NAB League: Sam Frangalas dazzles on debut for Dandenong Stingrays

The son of former Swan and Tiger Gary Frangalas had a fine first game for NAB League club Dandenong Stingrays.

Dandenong Stingrays newcomers (L-R) Henry Hustwaite, Sam Frangalas, Ned Moodie, Mitch Harvey, Zain Yamak and Jess McManus.

The Frangalas name is flying again in football.

Almost 40 years after Gary Frangalas made his debut for the Sydney Swans, his son Sam played his first game for the Dandenong Stingrays in the NAB League Boys at Preston City Oval on Saturday.

Sam wore No 50, the same number Gary carried in his first match for the Swannies in 1983.

And the youngster did well enough to be named in the best for the Stingrays.

His father, who played 51 games for the Swans and another 17 for Richmond, was watching on.

Sam was called up as a Under 17 player and was among six newcomers in the Stingrays team.

The others were Henry Hustwaite (the brother of 2018 Stingrays premiership captain Campbell), Ned Moodie, Mitch Harvey, Zain Yamak and Jess McManus.

Moodie is the son of former Dandenong VFA defender and prominent local player Shane Moodie, and Harvey is the nephew of Brownlow Medal champion Rob Harvey.

Rays coach Nick Cox.

“Oh boy. He was fantastic,’’ Stingrays coach Nick Cox said of Frangalas, who played in the midfield.

“He’s going to be a very good player.

“I really liked how he listened to instructions. He’s really good offensively, which is typical of a big, strong kid playing at local level, but he defended really well yesterday. His contested ball work, his stuff outside … he was exceptional.’’

Like Hustwaite, Moodie and McManus are Under 17 players.

Hustwaite stood out across half back, Moodie was busy as a forward and McManus was doing a good job as a key defender until going into the ruck to cover for Patrick Gerdan, who was knocked out in going for a mark.

The Stingrays resumed from the competition break to play the Gold Coast Suns Academy and romped home 8.17 (65) to 5.6 (36).

Cox said his team could easily have won by 80 points.

“We missed some really easy shots,’’ he said.

Cox added with a laugh: “The forwards coach, John Mole, came home with me last night and he got a bit of a talking-to about our goalkicking.’’

Ian Owen and Mark Wheeler after the club’s 2018 premiership.

Miller Bergman, on the wing, was best-afield, shading James Cahill and 19-year-olds Will Bravo and Bryce Milford.

Cox said Berman’s use of the ball was “elite’’ and he continued to grow in stature in the NAB League.

The Stingrays wore black armbands in honour of former Under 16 player Rhys Gillard, who died suddenly last week.

Rhys was a Year 12 student at St Bede’s College and last year had been in the St Kilda Football Club Next Generation Academy.

The Rays also had in their thoughts Ian Owen and Frank Martinez, two great club stalwarts who are recovering from illness.

Meanwhile, top Stingrays prospect Clayton Gay is facing a stint on the sidelines after hurting his knee in the Young Guns fixture.

Gay took a knock to it in a marking contest and ruptured his PCL.

He had an MRI last Monday and is booked in for surgery on Tuesday.

Despite the setback Gay remains in good spirits.