Live stream: Dandenong Stingrays v Bendigo Pioneers, Coates Talent League, Round 11

Dandenong needed some late reassurance from Noah Hibbens-Hargreaves to ensure a nailbiting victory - but even then there was a moment or two of uncertainty. Watch Girls/Boys REPLAYS.

Noah Hibbens-Hargreaves and Jordan Doherty kicked three goals each as Dandenong Stingrays edged out Bendigo Pioneers by one point in a Coates League boys nailbiter.

The Stingrays look to have the game under control in the final term, leading by 11 points at one stage, but the Pioneers weren’t finished.

They kicked two quick goals to draw level at 89-89 before Hibbens-Hargreaves went to work.

He kicked a goal with just two minutes left but, most importantly, he added a behind, which gave them a seven-point buffer.

Hunter Wright then kicked his second for the Pioneers with 40 seconds left to set up the exciting finale.

Dandenong Stingrays v Bendigo Pioneers - AFL Coates Talent League Round 11 (Girls)

Evelyn Connolly kicked a season-high four goals as Dandenong Stingrays maintained their Coates Talent League girls title push with a 57-point win over Bendigo Pioneers on Saturday.

The Stingrays took their record to six wins, three loses after the 75-18 victory, which was built on the back of a stout defensive effort that restricted the Pioneers to just two goals.

A seven-goal second-half put the icing on an excellent Dandenong performance - and comes on the eve of one of their biggest games of the season against second-placed Eastern Ranges.

PREVIEW

There will be no secret plays in this weekend’s Coates Talent League between the Dandenong Stingrays and Bendigo Pioneers.

The respective coaches – Nick Cox and Danny O’Bree – will coach the game side-by-side in a shared coaching box, while their assistants sit in another.

The clash will be exclusively live streamed on KommunityTV as part of a big Coates Talent League double header, which kicks off with the girls game from 12pm.

It isn’t the first time the two coaches have exchanged opinions on games, with both Cox and O’Bree involved in the Victoria Country program.

Dandenong top-ager Benjamin Hopkins has been part of the Vic Country set-up earlier this season. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

O’Bree thinks coaching alongside Cox allows the two to manufacture challenges for the players to overcome midgame.

“We might challenge the decision making of our kids in terms of how to problem solve,” he said.

“If they’re playing really fast frantic footy through the ground, we might challenge our kids to combat that.

“We might throw in some curveballs and play a high-possession game and that might challenge Dandenong with how they work around that.”

The Pioneers and Stingrays combine for nine players in the Vic Country squad.

O’Bree referred to this Saturday’s match as a “dress rehearsal” for the players either in the squad or those hunting for selection.

“I think it (sharing the box) will be good with the certain match-ups around that Vic Country stuff too,” he said.

“Coxy and I can actually talk about those guys in the hub or who can be added.

“We can give them opportunities to showcase their attributes to be selected and then we can go and fight for them in a selection meeting.”

James Barrat has been one of the Pioneers better players this season. (Photo by Graham Denholm/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

Excluded from those key match-ups will be Stingrays defender Noah Mraz on Pioneer forward Jobe Shanahan.

Mraz was officially sidelined with a fractured foot last month after completing a pre-season and playing four games carrying the injury.

O’Bree earmarked Stingray Riak Andrew, who has had a terrific first half of the year, as a player to raise his hand and play on Shanahan.

“I think it would be good for Riak Andrew to get an opportunity on Shanahan and put his case forward,” he said.

“We play the Allies in two weeks so it’s a pretty good dress rehearsal for someone like him.”

O’Bree said the idea was an opportunity for the assistant coaches too, who would have the chance to prepare for the carnival period.

“We’ll have a headset and communication into our team boxes but we’ll be allowing some of our other coaches to use the opportunity,” he said.

“When we go away to nationals, it gives them the opportunity to do it with our support – they can have a direct link but we won’t be in the box making decisions.”

Can the Stingrays keep up their winning ways in the Coates Talent League girls competition. Picture: Valeriu Campan

In the girls clash, the Stingrays will be aiming to keep in touch with the top end of the Coates Talent League ladder, with the fifth-placed Dandenong sporting a 5-3 record heading into the clash.

The Pioneers have experienced a reverse of fortunes to their rivals, but have shown enough signs in their three wins this season to prove that they could still cause a few headaches late in the season.

Originally published as Live stream: Dandenong Stingrays v Bendigo Pioneers, Coates Talent League, Round 11