Netball
A Grade
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All Blacks secured their second consecutive win for the season with a hard-fought 47–44 victory over King Valley.
It was a complete team performance, with all nine players contributing in a strong effort across the court. Full-court defensive pressure proved to be the difference, a key highlight for coach Georgia Spencer, as the side worked relentlessly to disrupt King Valley’s flow.
Bronti Mustey delivered her best performance yet, dominating in the GD position. Her work rate in the defensive third was outstanding, while also providing a strong and reliable link through the midcourt.
Chelsea Gilcrist once again featured among the best, proving a powerhouse in the defensive end. Owning the ring, she consistently got hands to the ball and applied immense pressure to the opposition shooters.
Aneiki Pierce also continued her strong form, making a significant impact through the midcourt. Her ability to read the play, take multiple intercepts, and transition the ball smoothly into the attacking end was invaluable.
A well-earned win for the Blacks as they continue to build momentum this season.
Scores: Benalla 47 def King Valley 44
Awards: Bronti Mustey - Royal Hotel, Chelsea Gilcrist - Harry Brown, Aneiki Pierce - Stella Stella
B Grade
Benalla travelled to face King Valley, and despite missing multiple key players this week, the girls were eager to keep the momentum from their win last week.
Right from winning the pre-game toss, it seemed to all be in the Blacks favour. Sisters Mel Reaper and Emma Sangster dominated the mid-court, putting pressure through the defensive end and accurately feeding into the goalers. Reaper showed particular versatility between defensive and attacking ends of the court, never giving up and helping dictate play.
The defensive end, made up of a new combination with Grace Cooke and Keeley Sheehan, proved very difficult for King Valley’s shooters. This combination shows a lot of potential for coming weeks. The entire defensive end, including Greer Mitchell and Olive Moon showed strength in their ability to force errors creating turnovers.
The ever-reliable Jemma Smith once again had a fantastic game, getting much needed goals and using her height and strength to maintain possession through rebounds. Both Kodi Mustey and Grace Morrison stepped up into goals and played with unwavering strength, moving beautifully to create space. Kodi played like a workhorse through multiple positions, showing her versatility, while Grace shot with an impressive 80 per cent accuracy.
Ultimately the girls came away victorious 23-42. This game wasn’t just a win for B Grade but a win for Benalla All Blacks netball as a whole, to have four players step up from B Reserve and play key roles throughout the game shows the strength at All Blacks.
Scores: Benalla 42 def King Valley 23
Awards: Best on - Keeley Sheehan - Terry White Chemist, Jemma Smith - Benalla Racing Club, Mel Reaper - Tyrepower, Kodi Mustey - Cash Award
Under-17s
A full nine-player effort saw the under-17s secure a hard-fought 41-39 victory in one of their toughest matches of the season.
The game went goal-for-goal from the opening whistle, with neither side able to break away early. Benalla did let a solid lead slip heading into the third quarter, but showed great resilience to claw their way back and finish strong, taking the four points.
Libby Renkin was best on court once again, delivering a standout performance in defence. In her first year of under-17s, she is really coming into her own and proving to be a formidable presence.
Alicia Langlands continued her consistent form with another impressive game, rotating through both attack and defence. Her versatility, composure, and reliability made her a key contributor across the court.
Darcie Jackson also impressed, running tirelessly through Centre for the entire game. Her work rate was exceptional, chasing down loose balls and repeatedly winning back possession when it mattered most.
A determined team performance and a well-deserved win.
Scores: Benalla 41 def King Valley 39
Awards: Libby Renkin - Harley’s Pizza, Alicia Langlands - Chill Out Smoothie Bar, Darcie Jackson - McDonalds
Under-15s
This week, the Benalla Panthers under-15s side travelled to King Valley for round four of the season.
Before the game, the focus was to apply strong defensive pressure and maintain constant voice and communication across the court.
The team came out strong, working seamlessly together to establish a 14-goal lead in the opening quarter. Harper Robertson had a standout game in goal attack, combining beautifully with Lola Crook and Lilly Hazell in the goal circle.
A massive congratulations to Harper Robertson and Lola Crook who both shot their 700th career goals in this week’s game.
Through the midcourt, Sharni Hughes, Sophia Young and Imogen English showed great cohesion, transitioning the ball smoothly and delivering it efficiently into the attacking end.
In defence, Lara McConachy and Kayla Woodhams worked brilliantly together in the goal circle, securing numerous rebounds and reading the play exceptionally well.
Once again, it was a fantastic team effort. The Panthers are looking forward to getting back to training this week to continue building on their skills ahead of their next home game against Tarrawingee this Sunday.
Scores: Benalla 61 def King Valley 33
Awards: Harper Robertson - Hollywoods Pizza, Imogen English - Spot 4 Ice Cream, Kayla Woodhams - Benalla McDonalds
Football
Senior Football
All Blacks were unable to match a polished King Valley outfit on Saturday, with the home team doing the damage in the opening half before running out comfortable winners.
Despite the result, the All Blacks had several strong contributors who battled hard all day. Midfield pair Sam Cox and David Button were outstanding, working tirelessly around the contest and providing plenty of drive through the middle. Their effort and willingness to compete never wavered despite the scoreboard pressure.
Lachlan Sinclair also produced a determined performance, filling numerous roles across the ground and giving the side great flexibility wherever he was needed. His willingness to put the team first was a highlight for the visitors side.
At either end of the ground, Jordan Smith showed his value once again. Swinging from full back to full forward, Smith proved dangerous in attack and finished with four goals in an impressive individual display.
While the All Blacks showed patches of good football after the main break, King Valley’s strong first-half performance had already set the tone, with the home side eventually claiming an easy win.
Scores
Benalla: 3.2, 4.3, 5.5, 10.7 (67)
King Valley: 7.6, 17.13, 22.18, 27.22 (184)
Best: Sam Cox, Chelton Orchard, Dylan Sinclair, Lachlan Sinclair, David Button
Reserves
This week we added some senior experience to our reserves side which saw us play our best four quarters of the year. The match was played goal-for-goal until King Valley got a three-goal lead that we couldn't claw back, giving King Valley a 21-point win.
Tyrone Dellar was best on ground giving us first use of the footy competing tirelessly in the ruck all day.
Austin Siede-Davon and Dylan Whitelaw-Orton both competed extremely well in defence although being undersized the pair managed to intercept and clear the ball out of our backline numerous times.
Scores
Benalla: 2.4, 4.6, 8.6, 9.9 (63)
King Valley: 2.2, 3.7, 10.8, 12.12 (84)
Awards: Tyrone Dellar, Austin Siede-Davon, Dylan Whitelaw-Orton.