TAC Cup 2018: Ex-AFL champ hopes his former club Dandenong Stingrays can win grand final

IN 27 seasons they’ve never won a premiership. Could this be the year the Dandenong Stingrays take home a flag? Ex-AFL champ Justin Leppitsch thinks the team has what it takes.

JUSTIN Leppitsch was the first player drafted from the Dandenong Stingrays, in 1992.

“Gee, you’re stretching me! I’m 42 now and I was 16 at the time. Long time ago,’’ the Richmond assistant coach and former Brisbane champion said with a laugh when asked about his season with the Rays.

“I came from Hawthorn in the Under 19s. Didn’t quite make the cut there, so I was sent back to the Under 18s. There were only six teams back then. It was really just the start of it all (the TAC Cup). There was a final four from six teams, which was quite interesting. We had a pretty good year but unfortunately we got bundled out in straight-sets. It was a disappointing end to the year for us.’’

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Unfortunately for the Stingrays, they’ve known a lot of finals disappointment since.

For all the fine players they’ve had drafted in their 27 seasons in the TAC Cup, they’ve never won a premiership.

This Saturday the Stingrays will play in their sixth grand final, meeting the surging Oakleigh Chargers at IKON Park, Carlton.

The most recent of their previous grand finals was in 2013, when they lost to Eastern Ranges by 112 points.

Leppitsch was drafted by Brisbane after winning the Stingrays’ best and fairest — the Herald Sun called him a “versatile forward or defender who is strong in the air’’ — and went on to become a three-time premiership Lion, a best and fairest and senior coach of the club.

Justin Leppitsch in Stingrays gear in 1992.

He said he had always kept an eye on the Stingrays’ results, “even in the pre-internet years’’, and was aware they hadn’t won a premiership.

“They’ve had a few losses, I know that, so it would be good to see them get the job done on Saturday,’’ he said.

Told the Stingrays had won their past 13 matches and would be sending 17 players to the draft combines, Leppitsch said: “They’re obviously pretty strong. As an individual you’ve got to be strong. As a team you’ve got to be stronger, by supporting each other. That’s the most important thing about teams. Obviously individual talents help win the game but ultimately they’re playing as a team and making each other’s strengths stronger will help get them over the line.’’

Michael Voss and Justin Leppitsch show off Brisbane’s 2002 premiership cup.

Leppitsch has some advice for the Stingrays players.

“Enjoy the moment. Forget about history. History is irrelevant when you’re talking about what will happen on the weekend. Just because it hasn’t been done before doesn’t mean it can’t be done. I’ve been a part of two football clubs (Brisbane and Richmond) where they had over 30 years in the wilderness in terms of premierships. From Fitzroy to the Brisbane days it was almost 40 years. At Richmond it was 30-odd years as well. Just because it hasn’t happened before doesn’t mean it continues. You can change it by focusing on what you have to do on the day.’’

Five years after Leppitsch was drafted, Craig Black captained the Dandenong team into its first grand final, against North Ballarat Rebels. Future AFL champion Adam Goodes kicked six goals as the regional club ran away with the premiership.

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On Saturday Black will coach the Stingrays in the grand final. It’s his last match in charge — he’s already started in a development role at Collingwood.

“I’ll definitely will miss it, been some good memories, but I just want to get the right result so the players, the 60 players on our list, can get some success,’’ Black said yesterday at a press conference at Carlton.

“On the weekend I think we’ll have 20 players, 21 players, in their last game (in the TAC Cup) as well, so hopefully they can go out with a win.’’

Black said there was no hiding from the Stingrays’ paucity of premiership cups.

“Everyone seems to bring it up. But some of these boys … weren’t even born when the first grand final was lost. We talk about it … it’s even better when these boys get the opportunity to come out and be the first team that can do it.’’

Another decorated former Stingray, Matthew Boyd, will drop in to the club for the final training session on Thursday.

Dandenong Stingrays coach Craig Black (L) and co-captain Campbell Hustwaite with Oakleigh Chargers skipper Noah Answerth and coach Leigh Clarke.

*Fox Footy will cover the TAC Cup grand final from midday on Saturday. Entry to the ground is by a gold coin donation, with all proceeds going to FightMND.

*AFL Draft Central writer and avid TAC Cup watcher Peter Williams believes the Stingrays will win the grand final.

“The Chargers have had three wins in a row of 90 points-plus, which is pretty impressive. But Dandenong play a different brand of footy,’’ Williams said. “They’re not going to beat teams by 100 points-plus. They play possession footy, taking their time and picking the right options. Oakleigh play that really fast brand of footy that can be high scoring but can also have high scores kicked against them. It will be interesting to see how they match up. Dandenong has the talls, Oakleigh has a smaller set-up in the forward line. It’s hard to pick. Oakleigh Chargers probably deserve favouritism because of their past few weeks. But Dandy have been so consistent during the season. They’re the best two teams in it and I’m glad they got through. I’ll pick Dandenong.’’