After strong campaigns with Rumbalara in the Murray league, Kevin Maroney and Michael Mummery have both crossed to Benalla for the 2026 GVL season, with the pair, both hailing from the Northern Territory, bringing a wealth of experience to the Saints.
Maroney, 29, has been at Rumbalara for the past two seasons, but boasts an impressive resume primarily playing with the Darwin Buffaloes in the Northern Territory Football League.
A senior best and fairest winner for the Buffaloes in the 2018/19 season, Maroney also has NEAFL experience with the NT Thunder, as well as the distinction of representing the Northern Territory at state level.
With more than 150 senior games under his belt at the Buffaloes, making him a life member at the club, Maroney was also last year unveiled at number 82 in the NT News’ top 100 NTFL players since 2000, a list that featured elite ex-AFL talent such as Alwyn and Aaron Davey, Steven Motlop, Raph Clarke, Jed Anderson and Daryl White.
Mummery too is backed by a mightily impressive footballing resume, and at only 25 years of age, is primed to make a huge impact at the Saints next season.
Having become the youngest ever player to debut for the NT Thunder at just 15, Mummery went on to represent the Northern Territory at state level, was a member of the Allies side at the 2018 AFL under-18 National Championships, and was also named in the best for three of his four games for the Northern Territory in the 2018 AFL Academy Series.
More recently, Mummery impressed in front of the big sticks with Rumbalara, finishing equal fifth in the league goal kicking with 42 majors from 15 games, and shapes as an exciting prospect inside-50 for Benalla next year.
Meanwhile, exciting prospect Dublin Anderson has made the move to Benalla from fellow GVL club Euroa, with the young gun having enjoyed a solid season with the Magpies in 2025.
Cracking into the senior line-up in round 13, Anderson played each of the final six games in the senior side for Euroa this season, having last season been named vice-captain of the thirds, earning a top five finish in the under-18 best and fairest, while also lining up for the reserves in their first-round finals loss.
Anderson’s signature adds to the wealth of emerging young talent that has committed to Benalla for 2026, with current Saints Tom Riley and Ryan Storer re-signing recently also.
It’s not only on the field that Benalla is making moves, having recently announced the signing of a new high-performance netball mentor.
With experience as head coach of Fiji, England and Wales, Julie Hoornweg has joined the Saints in a developmental and high-performance role, working with every grade from under-15s right up to A grade.
The inaugural coach of the Melbourne Vixens, and their predecessor the Melbourne Phoenix, Hoornweg has tasted the ultimate success at domestic level, leading the Phoenix to the Commonwealth Bank Trophy in 2005, and the Vixens to the ANZ Championship in 2009, being named coach of the year in both of those seasons and again in 2012.
It is a huge coup for the Saints, who have struggled in recent seasons on the court, but reaffirms their ambition to return to the top of the GVL.
