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Dandenong Stingrays surprise package Toner joins Richmond’s VFL team

Dusting himself off after the disappointment of the AFL draft, Sam Toner says he’s out to prove his late-season surge for the Dandenong Stingrays was more than a ‘hot streak’.

Paul Amy

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December 3, 2024 - 11:00AM

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Sam Toner celebrates a goal for Narre Warren in the Outer East Football Netball League this year. Photo: Josh Chadwick

A few days before November’s national draft, Dandenong Stingrays coach Nick Cox observed that there were “no certainties’’ in football.

But, as he discussed the Rays’ draft hand, he said he was “pretty sure’’ a club would choose his late-season addition Sam Toner.

Despite playing only four Coates Talent League matches, there was a lot of interest in the clever forward from Narre Warren. Some clubs had interviewed him multiple times. He went to the state combine and was touted as a “bolter’’ of the draft.

But the attention did not turn into selection.

Toner, 19, was overlooked in the national and rookie drafts, leaving him deeply disappointed.

A week or so later, he’s feeling more optimistic.

“It is what it is. I’ll have to grind my way back a different way,’’ he said.

Sam Toner arrived on the Coates Talent League scene with the bang of 10 goals in three outings.

It will be through the VFL. After being contacted by a number of clubs, he’s decided to start training with Richmond.

Lifted out of local football, Toner kicked 10 goals in his first three matches for the Stingrays. He broke his wrist in his fourth game, ending his season in August.

“I think it really diminished my chances,’’ Toner said of the injury.

“To be honest, I thought was 50-50. I was a bit on the fence – it might happen, it might not.

“But if you’d asked me at the start of the year if I’d be in that position, I would have said, ‘You’re joking’.

“To get that close, it’s put a bit more fuel into the fire. Hopefully I can show that my three games weren’t a hot streak and I’m definitely capable of playing at that level.’’

Toner said “about eight or nine’’ AFL clubs had interviewed him, which he took as a “fair bit of interest’’.

He watched the draft at home with his family and friends, people who “were always going to be supportive, no matter the outcome’’.

Toner returned to Narre Warren last Monday for a training session.

“I’m always happy there,’’ he said. “No one is judged. Everyone is happy to see my face. It was good to get back there.’’

Cox sent Toner a text message after the rookie draft and spoke to him a few days later when Toner asked him a question about the VFL.

Cox said he had been asked many times in the past week if he thought Toner would have been taken.

“The answer is yes, just on the back of how the clubs were talking about him and what they were saying and what he could possibly become,’’ he said.

“There was a bit of an unknown about him, but some very seasoned recruiters who take a risk spoke very highly of him. So I thought he was a genuine chance. In saying that, I always had Mitch Szybkowski in the back of my mind,’’ he added in reference to the leading Stingray who missed out on the 2022 draft.

Sam Toner nailed 50 goals for Narre Warren to earn his Stingrays call-up. Photo: Josh Chadwick

Szybkowski joined Frankston, crossed to Casey Demons this year and has now linked with GWS’s VFL team.

Cox had called Szybkowski a “hardluck story’’ owing to a list of achievements that included Vic Country selection.

The onballer had started the 2022 season as a poster-boy for the Talent League, being photographed alongside Will Ashcroft and Elijah Tsatas.

By contrast, Toner started his 2024 in the Outer East competition. But he emerged late, being called up to the Stingrays as an over-age player after kicking 50 goals for the Narre senior team.

In his debut for the Stingrays he booted two goals against eventual premiers Sandringham Dragons. He kicked five goals in his second match, against Eastern Ranges, and three in his third, against Murray Bushrangers.

Then came the injury. By that time, AFL talent ambassador Kevin Sheehan wrote ahead of the draft, he had done “enough to impress the scouts’’.

“Has good speed, is agile and marks strongly one-on-one, as well as having an innate goal sense,’’ Sheehan said.

Toner attended the state draft combine and tested well, chiefly in the 20m sprint (3.05 seconds) and agility test (8.27 seconds).

Cox also thinks the injury ultimately cost Toner.

“He just didn’t have that body work, and it was a strong draft,’’ he said.

“He’s got a way to go in terms of his development, his strength and conditioning, but if he can continue to improve and shows something at Richmond, there’s still a chance for him to get an opportunity somewhere.’’

Stingrays coach Nick Cox works the whiteboard. Photo: Kelly Defina/AFL Photos/Getty Images

Toner believes he will get that opportunity at Richmond, which has taken great strides with its VFL program in the past few years.

Sam Davidson was drafted to the Western Bulldogs from the VFL Tigers last month. Tylar Young, James Trezise and Mykelti Lefau were also picked up from Punt Rd.

“For now, it’s what I need to play the most games I can in front of the eyes of recruiters. I need to play more footy, not just three or four games,’’ Toner said.

“They’re a young team. I went and trained there and I loved it. They were very welcoming. Hopefully I can take another chance. I feel like every time I’ve been given a chance I’ve performed pretty well.’’

Richmond had been one of the AFL clubs to contact him before the draft.

“They were pretty interested,’’ he said. “Unfortunately their picks went the way I didn’t want them to go. But their recruiting team were awesome and I thought they’d be a good club to be a part of, no matter where it was (AFL or VFL) ,’’ he said. “I think I’ll be as happy as Larry there.’’