NAB League Girls: Stingrays put tough week behind them to defeat Bushrangers

The Dandenong Stingrays NAB League Girls team showed resolve to defeat the Murray Bushrangers at Shepley Oval.

The Dandenong Stingrays NAB League Girls.

It had been a testing week for the Dandenong Stingrays NAB Girls squad.

Thirteen players were withdrawn from selection in the previous round over an under-age drinking episode, putting the Rays in the headlines for a misdemeanour rather than their deeds on the field.

STINGRAYS DISCIPLINED FOR UNDER-AGE DRINKING

“It was one of the those unfortunate things. It was a big learning experience for everyone,’’ coach Nick Rutley said.

“They were hurting, the girls, and they were worrying about the future and wondering if it would go against them.

“Our job was to put our arms around them and say, ‘Listen, it’s going to be how you respond that will be the real issue’.

“I was really proud of how they responded. Bear in mind we’re talking about girls who have never been given a lunchtime detention. It was really foreign ground for them, being on radio stations and in the papers. And they’re girls between the age of 15 and 17 and they’ve got a lot going on in their lives.’’

Stingrays coach Nick Rutley.

Rutley was speaking after his team defeated Murray Bushrangers 6.40 (40) to 3.9 (27) at Shepley Oval on Saturday.

“They were fantastic,’’ he said.

“I didn’t put anything up on the whiteboard before the game. I told a story about a girl I’d met who got bullied at school and wanted to play footy but wasn’t sure if she would be bullied at footy as well. I said, ‘Listen, when you walk through the gate we’ll look after you, this is your happy place, go and enjoy your football and be happy and get around some girls and they’ll get around you because it’s a friendly environment’.

“I told our girls it was the same for them. They were about to walk through a gate and out on to the ground and they could leave whatever was going on in their lives and play footy with their mates for four 15-minutes quarters, let it all hang out, develop and we’ll coach them through it. And that’s exactly what they did.’’

Georgia Howes, Brooke Vernon, Jessica Guy-Toogood and captain and birthday girl Molly McDonald led the way with excellent performances.

Howes was in the ruck and forward line, Guy-Toogood on the wing, McDonald in the midfield and Vernon in defence.

The Stingrays believe Howes and Vernon will attract interest from AFL W clubs.

“They’re exceptional people and they’ve had really good seasons,’’ Rutley said.

Stingrays McDonald and Isabella Shannon have already been signed by St Kilda.

Brilliant young cricketer Jaide Anthony, in her second game in the NAB League Girls, kicked a goal.