Benalla Juniors Match Reports Round 6

Under 12s - Benalla Red v Centrals

Greeted with chilly start Benalla red soon turned up the heat on The Central’s with a blistering opening quarter. As always Jack Hart & Sam Mount provided multiple scoring drives hitting the scoreboard themselves along the way. Xavier Beriman was dynamic up forward putting on moves that a young John Travolta would be proud of. Tom Snell was instrumental throughout the contest both forward and back as the young Benalla side maintained the lead throughout the remainder of the match. Sonny Nolen was applying pressure all game along with his partner in crime Brayden Jacobs with Benalla eventually wining the contest by 32 points. Coaches & players will be looking forward to a Tuesday night training session with the Benalla Saints prior to a week off. Go reds Go!!!!!

Final Score: Benalla Red 6.9 (45) def Centrals 1.7 (13)

Goals: Jack Hart 2, Xavier Beriman, Sam Mount, Manny Bourke, Tom Snell

Best Players: Sonny Nolen, Xavier Beriman, Ron Staggard, Sam Mount, Harry Sharp, Oliver Smith, Teddy Sheehan and Angus Roscoe

Under 12s - Benalla Black v Imperials

Taking on the 2nd placed Imperials side was always going to be a tough ask, but our player stepped up and played their best game for the year. We got off to a great start with our midfield getting on top and co-captain Ollie Parker leading from the front with 2 goals in the 1st half. The game was a close fought affair all game. In the 3rd quarter a few classy goals from Caleb Thwaites and Jimmy Jackson kept us to within 2 goals at 3 quarter time. Jakobi Williams kept giving us 1st use in the middle. Strong plays in the middle by Tyson & Josh Bamford ensured that our team were in the mix all game. Our defence team being led by Jack Christie, Jackson Quarrell and Jagga meant the opposition had to fight hard for their goals. Unfortunately, Imperials got a few goals in the 4th quarter to beat us by 4 goals. It was a great team game, with all players chipping in and the team keeps growing in strength and working well together.

Final Score: Benalla Black 4.5 (29) def by Imperials 8.5 (53)

Goals: Oliver Parker 2, Jimmy Jackson, Caleb Thwaites

Best Players: Oliver Parker, Jimmy Jackson, Jackson Quarrell, Tyson Brown, Max Yeun-Francis, Joshua Bamford

Under 14s - Benalla Red v Centrals

The North Wangaratta rifle range was the audible backdrop to the tussle between Centrals and Benalla Reds. Pun wise, we fired many a shot for the afternoon, yet Centrals had a few sharp shooters that were bang on target. While this week was an improvement, our first quarters remain an area to work on as Centrals kicked a few late goals in the quarter. After half time, we shifted a few magnets and a renewed focus on our theme of ‘The next contest’ brought a much more competitive contest. Our second half matched it on the scoreboard. Skipper Harry Skelton was inspirational in his relentless leading and presenting at each contest. Harry’s competitiveness and positive attitude acts as a great example for his teammates. Noah Cooney and Angus Leavold not only kept their opponents quiet but also provided an attack from defence. Noah Hogan, Tom Mount and Xavier DeFazio worked hard all day with run and body over the ball. Harry Bowen was ominous up forward snagging two and under 12 players in Tom Snell and Sam Mount were solid in defence. We will realign our target during training this week and reload our arsenal for another game of footy.

Final Score: Benalla Red 4.3 (27) def by Centrals 14.22 (106)

Goals: Harry Bowen 2, Harry Bast, Cash Nolen

Best Players: Harrison Skelton, Angus Leavold, Noah Hogan, Thomas Mount, Noah Cooney, Xavier De Fazio

Under 14s - Benalla Black v Imperials

Black got off to a good start and it was clear to see that all players were switched on a looking hungry for the contest. Hudson Blyss in the ruck was dominant winning the lions share of the ruck contests and covering large areas of the ground getting to numerous contests bringing the smaller players into the game. The inspirational Kobi Thwaites was willing himself into countless disputed ball contests winning the ball with speed and agility. The forward six were working seamlessly with structure and purpose creating headaches for the Imperial’s defence. Ryder Humphries, Josh Byers along with Riley Hilton and Ollie Wardill were hitting up at the ball carrier and the forward fifty options were plentiful. Ryan White and Ben Wells ran hard all-day, weather in the midfield or half forward. Noah Norman was playing his best game of the season getting into the right positions on the ground to spot up teammates with pinpoint foot passing. The ever-reliable Josh Montgomery was dominant at half back repelling many of Imperial’s attacks with dash and determination. Hugh Ross took a heavy tackle and with his usual stoic resolve reluctantly came from the ground to be assessed. Thankfully Hugh is OK and resumed his position on the ground in the late stages of the last quarter. The most pleasing aspect of the game was the linking passages of play and the willingness to sacrifice for one another with each and very play contributing to the win and playing their role, Benalla going on to a comfortable win.

Final Score: Benalla Black 14.10 (94) def Imperials 1.3 (9)

Goals: Ryder Humphries 4, Ryan White 3, Ben Wells 2, Josh Byers 2 , Noah Norman, Kobi Thwaites, Ollie Wardill

Best Players: Kobi Thwaites, Hudson Blyss, Joshua Montgomery, Noah Norman, Ryan white, Joshua Byers

Under 17s – Benalla v Centrals

In a fiercely contested match on Saturday, the Benalla Under-17s travelled to North Wangaratta to face the Centrals. The game was marked by its physical intensity, with both teams battling hard from start to finish. Benalla's Mitchell Cooney was the standout performer, displaying exceptional skill and accuracy to kick six goals. His efforts kept Benalla in the game and provided a much-needed boost to the team's morale. Rucking duties fell squarely on the shoulders of Gater, who played tirelessly throughout the match. His consistent performance in the ruck contests was a key factor in Benalla's competitiveness. The team faced a minor setback early in the game when Josh Hart was forced off with a heavy knock to the face. This prompted the coaching staff to call for an extra effort from the midfield, asking them to lift their intensity by another 5%. The midfielders responded admirably, stepping up their game to compensate for the loss.

Adding to the midfield's strength was the return of Cooper Binion. His presence added a spark and extra dynamism, which was evident in the way the team moved the ball through the centre. Braedon Blackford was also welcomed back into the team after a few weeks on the sidelines recovering from concussion and he came back in style kicking a goal to try and lift the team to a win. Bryce Cooney took a heavy knock himself which saw him sit out for the rest of the match under concussion protocols, his black eye telling the story of a hard battle. Despite these efforts and a valiant fight, Benalla was just overrun in the final moments of the game. The team couldn't quite hold on for the win, but their performance showed resilience and determination. Benalla U17s will look to build on this performance and aim for a win in their next outing.

Final score: Benalla 10.4 (64) def by Centrals 12.18 (90)

Goals: Mitch Cooney 6, Cooper Binion 2, Braedon Blackford, Jonty Priest

Best Players: Mitchell Cooney, Sam Gates, Bryce Cooney, Josh Mathieson, Cooper Binion, Lucas Ham