Stingrays playground’.
It’s a time players can be challenged and have fun as they work on a growth area.
Specialist coach Sean Chamberlain works with Sanger and Symonds on kicking technique.
“Kick through it, power your leg, and go two steps ahead,” Chamberlain says.
“Good. Go straight at your target and come through with pace!
“Better.”
Symonds is coming off an eye-catching performance where she showed her ability to ruck and play as an extra midfielder against Gippsland.
The bottom-ager’s leap shines through in a couple of drills throughout training, as does her appetite to learn.
As well as receiving kicking advice, she takes in some words from Vic Country-listed defender Tara Quinn and specialist coach, Hawthorn AFLW player and former Stingray Mackenzie Eardley about effectively intercepting during a ball movement drill at the end of the night.
Despite people in the industry taking a liking to her game as a ruck in the previous game, Symonds will again start in the backline.
Showing off your weapons is crucial in talent pathways footy, but so too is proving versatility – particularly in the women’s game.
As that pair work on kicking, Brooke Smith and Jemaya Bressan work with forwards coach Chapman on gathering a ground ball, powering off and kicking goals.
For Smith, it’s about trying to instil the forward craft, having spent 2022 as a halfback.
There’s also girls doing set shot goalkicking, some at the rebound net working on touch, groundballs, kicking and more.
A focus on fundamentals.
Head of wellbeing Kellie Fallon, a line coach last year and former strength and conditioning staff is also wandering around doing as many informal check-ins with girls as possible.
Moore leads the collaborative pre-training meeting with the squad.
He shows several pieces of vision from the weekend’s 77-point win over Gippsland and begins by asking about the concept of balance around stoppage.
Keeping the ball locked in the scrimmage to allow the Stingrays’ dominance in the ruck and midfield to shine through will unlock the path to victory against a handball-happy and quick Oakleigh.
The vision centres around what is done well, with the few mistakes highlighted used as learning opportunities.
When they get back out on the track, it’s a 10-minute warm up then 10 minutes of touch – the 300 club.
Named such by the leadership group, it’s designed to be another high-intensity activity to improve fundamentals, with players implored to bring voice and volume.
Girls pair off to, as rapidly as possible, do a combination of groundballs, kicking and handballing that totals 300.
The succeeding drills are again focused on fundamentals; generating overlap and bringing pressure; gut running; and pinpoint kicking.
Once those rotations are complete, the three lines split off for education and more targeted training.
For the defenders, it’s intercept marking, the midfielders are structure-focused and the forwards are looking to generate scores from crumbs.
Ruby Murdoch is one midfielder notably vocal, flicking the switch between banter and insightful questions as necessary.
The squad come together for the final drill which enacts some points highlighted on tape pre-training.
The Stingrays are working on slicing through teams with quick transition.
Wandering around observing the action all night are Dandenong Under-16 co-captains Matilda Argus and Charlotte Hewitson who Moore has invited in to get a feel for the expected standards at Under-18 level.
“We’re always looking to get the balance between educating, executing and preparing for the game as well – I thought we did it pretty well tonight,” said Moore on the night.
“From a coaching perspective, a lot of it has been done now and I don’t like to overcomplicate it on match-day.
“It’ll be line coaches one on one giving feedback and then executing – it’s a huge challenge.”
Captain Jemma Ramsdale’s booming words of encouragement carry an echo throughout the night.
She was the clear choice as skipper for 2023.
“I think if we have our balance and width around the ball and not let them run and carry, we can get on top of them,” Ramsdale explains.
“We have to play man on man because (otherwise), they’ll bounce and take the whole ground – if we play like that, I think we can match them easily.”
The leadership group has introduced post-training dinners each Wednesday night, which allows players to connect.
The squad have come from junior clubs spanning a large area, with the Stingrays encompassing urban sprawls such as Cranbourne and Dandenong, all the way down to quaint Sorrento.
Creating harmony from the many backgrounds will enhance performance.
Lasagne, cottage pie, pesto pasta and sandwiches are among the spread in the Shepley Oval pavilion.
The team is announced and Moore presents to the players the aforementioned key points about Oakleigh as they eat.
Coming off such a dominant performance where so many players won their positions, there will be no changes.
Three players from Oakleigh are highlighted as the ones to respect going into the game.
Wins and losses are never talked about in Talent League programs as individual development is prioritised.
But with the team sitting at 2-2 on Wednesday, Moore asks the group whether they will go 3-2 or 2-3 after Friday night to draw on their competitive nature.
“There is no pressure on me to win or lose games, but there is pressure on me to develop players and get the girls to be better players and better people,” Moore points out.
Unfortunately, for the Stingrays, it is the latter – 2-3.
An inability to capitalise on their monopoly of the first quarter cost the Stingrays.
Oakleigh found another gear in the second and third quarter, busting their way through the Stingrays system and getting it more or less played how they wanted to play.
Moore asked his girls to find something in the last quarter.
“It’s going to come down to 20 minutes of pure grit,” he said as the margin sat at three points, still in favour of the Stingrays at three-quarter-time.
The naturally talented Felicity Crank was moved into the midfield and the spurts of their early potency spasmodically returned.
Regardless of the result, there were still green shoots.
Symonds backed up her dominance from the previous week, Jemma Reynolds was clean, time after time, below her knees and Sanger capped an excellent month showing her ability to find the footy, run relentlessly and hold her shape on the wing.
All three are bottom-agers, and each still have much untapped potential.
And it’s those performances, not the scoreline, that will be the major takeaway from the night.
