NAB League 2019: Sam Seach, Ryan Valentine and Luke Stelling make strong first-up impression for Oakleigh Chargers

Three Oakleigh Chargers debutants made strong impressions in their first games in the NAB League but it was not enough to prevent Dandenong Stingrays scoring a comfortable win.

Jacob Woodfull goes up in the ruck for Oakleigh Chargers. Picture: Stuart Milligan

Not for the first time this year, Oakleigh Chargers had a swag of first-timers line up in the NAB League on Saturday.

The Chargers handed debuts to eight players and three of them were named among the best players.

Sam Seach, Ryan Valentine and Luke Stelling each made strong impressions for Oakleigh, which fell to a 70-point defeat against Dandenong Stingrays at Shepley Oval.

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“A kid named Sam Seach, we’re talking about him in our best 23 now as a bottom-ager and Valentine — a young bottom-ager — has come in as well and he has a real want to do team things and the simple things we ask of him,” Oakleigh coach Leigh Clarke said.

Luke Stelling flies for a mark in his debut. Picture: Stuart Milligan

“Stelling plays as a tall hybrid role so there are times we discuss him being in the ruck and there’s other times we discuss him being a midfielder. He certainly gives us that versatility.”

Dandenong streaked away from Oakleigh in the second quarter with eight goals to one and closed it out with seven to four in the final term, coming away with a 19.10 (124) to 8.6 (54) win.

It was the second time the Chargers had a long list of debutants after blooding a batch of first-game players against Gold Coast Suns Academy.

Private school football commitments and Vic Metro trials have meant a number of Oakleigh’s top prospects have been unavailable.

Clarke said the club had already fielded “40-odd” players in five games.

“(Dandenong coach) Nick Cox mentioned in an interview that we were depleted but we don’t see it as depletion, we see it as an opportunity for our boys to grow and that’s why we’re able to get high numbers in the draft,” he said.

“With our program, we get a chance to bring a vast number of kids in and to give them a chance to show whether they can or can’t (play at the level).

“I challenge any other region to expand their region that far and still be able to show talent like we do.”

Joseph Ayton- Delaney is taken in a tackle by a fever of Stingrays. Picture: Stuart Milligan

Jacob Woodfull is another to have impressed in his opening games for Oakleigh, named their best player for a second consecutive game.

Clarke said Woodfull’s transition to the NAB League would allow the Chargers to play two ruckmen when AFL draft bolter Nick Bryan returns.

“He’s a true, tall ruckman style sort of bloke getting around the club and he is in that tradie space now with his work,” he said.

“What I’ve challenged him in the last couple of weeks is his positioning around the ground to get behind the ball, to get forward and long down the line kick when we’ve got the ball and you’re our support behind the ball when they’re kicking into 50.

“I’ve got five or six edits where he’s in a position to take a mark or he actually took the mark, so he’s certainly trending in a way that will allow us to play two rucks later in the year.”

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