By Jonty Ralphsmith
Reigning premier Cranbourne will face a changed 2023 Dingley outfit in the qualifying final on Saturday at RSEA Park, Moorabbin.
Cranbourne finished the 2023 home-and-away season with one fewer win than last year, but the Eagles percentage of 194 is marginally better.
Steve O’Brien’s side has not been blown away in any game this season, with the biggest loss being to Cheltenham by 17 points, the other four losses being by single digit margins.
They have strong finals experience on every line, with premiership players Brandon and Glenn Osborne, Ryan Jones, Luke Bee-Hugo and Marc Holt making up the nucleus of the team.
Promising 2022 up-and-comers Zak Roscoe and Kirk Dickson have taken a big step forward in 2023 and will both be looking to assert themselves on a finals series.
Midfielder Roscoe won the best-on-ground medal in the grand final last year and has gone to another level this season, while centre-half-forward Dickson has already surpassed his 2022 tally of 42 goals from seven fewer games.
Roscoe was tagged the last time these two sides played but it’s no coincidence that when he got off the chain in the last quarter, Eagles goals flowed.
Northern Territory teenager Andrew Green, meanwhile, has added vibrancy to the defence, providing drive and presence out of the backline.
The Dingley clash will be a contrast of styles.
Cranbourne has a tough midfield and when they see open space, they aren’t afraid to use it, with their sources to goal in 2023 spread more consistently.
Dingley, however, after being found out on turnover in their finals loss to St Kilda City last season, has become more measured and patient.
While they have only half a win more than last year, their best footy stacks up much better, as they’ve shown through a 3-4-1 record against top-five sides.
In Justin Van Unen and Dan Farmer, the Dingoes lost their two scoring threats from last season and although they haven’t had someone clearly step up, they have six players with at least 16 goals.
Dingley beat Cranbourne in a statement game early in the season, with Lachie Lamble playing the best game of his season.
How much space he is given to play his natural line-breaking game will be an interesting watch, with Cranbourne likely to back their system against a lineup full of high-calibre talent.
Many of those names, however, were missing on overseas trips the last time the teams played, when a 12-goal last quarter blew the game open for the Eagles.
Dingley’s recent form since they regained most of their big names indicates they haven’t fully recaptured what they showed early on, as the element of surprise is also gone.
Alex Windhager will likely have the role on Marc Holt, with Kristen Feehan’s intercepting will also play a role against a side with several scoring sources.
League medallist Lucas Walmsley, meanwhile, is Dingley’s barometer who has been named in the best each time the Dingoes have played a top-six side, so he’ll be important in the contest.
