Round nine had our teams at three different locations this weekend, with the under-17s kicking things off on Saturday morning.
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There were some convincing wins and heartbreaking close losses across the games with plenty of improvement showing through and still more to come.
U12 Black
Final score: Benalla Black 6.8 (44) def Imperials 3.2 (20)
Goals: Seth Lambden 2, Maximus Reynolds, Bailey King, Eli Fielding, Jack McKenzie
Best: Harley Kupke, Jack McKenzie, Frank Christie, Spencer Whitechurch, Bill Bourke, Eli Fielding
U12 Red
Round nine saw the Benalla uner-12 Reds make the early morning trip to Mansfield. The ground was wet and the slippery conditions made for a tough, hard-fought contest, with the wet ball proving difficult for both sides throughout the game.
Mansfield challenged strongly throughout the match, but Benalla dug deep and came back strongly in the final quarter to secure a hard earned win.
Final score: Mansfield Gold 2.6 (18) def by Benalla Red 5.2 (32)
Goals: Hunter Symes 3, Archer Pickering 2
Best: Ollie Ross, Toby Smith, Bella Quarrell, Tom Lambert, Mitch Murray, Izayah Williams
U14 Black
Sunny winter conditions greeted Benalla Black as they took on imperials on Sunday at the Benalla Showgrounds.
Both teams were keen to start well however it was Imperials who jumped out of the blocks establishing a match-winning lead at the first break. Looking outmatched, the Black’s coaches implored their charges to compete and fight out the match with an impressive response.
The young Black side broke even for the remainder of the match and will no doubt take a huge amount of belief into next week.
Jimmy Jackson played his most influential match of the season with his clean hands and elusive play a feature. Jake Soyer was again entrusted with taking on the oppositions best players with his competitiveness, work rate and tackling a feature.
Angus Roscoe again played his heart out dominating the centre taps and following up with great tackling pressure and clearance work. Co-captain Caleb Thwaites was again in the thick of the action throughout the match. In defence it was Robin Arnold who continued his stellar form competing hard at every contest.
Benalla’s shining light in the forward line continues to be Jack Davies slotting a game high five majors with his speed and elusive play entertaining the crowd and inspiring his teammates.
Final score: Benalla Black 6.5 (41) def by Imperials 13.14 (92)
Goals: Jack Davies 5, Benji McKean
Best: Jake Soyer, Angus Roscoe, Jimmy Jackson, Caleb Thwaites, Robin Arnold, Jack Davies
U14 Red
What a day for footy at Mansfield. Coming off a break and having trained well all week, the team was excited for the challenge of taking on another strong opponent.
We started the game really well, with much of the opening quarter played in our forward half. This allowed us to set up behind the ball and limit Mansfield’s ability to move it easily. Our defence stood up well against their bigger opponents and restricted their scoring.
The second and third quarters followed a similar pattern, with some excellent passages of play and several dominant periods of football. We gradually built our lead as the game went on. It was really pleasing to see every player contribute and have an impact when it was their turn.
Unfortunately, the final quarter didn’t go to plan. Mansfield’s bigger bodies began to dominate us and despite trying a number of different things, we were unable to halt their momentum.
There were still plenty of positives to take from the game, despite not getting the result we were after. One area we have struggled with throughout the season has been matching it with the bigger bodies of our opponents. Today showed that when we back ourselves and trust each other, we are more than capable of matching it with those sides for long periods. That belief is something we need to take forward into the rest of the season.
Final score: Mansfield Gold 7.11 (71) def Benalla Red 9.7 (61)
Goals: Jack Hart 5, Oliver Smith, Sam Mount, Jackson Quarrell, Louis Horne
Best: Jack Hart, Oliver Smith, Lincoln Richardson, Tom Snell, Lachie Osborne, Sam Mount
U17s
The Benalla under-17s returned to the winners' list in great fashion on Saturday, cruising to a comprehensive 100-point victory over Centrals.
While the margin on the scoreboard was dominant, the true highlight of the day was the outstanding maturity and sportsmanship displayed by the team. With Centrals heavily short on numbers, four Benalla players selflessly rotated into the opposition jumper every quarter to ensure a competitive match could go ahead.
On the field, Tom Mount was a constant menace for the opposition defence, providing a fantastic focal point inside 50 to finish with a brilliant five-goal haul. Xavier De Fazio maintained his elite form with another stellar performance on the wing, while the club was thrilled to welcome Noah Langlands back to action with a highly successful return from injury.
The under-17's now turn their focus to this weekend, where they look forward to hosting the Tigers at home for another massive clash.
Final score: Centrals 3.5 (23) def by Benalla 18.15 (123)
Goals: Tom Mount 5, Jude Binion 3, Cash Nolen, Xavier De Fazio 2, Charlie Bowen, Josh Ward, Hugh Ross, Josh Montgomery, Trevor Maru, Riley Hilton
Best: Tom Mount, Xavier De Fazio, Trevor Maru, Josh Montgomery, Noah Cooney, Charlie Bowen