TAC Cup 2018: Lachie McDonnell is the only Dandenong boy representing Dandenong Stingrays

LACHIE McDonnell is the only Dandenong boy representing Dandenong Stingrays — and he’s doing it with distinction.

WHEN Lachie McDonnell filled out his registration form to join the Dandenong Stingrays, he did something no other player could.

He jotted down 3175 as his postcode.

The Stingrays draw on a large area, from Beaconsfield in the outer east to the Mornington Peninsula down to Portsea in the south and the Nepean Hwy-flanking suburbs up to Mordialloc.

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Its region also takes in part of Greater Dandenong, with the rest split between the Sandringham Dragons and Oakleigh Chargers.

On this year’s list McDonnell is the only lad who lives in the suburb from which the Stingrays take their name.

He’s a proud Dandy boy. And he’s a handy player.

The Year 12 Mazenod College student has played every game for a strong Stingrays team this season, with a poise that has garnered him seven mentions in the best.

It wasn’t enough to put him in the Vic Country squad for the national Under 18 championships. But it was sufficient to earn him an invitation to the state combine in October, a sign that at least two AFL clubs want to size him up and see if there’s something more to go with his neat kicking and use of the ball, versatility and running ability.

All up the Stingrays have 17 players attending either the national or state combines, a record haul.

Lachie McDonnell in the Noble Park jumper.

McDonnell admitted he was disappointed to be overlooked for Vic Country selection.

“Yeah, I was, because I thought I’d almost done enough,’’ he said. “I spoke to the coaches and my family and they said I was probably unlucky to miss out.

“I took it as a positive, just to keep trying to play good, consistent footy. I think I’ve done that throughout the year, so the combine sort of came as a nice reward for the hard work I’ve put in. Obviously I’ve got to keep going leading into finals and hopefully right through, to benefit the team and myself.’’

McDonnell played four games in his bottom-age year — in between times he turned out for the Noble Park Under 19s — and he said they were a sturdy platform for his 2018 season.

The right-footer played junior football for Waverley Park Hawks and was a league representative. But for a time it appeared his sporting future was with volleyball. He had never played it until he attended Mazenod College.

Quickly, he reached an elite level, in 2015 captaining the Victorian team and attaining All Australian selection at Under 15 level.

In each year of his secondary schooling he has been part of Mazenod state titles.

“Six state championships. I think we lost one game in Year 7 and we haven’t lost a game since,’’ he said.

Dandenong Stingray Lachie McDonnell is also a star volleyballer, gaining All Australian selection at Under 15 level.

McDonnell enjoys volleyball — “I’ve had a passion for it from the time I started it’’ — but he has put his focus on football in the past two years.

“Still enjoy volleyball, still do it as much as I can, but it’s taken a back seat for a while so I can see how far I go can with footy,’’ he said.

The fact that a player manager, Tim Hazell, came calling adds to the interest around him.

Stingrays talent manager Mark Wheeler said McDonnell had an excellent preparation for the season “and as he got his games he got better as he went along’’.

He said he was also disappointed McDonnell missed on Vic Country selection but some good came from it.

“I thought he was the one who’d played consistent football. It’s a numbers game. We understand there are boys with similar attributes,’’ he said. “But it seemed to make him more determined. He’s a great kid. He’s a great character.’’ And he’s a true Dandenong Stingray too.