Torquay’s Banjo Dyer boots eight goals in 73-point defeat of Barwon Heads

A decision to step away from cricket has helped a young Torquay forward to improve his game, booting eight goals in a career-best display against Barwon Heads.

Banjo Dyer celebrates one of his eight goals with Oliver Tate. Picture: Mark Wilson

A step back from his cricket commitments at South Barwon has helped a young Torquay forward to develop his game further, and the results were there for all to see on Good Friday.

Former Geelong Falcon Banjo Dyer booted eight majors against Barwon Heads in a 73-point victory at McCartney Oval, easily his biggest haul of his career.

It came at just the right time for the Tigers who had started their premiership defence 0-2.

Dyer, who was primarily a defender during his junior days, has turned himself into a damaging forward option under senior coach Dom Gleeson as the club has filled the void after Lucas Anderson’s ACL injury in Round 4 last year.

Torquay’s Banjo Dyer kicked a career-high eight goals. Picture: Mark Wilson

“As I came into the senior program at Torquay, I sort of realised our backline’s pretty stacked with some real experienced players,” Dyer said, a painter who works with teammate Sheldon Ham.

“I’ve got to add another string to my bow to fit into the side every week.

“And Dom’s been big trying to keep me playing a few different positions.”

However, Dyer, a talented all-rounder who played GCA1 first grade in 22-23, and made 146 for the Swans in the twos against Highton in November, didn’t play after the Christmas break to focus more on his football.

The previous summer, Dyer ventured north with teammate Billy Henderson to play in the NTFL with Nightcliff, but was restricted to just four reserves games due to a chronic back injury.

“I took a step back from cricket this year, it’s definitely helped with my footy,” Dyer said, who won an under-15 GCA bowling award in 2019.

“I just had too much stuff going on.

Torquay coach Dom Gleeson is bullish about the next wave of talent at McCartney Oval. Picture: Mark Wilson

“Almost for my life, and mental health, just taking a step back I was able to balance everything out a bit more.

“I sort of lost a bit of love for the game the last few years.

“I was really struggling on Saturdays ... it was getting into my head a little bit.”

Dyer said he would work on his goal kicking with Luke Wittman after a 2024 riddled by inaccurate set shots.

“I struggled a lot last year in front of goals, I kicked a lot of points,” he said.

Despite that, Dyer was confident he had a big bag in him, even if some of his goals were lucky against the Seagulls on Friday at Spring Creek Reserve.

“It’s the first proper bag,” he said.

“There were a couple of flukes off the ground.

“Just chuck them on the boot and they float in, one of those days where it felt like they couldn’t really miss.”

Torquay’s Jesse Dawson leads the Tigers onto the field. Picture: Mark Wilson

Dyer said the loss of Baxter Mensch and Chase Loftus during the off-season had been “massive” for the defending champions, but like Gleeson, he was convinced its younger brigade across the ones and twos – plus the inclusion of Leopold premiership player Oliver Tate and Blake Grant – would fill the gaps.

“We’ve got a special group in all the young boys that we have,” he said.

“Last week (against Newcomb), everyone was a one-pointer except ‘Tatey’ who was a six-pointer.”

He said the return of co-captain Ben McNamara had been a huge plus as the Tigers started the season 0-2.

“He’s someone special to our club and our group, just having him calms the group so much,” he said.

“We’ve missed him so much the first few weeks.”

He is also looking forward to the “crafty and nifty” Grant playing his first game for the Tigers, who pinged a calf before Round 1.

Originally published as Torquay’s Banjo Dyer boots eight goals in 73-point defeat of Barwon Heads