SFNL: Dingley knock off another ladder leader in terrific turn of form

Dingley coach Zach Horsley said his side’s win on Saturday would have sent a message to the rest of the competition. Here’s why.

Southern FNL Div 1 football second-semi: Cheltenham v Dingley. Alex Windhager (Dingley) and Sean McLaren (Cheltenham). Picture: Valeriu Campan

Dingley coach Zach Horsley said his side‘s last three weeks have squashed any doubts that the Dingoes’ are rebuilding.

After a disappointing Round 1 loss to Cheltenham, Horsley’s men have defeated Cranbourne, Port Melbourne Colts and – most recently – Springvale Districts.

The 12.8 (80) to 4.10 (34) win over the previously undefeated Demons is the second time in the past three weeks that the Dingoes have taken down a Southern league Division 1 ladder leader.

Horsley, a first-time senior coach, provided an insight into what his messaging to his players was pre-game on Saturday.

“It was about making sure that we let everyone know how we play, and that Dingley isn’t just a club that is going to be at the bottom, it isn’t resetting” he said.

“We do have new names; new faces and we have a young demographic, but we aren’t falling away from the competition.

“We are going to be right up there when the whips are cracking.”

Lucas Walmsley was among the Dingoes’ best on Saturday. Picture: Valeriu Campan

The 15.10 (100) to 6.15 (51) loss to the Rosellas sticks out on the Dingoes’ opening month, but Horsley is confident his group has since made the adjustment it needed to ahead of the ball.

“We were in that game with Cheltenham but the goal kicking was an issue,” he said.

“We have added another element to our forward transition, we were a bit stagnant but now we’re a bit faster and opened up the forward arc so we’re getting better looks when we’re in there.

“Against Cheltenham we were a bit slow and they were able to get numbers back which stifled our opportunities – we have accelerated a bit centre forward now.”

Alex Windhager has been making life hard for forwards this year. Picture: Valeriu Campan

During the pre-season, Horsley outlined how the Dingoes were going to go against the grain of a young and exciting list by focusing on controlling the ball.

He is optimistic with how the game plan has worked and praised one of his sides’ key pillars in defence.

“Through our ability to control the football we’re able to limit the opposition‘s opportunities, I think it’s the third game in a row oppo has only had low 40 inside 50s” he said.

“Our ability to stop opposition forwards comes down to Alex Windhager, he’s been super; he’s played on (Marc) Holt, (Josh) Fox and now (Matt) Wetering.

“He has owned those contests and I think he has only had four goals kicked on him this year, so he is going really well against the key forwards.”

The win pushes Dingley into the six-team logjam on 12 points.

Elsewhere, Mordialloc recorded its first win of 2023 over Chelsea Heights, 10.9 (69) to 7.9 (51).

St Paul’s McKinnon defeated St Kilda City 17.17 (119) to 8.14 (62) and Port Melbourne Colts thrashed Bentleigh 15.14 (104) to 3.15 (33).

Cranbourne and Cheltenham had the weekend off as the Good Friday stand-alone between the reigning grand finalists was withdrawn from Round 4.