Shepparton Swans' Matt Perry takes a contested grab.
Photo by
Karl Phillipson
For one club, it was another week of heartbreak; for the other, it was full-blown ecstasy in the Goulburn Valley League clash between Benalla and Shepparton Swans.
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There were two storylines heading into this round nine match: for the Swans, it was about getting the job done against a winless side to remain in touch with the top six, while for the Saints, it was about trying to recreate the previous weekend’s first-half effort against Echuca, but for the full four quarters.
The contest started with the Swans bursting out of the blocks at Benalla Showgrounds, with the away team’s pressure levels through the roof to start the match.
The Swans capitalised on their early dominance, finishing the first quarter ahead by 28 points (15-43).
After a tough first half of the season (seven losses and one draw), most pundits would have expected Benalla to roll over from that point on, but the Saints drew a line in the sand: They were the competition’s easy-beats no more.
Jarrad Waite’s side flipped the script in the second term; as the Saints’ pressure ramped up, so did the scoring as Benalla kicked 6.4 for the quarter to take a three-point lead into half-time (55-52).
In the second half, both sides knew what was on the line; for the Saints, it was a chance to secure their first win of the season, while the Swans desperately needed this victory to keep their finals hopes alive.
The pressure in the game elevated, and the match became an arm wrestle, with neither team breaking free in the third term.
Saints trio Wade King, Nick Mellington and Waite all booted three goals for the match, while Swans gun Steele Simpson was prolific for his side, kicking six majors for the red and white.
The match was evenly poised at three-quarter time, with Benalla leading by six points (68-62).
With the crowd on their side and the lure of singing the song for the first time in 2024, the Saints started the final term commandingly, booting the first three goals to take a 22-point lead 15 minutes into the last quarter.
However, as the Swans have done all season, when the chips are down and all hope seems lost, Jedd Wright’s men find a way, and a quick slew of goals gave Shepparton Swans a three-point lead with not long left on the clock.
As the minutes and seconds ticked down, the match was slipping through the Saints’ fingers.
In moments like these, a side looks to its leaders to take charge and change the game and, in the dying stages, up stepped Waite for Benalla.
The veteran forward was impressive for the Saints all day, and when the moment came, he pounced and kicked the goal to give Benalla the lead in the last few moments of the match.
As the siren sounded, scenes filled with jubilation ensued for Benalla, while the Swans were once again left wondering what could have been after losing the match by three points (fourth loss by this margin in nine games this season).
Shepparton Swans' Matt Perry goes for goal.
Photo by
Karl Phillipson
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Shepparton Swans' Luke Davies flies high for a mark.
Photo by
Karl Phillipson
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Shepparton Swans' James Auld hunts the football.
Photo by
Karl Phillipson
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Shepparton Swans' Matt Perry celebrates a goal.
Photo by
Karl Phillipson
Hero of the match and player-coach Waite was proud of how his side responded after a disappointing opening term.
“After quarter-time, we started playing the way that we knew we could and we were a lot better defensively and had a lot better ball use,” Waite said.
“(In the first term) we just weren’t giving the easy option and their pressure was really good; we allowed them to pressure us really well and we didn’t play smart football.
“After half-time, it was a really good footy game with the ball going up and down both ways.”
Former Benalla captain and best-and-fairest winner Jordan Wolff celebrated his 150th senior game with the victory over the Swans.
According to Waite, the Saints’ resurgence after the first quarter was led by Benalla’s midfielders and their ability to create drive out of the centre.
“Our midfielders really stood strong and I thought this week we had 22 contributors, which is obviously really handy,” he said.
“Will Martiniello came back in and so did Mark Marriott and they are two very important players to our team.
“Sam Begley, we put him onto one of their mids after quarter-time and he nullified him, which was really beneficial to the team.
“Big ‘Hilly’ (Henry Hill) down back played really well and took some really nice intercept marks and then Nick Mellington had a really good second quarter and kicked a couple goals.”
This weekend, Shepparton Swans will host Tatura at Princess Park, while Benalla will travel to Kyabram to take on an in-form Bombers side.
