SANDRINGHAM Dragons claimed the 2022 NAB League Boys premiership with a 43-point Grand Final win over Dandenong Stingrays at IKON Park on Friday night.
The Dragons raced out of the blocks with five unanswered goals in the first term and were always in control in the 14.10 (94) to 7.9 (51) victory.
The triumph handed the Dragons their fourth NAB League Boys premiership, having previously saluted in 2016, 2011 and 1999.
Sandringham finished the home-and-away season in eighth place on the ladder and progressed to the finals courtesy of a 10-point win over Murray Bushrangers in the Wildcard Round.
They then scored commanding wins over Calder Cannons and Gippsland Power in the semi and preliminary finals, before producing arguably their most dominant performance of the year in the premiership-decider.
Will Ashcroft claimed the best on ground medal for a dominant performance through the midfield. Ashcroft, who has nominated as a father-son selection for the Brisbane Lions, finished with 39 disposals, six clearances, six inside 50m entries and five tackles.
Cameron Mackenzie was also a standout in the midfield and finished with 26 disposals, six tackles, six clearances and two goals.
Harry Sheezel was a constant threat in the forward half and booted four classy goals, while Olli Hotton produced another strong showing and finished with 25 disposals and a game-high seven clearances.
Dandenong was well served by Jaxon Binns (18 disposals, four clearances and three marks), Sam Frangalas (17 disposals, one goal and five inside 50s) and Kobe Shipp (17 disposals and two tackles).
Dandenong Stingrays 0.0 2.3 3.6 7.9 (51)
Sandringham Dragons 5.2 9.6 13.8 14.10 (94)
Best
Dandenong Stingrays: Jaxon Binns, Kobe Shipp, Kade De La Rue, Sam Frangalas, Finn Emile-Brennan
Sandringham Dragons: Will Ashcroft, Harry Sheezel, Cameron Mackenzie, William Brown, Angus McLennan,Toby McMullin
Goals
Dandenong Stingrays: Taj Campbell-Farrell, Sam Frangalas, Harrison Jones, Jess McManus, Hugo Nosiara, Lachlan Robinson, Cooper Simpson 1
Sandringham Dragons: Harry Sheezel 4, Cameron Mackenzie 2, Levi Ashcroft, Will Brown, Charlie Clarke, James Creighton, Jamie Hope, Olli Hotton, Toby McMullin, Mitchell Rowe 1
Best on ground medal voting
Will Ashcroft - 11 votes
Cameron Mackenzie - 8 votes
Harry Sheezel - 5 votes
Celebrating 30 years of the NAB League
This year the AFL is celebrating the 30-year history of the NAB League (formerly TAC Cup), the competition that has produced more AFL and AFLW players than any other in recent decades,
The boys competition was first played in 1992 as the Victorian State Football League (VSFL) Under 18s with six teams and was sponsored by the TAC up until 2018, before NAB took over naming rights.