A three-peat of home wins proved a stretch too far for Benalla on Saturday, with the Saints put to the sword in their round 12 Goulburn Valley League football clash against Shepparton Swans at Benalla Showgrounds.
Having won consecutive games in the previous fortnight against Mooroopna and Shepparton United, the Saints were eyeing a third win at the showgrounds in as many weeks, however, the Swans put paid to that dream by handing Benalla a 9.3 (57) to 26.20 (176) thumping.
Despite landing two of the first three majors for the game through key forward Nathan Wright, Benalla was well and truly on the back foot by quarter-time, with the visiting Swans slamming 6.7 through the posts to lead by 25 points at the first break.
Once again Wright opened the scoring in the second term, with the Saints trading goals with their Shepparton opponent and keeping pace for much of the quarter, however, a flurry of three unanswered Swans majors to finish meant Benalla trailed 37-76 at half-time.
It was after the two sides emerged from the rooms for the second half that things got ugly for Benalla, as Swans put the hammer down in the third in a blistering display.
The Swans kicked the first seven goals of the third term, making it a run of 10 straight majors as the margin ballooned to 83 points, with the Saints’ sole goal for the quarter coming off the boot of Wright on the stroke of three-quarter time, leaving the home side 78 points behind with a term to play.
The Saints had no answers for the devastating run and carry the Swans brought, as the visitors once again strung together six uninterrupted goals to begin the final term, before Wright and Cooper Gracie hit back late for Benalla.
They were consolation goals, however, with the Swans romping to a huge 119-point win, ending what had been a strong run of form for Benalla in recent weeks.
Wright was named Benalla’s best in the loss, finishing with yet another five-goal haul to extend his lead atop the league goal-kicking tally with 40 for the year, while Tyler McGregor (20 disposals, 6 tackles), Will O’Donoghue (17 disposals), Charlie McCarthy and Cooper Gracie (17 disposals, 3 tackles, 1 goal) rounded out the better performers.
Benalla will travel to Deakin Reserve this weekend to take on Shepparton as it looks to bounce back from the loss, before enjoying a week off due to the split round 13.