Benalla chalked up its third win of the Goulburn Valley League campaign following a rampant six-goal final-quarter blitz against Tatura on Saturday.
Kicking to the caravan park end at Tatura Park, the Saints were able to double their score in the fourth term to run out 10.10 (70) to 7.6 (48) winners.
Assisted by a blustery breeze, the Saints outworked and outran the hosts — who did so much right for three quarters — in the final term of the round 13 encounter.
Benalla co-coach Mark McKenzie said he was proud of his side’s ability to stand tall in the final quarter.
“To kick six to one [goal] in the final quarter was really pleasing,” he said.
“I was saying to the boys (in the room), I thought the first and third quarter into the breeze we did okay. Where we cost ourselves was in the second quarter with the breeze.
“The breeze was strong so once you got a bit of momentum it was really hard to turn that around and we saw that happen in the third quarter we weren’t able to turn things around.
“The message (at three-quarter time) was ‘our last quarter will be dictated by how hard we work and not by the breeze’ because in the second quarter we didn’t work hard and smart enough and it was two goals each.
“If we work hard the breeze will help us but if we don’t then the breeze is irrelevant.”
Down by two goals at the last break, Benalla’s experienced core group rose to the occasion and led from the front.
Former AFL gun and mid-season recruit, Jarrad Waite, booted two of his three goals within the first 10 minutes of the last quarter.
Waite’s third goal came from a tight angle which gave his side the match-winning lead.
On-ballers Will and James Martiniello, along with ruckman Josh Marchbank, started to get on top in the middle as well.
Defender and former coach Jake Pallpratt provided some class off half-back, while forward Brody Webster popped up with a couple of goals.
Tatura was unable to ride the momentum of its four-goal effort in the third term, one that was sparked by emerging talent Sean McAllister — who kicked two goals in the space of five minutes.
Club legend Linc Wellington, playing in game 299, turned back the clock with a classy hanger halfway through the third.
Unfortunately for the hosts, Benalla was able to lift to another gear while they were caught on the back foot.
There was a break in play during the fourth term following a serious back injury to Tatura tall Luke McGill who was assisted from the ground.
The Bulldogs’ consistent performers in onballer Billy Cooper, defender Che Walls and Tom Sullivan all gave strong efforts in the loss.
McKenzie praised the performances of his side’s lesser-known stars after the game.
“Aaron Cooke, Riley Johnson and Zach Amarant had their best games of the year,” he said.
“Our top five or six players can mix it with the best in the comp.
“But it’s what we do from six to 22 that will dictate how we play and the more improvement we get out of them the better we will play.”