Benalla caps season on a high with a 24-point win over Tatura on Goulburn Valley League’s final day

“It was a little bit frustrating on our behalf, we probably didn’t come with the right attitude,” senior coach Jarrad Waite said.

“Tatura probably had their best team in for the year, they had a couple come back (from injury). They’re in a similar situation to us for that game, even though it had nothing to do with ladder position, well not much ladder position, more for pride, we didn’t come out as well as we would have liked,” Waite said.

The second quarter was a blow-for-blow encounter. The ball was moving quickly, but the scores remained neck and neck. With the game there for the taking, both sides remained painfully inaccurate in front of goal, combining for four goals and 11 behinds. With only a solitary kick in the game at half-time, the troops reported to their coaches for their last half-time address of the year.

“Where I was probably the most disappointed, where we actually changed after half-time, we just allowed them to hit that short 15-20 metre kick, everyone around the ground, we were just five metres off,” Waite said.

“The way they were getting opportunities on goal were those short 45s and then a little bit of overlap run. I was big on, especially for the third quarter, be right on your bloke,” Waite said.

Famously dubbed the premiership quarter by David Parkin, the third term was one that put a smile on the Benalla coaching staff. The Saints dominated around the ground thanks to their much tighter and structured defensive efforts. They won almost every stat that mattered, and most importantly, converted their dominance to scoreboard pressure.

With the game in the balance, Benalla was able to steady and put away four goals to Tatura’s one, giving it a 63-52 lead heading into the final term.

“We started getting a few more repeat inside 50s, we turned it over in our front half which we hadn’t done in the first half,” Waite said.

The three-quarter-time address was a simple one from the coaches, Waite said. “See what happens when we want to defend?”

“A couple of missed opportunities you’d usually take, but overall, eight shots on goals in that third quarter is pleasing,” Waite said.

Benalla finished the job in the fourth quarter as Will O’Donoghue and Tom O’Brien took over. Tatura continued its wasteful ways throughout the day, finishing a woefully inaccurate 7.20 (62), to Benalla’s 12.14 (86).

A three-goal-to-one final term allowed the Saints to finish their year on the winning side of the ledger, something that the club sees as an important step heading into 2025.

“We ended up with four-a-half wins for the year, but for us, we’re building for something,” Waite said.

“If we want to become a really good team, and challenge those top four teams, these are the games you have to win.

“I’m very happy with the growth of the boys over the course of the season, but if want to become a competitive team week in, week out, the games that we should win, we need to win and that’s part of our growth as a football club and a team,” Waite said.