NAB League 2019: Dandenong Stingrays see off Murray Bushrangers in wildcard round

Team leaders Hayden Young, Ned Cahill and Luca Goonan showed the way as the Rays earned a shot at Calder Cannons.

Going in to the NAB League wildcard round, the Dandenong Stingrays coaches turned to their team leaders.

They wanted a lift.

They got it.

Captain Hayden Young, vice-captain Ned Cahill and deputy vice-captain Luca Goonan figured in the best players as the Rays broke their run of eight consecutive losses and defeated Murray Bushrangers 13.13 (91) to 10.10 (70) at the Box Hill City Oval on Sunday.

Young had 24 possessions, continuing his superb, All Australian season.

Goonan had 22, playing his best game for the year.

Cahill had 21 touches, kicked 3.3 and had a hand in a couple of other goals.

Rays skipper Hayden Young was outstanding again.

The Stingrays will now play Calder Cannons in an elimination final at Carlton on Sunday.

“Through the week and before the game, we said our leaders had to lead well and play well,’’ Rays coach Nick Cox said.

“They set the standard for us on Saturday, which is what you expect from them when you give them these roles.

“They all stood up. Guys like Jack Toner and Biggie Nyuon showed good leadership as 18-year-olds as well.’’

It was no coincidence the Stingrays’ change in fortune came with a return to form for Cahill.

The nippy small forward had been quiet in previous matches, but the Vic Country representative was back to something like his elusive best.

“He’d been in a bit of a slump, not by the standards of the average Joe Blow, but his high standards,’’ Cox said.

“Credit to him. After a stern talking-to about a few things he knuckled down and worked hard on his basics. He got them right. His work rate was up and eventually the ball bounced his way.’’

Cox said of the Stingrays’ game plan: “We changed it up a bit. A lot of teams think that we always go through the middle and try to hurt them with our 45 kicks and change lanes, but we thought if we go wider and halve the 50-50 contests we’d be in good shape.

“Every time we had the footy we created space up the ground and kicked into it and ran on to it. After half time we changed it. They (Bushrangers) realised they had to defend us out wide and so the middle opened up. Our players executed it well.’’

THREE STINGRAYS IN ALL AUSTRALIAN TEAM

RAYS LOOK TO BREAK OUT OF FORM SLUMP

He said the last 10 minutes of the match needed “pure grit’’ to hold back the Bushrangers, Henry Berenger and Blake Kuipers prominent as key defenders.

Meanwhile, the Stingrays had three players selected in the NAB League team of the year: Young (half back), Sam De Koning (full back) and Cody Weightman (forward pocket).