There’s no doubting it took all 22 of Benalla’s troops to grind out its two-point win over Shepparton United on Saturday.
The whirlwind start was balanced by a gutsy second half, meaning the entirety of the Saints’ playing group had their work cut out for them.
Perhaps the most important component to setting the platform for victory was Jarrad Waite.
In just his second game for the season after missing three rounds due to injury, Waite lit up the first quarter with five goals, giving Benalla co-coach Will Martiniello the tall forward target it had missed since the season opener against Seymour.
“We were probably dependent on Josh Mellington the first few games, kicking it long to him is probably not the go whereas Waitey with his height, his contested work is a massive advantage for us — I think he’s the best forward in the comp,” Martiniello said.
“When he’s playing, we know we have that tall target to kick to and it really functioned well in that first quarter.
“He doesn’t really miss either, so the more games we can get from him going forward the better it’ll make us be for sure.”
Benalla’s 52 points in the first quarter was the high-scoring opening term posted by any senior side in this year’s Goulburn Valley League season.
The Saints chalked up 18 inside 50s during that period to United’s five, with Waite dispatching a bulk of the chances with pinpoint accuracy.
He’d go on to kick six majors for the match, also notching 22 disposals and 13 contested possessions with an efficiency of 77 per cent.
The former AFL talent’s size was pivotal in Benalla’s play going forward, his seven marks inside 50 the best for the game ahead of Josh Mellington’s six.
Another remarkable statistic came from Saints ruckman Josh Marchbank, with 59 hit outs for the match.
Stoppages took a hold of the final quarter where Marchbank dominated with 24, taking him to the top of the competition’s ranking in that category with 239 hit outs this season.