A HAUL of six goals to small forward Ricky Theodoropoulos was not enough for Sandringham on Sunday, as the Dragons were felled by local rival Oakleigh. In what was Round 12’s standalone game, the Chargers kicked ahead in term two and never looked back, taking home a 32-point win at Trevor Barker Oval. It was their second win in as many meetings with the Dragons this season.

We took note of the best prospects from either side.

SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS 4.1 | 7.3 | 9.4 | 12.6 (78)
OAKLEIGH CHARGERS 3.4 | 9.4 | 13.5 | 17.8 (110)

GOALS:
Sandringham Dragons: R. Theodoropoulos 6, B. Forster 2, Q. Hofmann 2, J. Robinson, R. Stratford
Oakleigh Chargers: N. Bibile 3, J. Leach 3, M. Paholski 3, A. Sellers 3, A. Destefanis 2, A. Fogarty, A. Giampa, H. McCullough

BEST:
Sandringham Dragons: R. Theodoropoulos, C. Brookes, K. Watt, Q. Hofmann, R. Stratford, J. Robinson
Oakleigh Chargers: H. McCullough, B. George, O. Bond, R. Hilton, N. Bibile, W. Johnson

SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS:

#2 Archie Bakoulas
Tall Defender | 191cm | 05/02/2009

Stats: 14 disposals, 4 marks, 3 rebound 50s

There is usually no shortage of capable tall defenders available to Sandringham, especially with Bakoulas back in the fold. The bottom-ager made a habit of cutting off loose Oakleigh kicks, acting on his early reads to get first access to the ball in the air and at ground level. He chimed in with some handy spoils and while unable to clunk many intercept marks, was able to recover the ball well. Bakoulas also began to peel off and help his side’s transitional ball movement as the day wore on, showcasing his mobility and a level of comfort in possession.

#5 Ricky Theodoropoulos
Small Forward | 171cm | 05/04/2007

Stats: 12 disposals, 3 marks, 6 goals

‘Tricky Ricky’ put the pieces together in a fine display of small forward craft, finding the form he showed before last year’s untimely knee injury. The over-ager was deceptively strong in one-on-one situations and posed a threat to opponents of all shapes and sizes when close to goal. He caused panic; kicking his goals by drawing free kicks, laying tackles, and finding the space to mark inside 50. He booted four of the Dragons’ five goals after half time to keep them competitive.

#12 Riley Stratford
Midfielder | 188cm | 04/05/2009

Stats: 17 disposals, 3 inside 50s, 1 goal

Another promising bottom-ager in Sandringham’s ranks, Stratford cemented his spot in midfield on Sunday. There, the Brighton Grammarian used his relative size to get stuck in at centre bounces, scrapping on his hands and knees and locking up opponents. He also showed a handy knack for drifting forward, getting in position to receive and launch the ball deep at full tilt. Stratford also hit the scoreboard after taking a brave mark with the flight, earning a 50m penalty having been crunched in the process.

#22 Quentin Hofmann
Tall Forward | 190cm | 12/01/2008

Stats: 11 disposals, 4 marks, 2 goals

While he hasn’t necessarily put together a massive stats haul for Sandringham this season, Hofmann has shown plenty. He did so again on Sunday, making his presence felt by crashing packs and applying pressure inside 50. The athletic forward kept his feet nicely after each aerial contest, allowing him to recover and make a second effort – with or without the ball. He was rewarded for his all-round efforts with two goals; a first term snap, and then a straight set shot in the final quarter. Hofmann is the brother of St Kilda NGA product and current Geelong defender, Lennox.

#70 Kayne Watt
Ruck/Key Forward | 203cm | 30/01/2007

Stats: 17 disposals, 9 hitouts, 9 clearances

Watt returned another dynamic display in the ruck, doing his best work there despite starting up forward. The over-ager prised nine clearances, with his modus operandi being to take the ball on the way down from his leap before dishing off. He played with great presence at the centre bounces and followed up willingly, while also showing a bit with his work around the ground. On a couple of occasions, Watt provided a strong marking target down the line and moved nimbly through traffic.

OAKLEIGH CHARGERS:

#1 Boyden George
Forward/Midfielder | 180cm | 22/09/2008

Stats: 17 disposals, 3 marks, 3 tackles

George once again set the tone for his side with selfless and competitive play. The Oakleigh skipper provided great ground level pressure inside 50, attacking the ball with vigour and harassing defenders who beat him to it. He hit the loose ball at speed and showed he could bust out of tackles before setting up teammates with several direct goal assists. George scooped up some terrific ground balls and while he can lack polish at times, was highly effective in the way of score involvements. He spent time on-ball in the second half and continued the hunt.

#9 Harper McCullough
Midfielder | 176cm | 29/05/2009

Stats: 29 disposals, 6 clearances, 1 goal

It was yet another industrious performance from Oakleigh’s star bottom-ager, who is compiling an incredibly consistent season. The scrappy, diminutive ball-winner got his hands dirty at stoppages, leading Oakleigh for clearances and contested possessions. He was equal parts quick and clean in congestion, releasing teammates onto the outside. McCullough was a little less polished by foot but slammed home an excellent long goal on the run and was able to drive his legs on a few occasions. His core strength and tenacity were key features at each contest.

#32 Oliver Bond
Tall Defender | 190cm | 06/02/2009

Stats: 14 disposals, 2 marks, 2 inside 50s

A little like his bottom-age counterparts from Sandringham, Bond was not high-volume but played with class. He showcased terrific interception skills, setting himself well under high balls and holding his own one-on-one. Bond was also able to peel off and impact third-up, reading the play as any good defender should. Even when mopping up the loose balls, he was clean and composed in the action of distributing the ball. A calm head who gets the job done with minimal fuss.