Echuca claims scrappy affair against Benalla

By Josh Huntly

Aug 6, 2023

Finding a way: Benalla's Will Martiniello fires off a handball under pressure from Echuca’s Noah Langborne (left) and Jack McHale. Photos: Brenden Paddock Photo by Brenden Paddock

While Echuca’s radar was wayward, sheer weight of opportunities helped the Murray Bombers comfortably account for Benalla on the Saints’ home turf.

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Echuca had 35 scoring shots to nine in the 71-point win at Benalla Showgrounds and that dominance was highlighted by a third quarter where the Saints were held scoreless.

Mitch Wales, Jack Evans and Riley Smith guided the reigning premier to a sixth consecutive victory, while Fintan Brazil, Joshua Marchbank and Jordan Wolff battled hard for Benalla, which was coming off its third win of the season.

Battling it out: Echuca's Liam Tenace competes for the ball with Benalla's Jayden Guppy. Photo by Brenden Paddock

Echuca’s ascendancy over the Saints stretches back to 2018, but one of the downsides that will be assessed from the clash will be the behinds column.

“It was a pretty scrappy sort of game,” Echuca co-coach Ben Reid said.

“We kicked 22 points, which isn’t ideal. We had been pretty consistent with goal accuracy.

“I think we fell into a trap of not being composed going forward of centre, but we also might have hit the post about six or seven times.

“It was just one of those games, but we still managed to get a win and bank the points ahead of the bye.”

First spot remains in the hands of Echuca, who will now break for the split-round bye before tackling Rochester at Victoria Park and Mooroopna in the final home-and-away round.

Round 16 also saw the GVL top six confirmed, with Shepparton Bears’ failure to topple Mansfield at the weekend officially locking in finals after the Eagles’ 29-point win.

Echuca, Seymour, Kyabram, Euroa, Mooroopna and Mansfield will be the teams in the running for GVL glory.