Saints notch highest total yet in loss to Lions

The second quarter saw Benalla start to find form, managing to kick four goals and three behinds to Seymour’s two goals and four behinds, bringing the Saints within three points of the Lions at the half.

Unfortunately, Benalla didn’t come to play in the second half. In the third quarter, Seymour’s attack rocked the Lions, who kicked seven to Benalla’s three, increasing their lead to 29 heading into the final quarter.

In the final term, it was much of the same, with the Lions kicking eight goals and three behinds to Benalla’s four goals and one behind, bringing the final score to 13.7 (85) to 21.14 (140).

To the Saints’ credit, this was the most points they had scored all season, indicating their growing chemistry, increased ball movement and offensive pressure.

On the flip side, their high turnover rate inside their half against Seymour proved to be their undoing. They coughed up five turnovers in their 50 and 42 turnovers in the midfield.

Benalla coach Jarrad Waite pointed to Benalla’s improved ball movement as the reason it could notch its highest point total this season. However, its control and turnover rate indicate that its style of play is still unpolished through five rounds.

“I think we moved the ball a lot better from what we had worked on at training; our polish was just a little bit off, and they managed to get us on the turnover,” he said.

“We turned the ball over a lot in our defensive half, and they went forward and scored on those chances we gave them.

“Our pressure stats have been pretty good throughout the start of the season, but our control of the ball is something we have been actively trying to improve on as it’s one of the most important aspects of the game.

“If we continually start to move the ball forward and get it going our way, we feel like if we can get it inside 50, we have a good chance to convert.”

Waite highlighted some standout players for the game, who are also continually doing their part to try and produce a win for Benalla week in and week out.

He specifically mentioned ruckman Mark Marriott as best on ground on the weekend, kicking five crucial goals, keeping the Saints in the contest.

“Mark Marriott was best on for us; he kicked five goals and was strong in the ruck and gave our mids first look at the ball; he has been really important for us for the whole season.

“Chris Welsh played really well, always in there fighting the fight and trying to get it going our way.

“Tom O’Brien was good for us and is a great focal point up front when we get it up there, we look pretty dangerous.

“Charlie McCarthy is a really competitive small defender. It’s a new role for him, and he’s doing well in there; he’s putting a lot of pressure on the ball for us, which has been good.

“We probably just need a bit more consistent effort from our whole team instead of relying on a few players, but we are building nicely at the moment, and we are getting a few boys back next week, so our depth will improve.”

Waite emphasised that the Benalla squad is still fairly new to each other, and the progress the squad has made through five rounds gives him hope that the Saints will begin pulling all of their experience together to start turning losses into wins as the season progresses.

“Once we start to gel, we will be a much better side, which takes time to adjust, but I can see a steady improvement already, which is great,” he said.

“This first six-to-seven-week period is important for us; we’ve made some good steps forward.

As a team, we can see how we are going to play and how it will work; it’s just the polish that we need to switch our focus to, refining what we have built.”

Benalla will play sixth-placed Euroa away next week in what looks to be another challenge for the Saints and a test to see if they can put it all together.