Netball
A Grade
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Round 1 was a massive occasion for the club, marked by the unveiling of our brand new pink netball court. With a special ribbon cutting by club president Phil Spencer, it was a day that meant far more than just netball.
The day was dedicated to Taitum Hemming, someone so deeply important to the Benalla All Blacks family. To know her is to love her, and the entire club stands firmly behind her during this challenging chapter as she continues her battle with breast cancer.
On court, the new-look A Grade side faced a tough challenge against rivals Goorambat. Despite their efforts, the final scoreline of 15-46 didn’t reflect the determination and passages of strong play shown throughout the game.
Round 1 presented its challenges, with several fill-ins required. Coach Georgia Spencer was sidelined due to injury, while dynamic midcourter Eleanor Renkin will miss the opening two rounds. It wasn’t the ideal start, but the group showed resilience and commitment across all four quarters.
One of the biggest positives was the debut of Bronti Mustey, who made an immediate impact in defence. A standout in the circle, Bronti was a real presence - reading the play well, taking strong intercepts, and proving she’ll be one to watch this season.
Eliza Sammon also put in a tireless performance, working seamlessly with Bronti to create multiple turnovers and secure important rebounds, helping transition the ball down the court.
Through the midcourt, Chelsea Gilcrist showed her strength and determination, driving hard and providing consistent effort throughout the game.
While it wasn’t the result the All Blacks were hoping for, there were encouraging signs to take away. The focus now shifts to Good Friday, where the side will look to regroup and take on Bonnie Doon with renewed energy and purpose.
Final score: Benalla All Blacks 15 def by Goorambat 46
Awards: Best on - Bronti Mustey, second - Chelsea Gilcrist, third - Aneiki Pierce
B Grade
As the club prepared for an exciting Round 1 in honour of Taitum Hemming, B Grade were eager to get onto the beautiful new courts and have some fun.
Shooters Courtney Sammon and Jemma Smith moved beautifully together, with the early scores going goal for goal. The mid-court, made up of sisters Emma Sangster, Sarah Sangster and Mel Reaper worked hard all game, fighting through the heat to bring the ball into the attacking end.
Substitutes Alecia and Kodi made a huge difference throughout the mid-court with fresh legs and strong, accurate passes. A new shooting combination of Jemma Smith and Tiahna Neal showed potential.
However, the Goorambat defenders proved difficult to shake throughout the court. Defenders Kristy Hanrahan and Keeley Sheehan worked in over time against Goorambats strong attackers. As the sun sweltered in the heat of the day, Goorambat ultimately won 22-39.
Blacks had lots of solid plays throughout the game that we will continue to refine and build on as we look towards Bonnie Doon next week.
Final score: Benalla All Blacks 22 def by Goorambat 39
Awards: Best on - Jemma Smith, second - Keeley Sheehan, third - Kristy Hanrahan
B Reserve
Yesterday was a special one for our B Reserve side, kicking off with a presentation and the unfurling of our B Reserve premiership flag - a proud moment for the club and a great way to set the tone for the day.
We came out firing in the first quarter, going goal for goal and showing great composure early, finishing just three goals down.
The second and third quarters saw Goorambat gain momentum, applying tight body-on-body defence and capitalising on strong attacking connections to extend their lead.
To our credit, the girls reset in the final quarter, matching Goorambat goal for goal and showing the grit and determination we know this side is capable of.
The final score saw us go down 21 to 48, but with a mix of new players and girls still finding their feet in the game, this performance is a strong foundation to build from. Plenty to take away, plenty to be proud of, and lots of growth ahead.
Final score: Benalla All Blacks 21 def by Goorambat 48
Awards: Best on - Kodi Mustey, second - Lexi Squires, third - Jasmine Smith
Under 17s
A strong start to the season saw the under 17s side take on rivals Goorambat in Round 1, coming away with an impressive 34–21 victory. It was a true team effort, with all nine players contributing across the court to set the tone for the season ahead.
In her first game at under-17 level, Libby Renkin was a standout performer. From the opening whistle, her work rate was exceptional, reading the play beautifully, taking crucial intercepts, and consistently applying pressure to her opponent.
