But for the fourth week in a row, the Saints have suffered an agonisingly close loss, falling 9.5 (59) to 10.22 (82) against a Lions side that found its radar late to sink the Saints challenge.
Across the previous three outings heading into the clash, Benalla had been within a kick against both Echuca and Kyabram in the final term, and pushed Mooroopna to within three goals, and it felt as though a result was right around the corner.
But a slow start saw the Lions pepper the goals regularly to open the contest on Saturday, kicking the first two majors to open up a 15-point advantage and put Benalla on the back foot early.
The Saints showed they were up to the task, though, making the first two shots they had on goal count to cut Seymour’s advantage to three points as Sam Begley and David Mennen coolly converted.
The two sides would trade goals to end the term, though the Lions would stretch the advantage out to five points by the first break with another flurry of behinds to end the quarter, a lead which could have easily been larger given their inaccurate return of 3.6 from nine scoring shots.
Nic Quigg once again put Seymour on the board first as play resumed in the second term, but just as they had done in the first quarter, the Saints hit back with consecutive goals, Nick Mellington and Pat Warner getting involved this time, with Warner’s goal tying things up at 32 apiece as the visitors continued to dig in.
They would find themselves trailing at the half time interval, though, as Seymour dominated the final few minutes of the term to score five times, though all behinds, to lead by five points heading into the rooms.
With the first kick of the second half, though, Benalla rendered that period of Lions ascendancy a waste.
Michael Mummery slotted his first of the afternoon to give his side a slender one-point advantage as the third term got underway, before adding his second shortly after to give Benalla its biggest advantage of the contest at seven points.
A familiar story played out for Seymour in reply, too, and though they continued to hold sway across the ground, three behinds either side of the Lions’ only major of the term, which came via Darcy Giles, saw the home side boot 1.6 from seven scoring shots for for the quarter.
Somehow, despite kicking seven goals to Seymour’s five to three-quarter time, the Saints trailed at the final change, down 45-49 as the Lions squandered countless chances at goal, and the feeling that Benalla would make the home side pay started to grow.
With the first two goals of the final term, the Lions extended the margin to 16 points, the biggest advantage of the game to that point, and while it looked to be enough initially, the Saints had one final attack left in them.
Benalla responded in kind, once more cutting the deficit to four points as Tom Riley and Mitchell Vasterink fired back-to-back goals to keep the Saints not only in it, but threatening to run over the top, as the clock dwindled down.
But as has happened often over the past few weeks for the Saints, their opponents found answers in the dying stages, with Seymour booting the final three goals of the contest to hand Benalla a 23-point defeat despite challenging deep into the final term.
Young gun Owain Boyle was Benalla’s best in the loss, earning a third nod in the best from four senior games for the Saints in an encouraging sign for the club, and was well supported by Cooper Gracie, who was also influential.
Ckipper Chris Welsh was supreme again through the middle, as were ruckman Mark Marriott, who notched a sixth straight appearance in the best, and David Mennen, who nabbed a goal.
Riley and Mummery finished as the only multiple goal kickers for the Saints, each with two, while Sam Begley joined Vasterink, Mellington and Warner in kicking one.
While the interleague bye this weekend will see the Saints, who sit 10th on the ladder with a 3-10 record, enjoy a week off, there will still be plenty of Benalla personnel in action against the VAFA at Elsternwick Park in Melbourne.
Coach Nick Pearson is set to lead the GVL into battle, this Saturday, July 11, while a further six Saints who were named in the initial 50-man senior squad will vie for selection in the final team, which will be announced in the lead up to the contest.
