This week saw Team GWS return home to Blacktown Olympic Park to take on the second placed Dandenong Stingrays.
In what proved to be a tough contest, the Stingrays run and composure saw them too strong for an improving GWS.
The game started in windy conditions with the Stingrays immediately taking advantage of the strong breeze with two very quick goals, stunning Team GWS.
GWS were able to refocus and pulled together some silky play in the middle resulting in Stuart Turner snapping a great crumbing goal to put GWS on the scoreboard, for their only major in the opening term.
Poor execution from GWS proved costly with the Stingrays taking full advantage of the breeze to open up a seven goal lead at quarter time.
GWS came out firing in the second quarter, with midfielders Jackson Dwyer and Jed anderson running the ball well into the forward 50 with David Cummings and Jackson Ferguson scoring a couple of early goals.
The Stingrays, respond quickly with two goals, but after a solid effort GWS were able to peg back the difference back to 38 points at half time.
Assistant Coach Brett Hand was happy with the team’s effort around the ground in the first half.
“Their intensity and work rate around the footy was really positive from our view.
“The boys ability to stop their spread at stoppages, and begin to find second and third handballs around the contested footy allowed us to find disposals that we couldn’t in the first quarter.”
The third quarter saw GWS hit the ground running with great pressure on the footy as well as some smooth and speedy run through the middle.
However running into the breeze made it tough for Team GWS, the boys demonstrated some great passages of play but failed to find a target up forward. The Stingrays continued to dominate kicking long and accurate.
Debutant Sam Milne was impressive with strong pressure around the contested footy along with Captain Alex Carey. Carey’s hard work was rewarded with a goal late in the third term.
Milne continued his outstanding work rate in the final quarter with strong running and tackling, earning him best on ground for GWS, while Jackson Ferguson showed power and presence up forward with two goals from outside 50.
Team GWS found poise in the final term, running in numbers with strong execution to kick three goals to two.
The Stingrays won by nine goals, however after being down by seven goals at quarter time, Team GWS showed great resilience across all four quarters to mix it with one of the premiership favorites.
Hand praised the players’ ability to play consistent four quarter football.
“This is a great improvement for us to see. To have sustainability over all four quarters is something we really wanted to work on from last week. It’s encouraging to see this transition.
“The boys were able to link up for better use of the ball, with more team mates in better positions. This resulted in strong running football, which is what we want to see.
“Over all we were happy with the improvements we saw in a umber of our players today. They really improved as a playing unit across the board.
“The effort the boys put in today just showed that if you work hard and want to get the footy, you can mix it with any opposition.”
Utility midfielder Jack Dimery, who provided great run and efficiency in disposals, said that the playing group was happy overall with the improvements shown this week.
“The boys effort across the entire game was great, that was the main goal Al (Head Coach Alan McConnell) wanted from us, it was good to see us deliver on that.”
Greater Western Sydney 8.5.53
Dandenong Stingrays 15.16.106
Goal Kickers: J. Ferguson 3, D. Cummins 2, S. Turner, N. Lewington, A. CAREY
Best Players: S. Milne, J. Anderson, J. Ferguson, J. Dimery, D. Cooper, A. CAREY
