DANDENONG Stingrays coach Nathan Boyd is looking forward to Saturday’s Coates Talent League Girls Grand Final with his side achieving the feat by knocking off reigning two-time premier Oakleigh Chargers in the preliminary final.

Boyd was part of a mid-season switch which saw the former Gippsland mentor move closer to home and take up the reigns at the Stingrays after Josh Moore was recruited by Essendon as the Bombers’ AFLW List Manager. While it was been a shorter season in Stingrays colours, Boyd said the “overwhelming” feeling heading into the grand final was excitement.

“It’s been a hurdle that we’ve struggled to cross the last couple of years and a bit of an unknown week for us but the girls are super, super pumped,” he said. “There’s less nerves, there’s more about the excitement of being able to play on that last day which is amazing.

“From a coaching group we feel really positive, the girls have attacked everything we’ve thrown at them, particularly over the last six weeks really well. “Without knowing who we’re playing from an experience perspective, we’re really excited for the opportunity.”

Boyd paid tribute to the group’s resilience and determination, having overcome such upheaval in the coaching ranks midway through the season. Though he said it took a little while to “find their feet” it was evident from the Stingrays’ finish to the year that they deserved to be in the big dance.

“I wouldn’t have thought too many playing groups who have had as much adversity,” Boyd said. “They had six coaches over a six-week, seven-week period through that changeover from Moorey and company into myself.

“I think it would just be that just reward for them for sticking with it, building their community and the love that they have for each other, and I think it would be great to give back to the players and the families who dragged this program through a really tricky period around that Round 6 time so it would be amazing.”

Casting his eye back on the preliminary final win, Boyd described it as “one of the best” games he has coached from a performance and execution perspective.

“I think the mental scars for our group were there knowing that it had been that week for the last couple of years, and that opposition that had gotten over us so for the girls to actually brace themselves, settle in and be ready to go and then execute at that level was super exciting,” Boyd said.

“It wasn’t until very late in the game until I felt pretty comfortable and took a big breath. “But the girls were full of energy, they were really well prepared and they executed really well, so it was one of those ones that everything went really well and we reflect on it and want to try and replicate that this week.”

The Stingrays will be without defender Zoe Zach who has a school trip to Central Australia, while talented wing/forward Alice Cunnington is racing against the clock to be fit for the grand final after injuring herself in the preliminary final. She missed the Under 17 Futures match, but Boyd said he is “increasing in confidence every 24 hours” but they would not be “100 per cent certain” until after training tonight.

Boyd nominated a host of players who could have a ‘big game’ presence, headlined by Mizuki and Nalu Brothwell, as well as a couple of bottom-agers who have impressed more as the season has rolled on.

“I think you look at the Brothwells who on both sides of the footy stand up and they’re a great aerial presence, do it really well on the ground and have probably add a layer of their ability to kick under pressure as well,” he said.

“I think those two will have a pretty big role to play. Sophie White seems to be just that big game kid who steps up when she needs to which is exciting. I think Ruby Geurts is a bit of a wildcard as well since coming back she’s popped up when we’ve trialled her as a forward and she’s shown us plenty, so they’re probably the wildcards.”

When analysing the opposition, Boyd said it was “really hard” to narrow down who to focus on given the Ranges were a “very powerful, deep group.

“I think obviously from a rucks perspective we want to try and nullify how much impact they have with Josie (Bamford),” Boyd said. “Briannan Lambe seems really consistent, Brylee (Anderson) and Tayla (McMillan) both super inside mids, and Jordy Allen she gives them pretty versatile footballer who can damage really well.

“Then from an athlete perspective, Asher Fearn-Wannan‘s a bit of a wildcard. “We’ve got an eye across everyone and we’re really mindful but we don’t want to overstress the opposition to our girls, we want to let them know that they’re here for a reason and we back them and trust them to get it done.”

History could be in the making for the Stingrays who came agonisingly close to a flag in 2022 when going down by a goal to the Western Jets, but will look for their first ever Coates Talent League Girls premiership on Saturday.

“I think it’s in no way, shape or form about us as coaches, but for the program it would be history,” he said. “We’ve never won one in the history in the girls. “We went close in 2022 losing with the last kick of the day. “I think it would be great in terms of a legacy piece for our girls.”