Up forward, Keira Brown had a dominant day in goal shooter, shooting an outstanding 30 of the team’s 34 goals. Her strong holding skills and composure under the post were key, providing a reliable target and finishing off the hard work delivered through the midcourt.
Another impressive debut came from Tarni White in wing defence, who worked tirelessly all game. She attacked every loose ball with determination and provided excellent support to her teammates, making her presence felt in both defence and transition.
A fantastic all-round performance to kick off the season, with plenty to build on in the weeks ahead.
Final score: Benalla All Blacks 34 def Goorambat 21
Awards: Best On - Libby Renkin, second - Keira Brown, third - Tarni White
Under 15s
Benalla All Blacks under-15s side opened the 2026 season in strong form, securing a 79-goal win over Goorambat at home.
It was an outstanding team performance, with consistent effort across all four quarters setting the tone for the season ahead.
The team displayed excellent cohesion, defensive pressure, and effective ball movement throughout the match.
Players worked hard both offensively and defensively, creating numerous scoring opportunities while limiting the opposition’s chances.
Sharni Hughes was awarded the Chill Out Smoothie Bar Award for her standout performance, applying strong defensive pressure across the court. Her work rate was outstanding, consistently providing a strong option in transition and moving the ball effectively into attack. She also demonstrated excellent vision and precision with her feeds into the shooting circle.
Kayla Woodhams earned the Spot 4 Ice Cream Award for her effort in goal keeper, staying tightly matched to her opponent throughout the game. She read the play exceptionally well, resulting in multiple intercepts and valuable turnovers for the team.
Sophia Young was awarded the Benalla McDonald’s Award for her impressive performance, particularly her ability to keep her eyes on the ball and read the game. This led to numerous turnovers, highlighting her development across pre-season and her impact on the match.
Overall, it was a fantastic start to the season, with a full team effort contributing to a convincing win. The performance sets a strong foundation, and the young Panthers team looks forward with excitement to what lies ahead in 2026.
Final score: Benalla All Blacks 93 - Goorambat 14
Football
Seniors
Played on a great deck, both teams hit the contest with ferocity and intent but it was Goorambat that hit the scoreboard early. All Blacks were their own worst enemy with continuous skill errors and poor decisions putting immense pressure the back line who battled hard against the onslaught off turnover footy.
With both teams winning a fair share of footy it was the Bats much cleaner skills that give the advantage and their forwards capitalised on their opportunities.
Quarters two and three were absolutely horrendous from the All Blacks with a lack of two-way running. Their effort could have been questioned, and was with some choice words at three quarter time presented to the playing group.
The challenge was set and to the boys credit they clicked straight into gear with centre clearance a priority act from the mids. In the last quarter the All Blacks kicked 5.6 to 2.4 to give the lads a small win to celebrate. In the end Goorambat was too polished for the All Blacks to run out easy winners.
All Blacks were best served by Blake Marlborough, Sam Cox and David Button, while Max Scott showed a bit up forward with Lachy Norman really battling hard in his first game. The backline really held up well against the odds. All roads lead to Bonnie Doon on Good Friday.
Scores
Benalla All Blacks: 3.1, 4.4, 5.5, 10.11 (71)
Goorambat: 5.4, 9.7, 15.8, 17.10 (112)
Best: Blake Marlborough, Sam Cox, David Button, Max Scott, Lachy Norman
Reserves
After a really good pre-season we went into round one against Goorambat a little undermanned, but with a few new faces.
Unfortunately we turned out to be quite underprepared, as Goorambat took off to an early lead and never took the foot off, but there were some glimpses of brilliance from our boys.
Bailey Lepenik was in and under all day working hard, and Rhys Smith returned to the club after time away and showed a cool head under pressure and great leadership on field.
In his first game for the club Jamahl McDonald took to it like he had been playing for years, dominating ruck contests all day and hunting for the footy, unfortunately though Goorambat were too good.
Scores:
Benalla All Blacks: 0.0, 1.1, 1.1, 1.4 (10)
Goorambat: 7.3, 11.5, 17.9, 19.12 (126)
Awards: Best On - Royal Hotel, Jamahl McDonald, second - Golf Club Award, Rhys Smith, third - All Blacks dinner, Bailey Lepenik