SFNL: Dingley is set to regain best-and-fairest winner Lochie Benton for the rest of 2024

A Southern league side’s premiership hopes will receive a lift this weekend when its best player suits up for the first time this year.

Lochie Benton is back for Dingley. Picture: Jam_Visuals

Dingley’s pursuit of a Southern league premiership is set for a late-season boost, with best-and-fairest winner Lochie Benton poised to return this weekend.

Benton won a VFL list spot at Sandringham after a terrific 2023 for the Dingoes.

Back surgery in April derailed much of Benton’s campaign and has withheld him from any football up until this weekend.

Benton, 21, resumed running two months ago before returning to full contact training a month ago.

“He (Benton) has the ability to go inside and outside and he uses the ball incredibly well,” Dingley coach Zach Horsley said.

“I think for us his leg speed is generally something we don’t have heaps of so bringing him in and letting him run and carry will be influential.

“He’s probably something we’re missing at the moment to take that next step.”

Benton dishes out a handball in traffic. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Benton emerged as one of the best young players in the Southern league last year playing in a magnitude of roles.

He was eventually named at half back in the Division 1 team of the year.

Benton’s inclusion into the side comes amid an injury to star full back Alex Windhager.

Windhager injured his ankle in the opening minutes of Saturday’s win over East Brighton and didn’t return.

Dingley is still waiting on scans but expects Windhager to be ready for its next top-four clash with St Paul’s in round 18.

“We’re still waiting on scans but he will be a couple of weeks,” Horsley said.
“We’d expect him to play against St Paul’s but until we get the results we won’t make any plans.

“That (game with St Paul’s) is seven weeks away so I can’t imagine he wouldn’t be right for that, I expect him back in the next two to three.”

Dingley hosts Cranbourne this weekend.