Away win part of a grand plan
CORIO Bay can relieve a stack of Big V Championship grand final pressure with a win on the road against Ringwood tonight.
The Stingrays face the Hawks in the first of the best-of-three series and an opening game win will have them in a good position going into two home games next weekend.
“Getting that first win is going to make it difficult for them to win two in a row at our place. All the momentum going into a weekend where we get to play two home games (would be crucial),” star Lewis Varley said before Corio Bay’s match at The Rings tonight.
“Playing at someone else’s place is always harder. But we’ve been pretty hard to beat at home and we have some of the craziest fans in the competition.
“It certainly helps when they get up and about.”
The 23-year-old was brought to the Stingrays in the off-season and has been a key cog for coach Mark Leader this season.
Varley was starved at court time with the Geelong Supercats in the SEABL, but has thrived with the extra responsibility that has come with playing in the Big V.
“I just wasn’t getting a chance I guess. (Since moving) I’ve fitted in really well,” Varley said. “There is no better way to improve your game, I guess, than to see minutes and get that game time experience.
“Training with better players is obviously handy but there is no better experience than being in game situations.”
The Stingrays are yet to lose to Ringwood this season, something Varley said they could not take for granted.
“They’ve got a few guys in there who are league veterans. They have the experience,” he said.
“They stick to their structure and they have some dudes that a good shooters. They run pretty deep as well, they play more than just their starters so they don’t tire.”