The Devils will return from the bye with a huge NAB League Boys clash, as they welcome the Dandenong Stingrays to Kingston’s Twin Ovals this Saturday. The Devils will look to consolidate their place in the top four on the ladder, while the Stingrays sit just outside that group and will be hoping to climb in.
Date: Saturday 18 June
Time: 12:30 PM
Venue: Twin Ovals, Kingston
Broadcast: via NAB League app
Tasmania won their last two games prior to the bye, beating the Eastern Ranges in round eight and fellow finals contender Murray in round nine. It was some stingy defence that set up that most recent victory over the Bushrangers, as they allowed just six goals and 45 points. That continued the trend of the season for the Devils, as they have conceded a touch over 66 points per game and just 50 per game in their six wins. With plenty of defensive talent in the air and at ground level, expect Tasmania’s backline to make life hard for the opposition once again here.
The Stingrays enter this clash with a similar form line, having won their last two games before last weekend’s bye. By beating Sandringham and GWV in back-to-back weeks, they lifted themselves into fifth on the NAB League Boys ladder and just two points outside of the top four. A strong team around the stoppages, they have been direct attacking through the corridor and scored 91 points per game across those two recent wins.
Last time they met
The Devils hosted Dandenong in round ten of last season and claimed an impressive 33-point win. They won every quarter and could have easily won the game by a much bigger margin, as they dominated almost ever stat category and piled on 28 scoring shots to ten. Tom McCallum dominated the game up forward, finishing with 23 disposals, 11 marks and two goals, while current leaders Seth Campbell (19 disposals) and Lachie Cowan (16 disposals) showed their potential. For Dandenong, recent West Coast draftee Jai Culley kicked two goals in the loss.
Team news
https://twitter.com/TasmaniaDevils_/status/1537344285581844480
It will be a vastly different Devils team than the one that last played a fortnight ago, with seven changes from the win over Dandenong. Lachie Cowan, Colby McKercher, Seth Campbell, Tom McCallum and Brandon Leary will all be absent with the Allies, while Will Splann, Isaac Hyatt and Liam Jones will all miss through illness for injury.
Launceston’s Cooper Warren comes in for his NAB League debut after winning the TSL Development League’s Leading Goalkicker Award last season. Allies squad member Cam Owen will return from injury, with Liam Howard, Oscar Van Dam, Fletcher Hooker, Ethan Hubbard and Luke Nicholson also returning. With McCallum a late addition to the Allies side, his replacement will be named from the listed emergencies.
Key players
Tasmania Devils
Jack Callinan
In the absence of Tasmania’s two leading goalkickers, Callinan will need to step up and continue to hit the scoreboard as he has for much of the season. With two or more goals in five of his eight NAB League appearances this year, he has become a consistent contributor inside 50 and a perfect foil for Splann and Leary. With Splann injured and Leary away on Allies duty, he will need to produce as the main target in attack.
Mitch Nicholas
Nicholas has built into the season nicely, and he was among Tasmania’s best players in the win over Murray. There is a similar void to fill in defence, as the Devils will be missing the rebounding of co-captain Lachie Cowan from the half-back line. Averaging 12.1 disposals and 2.9 marks per game, Nicholas is poised for a huge breakout performance sooner rather than later.
Dandenong Stingrays
Owen Williams
After starting the season in defence and kicking just one goal in his first game forward, Williams exploded in Dandenong’s win last round. He booted four goals from nine scoring shots, with some wayward finishing the only blemish on a breakout game. With goals from set shots and quick snaps inside 50, Williams has now shown the potential to rip a game apart.
Taj Campbell-Farrell
One of the most prolific midfielders in the NAB League this season, Campbell-Farrell is averaging over 30 disposals per game while also showing a willingness to work defensively. He laid a team-high 12 tackles in Dandenong’s last-start win, and he racked up 40 disposals the week prior against a talented Sandringham midfield. With clean hands and an unmatched work rate, he will require plenty of attention from the Devils midfielders.