Following the success of last year’s inaugural Benalla All Abilities Football Carnival, Sunday saw teams from the Football Integration Development Association’s Northern Conference descend on the showgrounds for the event’s second edition.

Teams from Wodonga, Merriwa, Echuca, North Albury and Shepparton, as well as the local Benalla outfit, fought it out on the field across a full day of action, which was another huge success according to Benalla coach Shane Richardson.

“It was really, really good, it went really well,” he said.

“I think the canteen made a fair bit of money, they were pretty busy all day apparently. Our guys, we won one out of three, but they tried really hard all day, so it went really well.”

In just its second season, the Benalla All Abilities side has come along in leaps and bounds, with strong participation numbers a really pleasing aspect for Richardson.

“When we first started, we probably only had six or seven (players) interested,” he said.

“Then we had a carnival early last year which give us a bit of momentum and a few people jumped on, and then I think on the weekend I had 20 players there.

“We had a guy turn up, he was only going to help walk water or something like that, but he ended up playing all three games and played one for an opposition team too, so it's great that they just want to come down and be involved.”

With such a strong core of players, it means Benalla is well positioned to help other sides who might be struggling for numbers, which encapsulates the spirit of the entire carnival.

"Wangaratta is a bit short this year, they've probably only got maybe a dozen to 14 players,“ Richardson said.

“But then when clubs are short like that, if we're playing against Wangaratta, we'll just say 'alright, do you want some players?’ (They say) yep, then no worries, they'll go and play for them.

“At the end of the day, they love winning, everyone loves winning, but it's not about (winning), it's about everyone walking off with a smile on their face.

“Echuca has got about 24-ish, Wodonga has got about that, so most of them have got about 20 odd players.

“We're probably the smallest town out of the whole lot, and we're up there on par with the rest of the big towns. Albury's probably got 18-ish, they were probably a bit light on on the weekend ... so for us being the smallest town, we go pretty good I think."

With three carnivals to come this year in Echuca, Shepparton and Wangaratta, Richardson said the club is always on the look out for extra help to ensure the carnivals can go ahead.

“It would be great to get some more support out of the whole community, not just the footy clubs,” he said.

“That’s the aim of the game, I suppose, community support is what we need.”

Richardson also extended his thanks to the volunteers that made Sunday’s carnival possible, including Cheryl and Ray Stubbs, Peter and Donna Heaney, Jordan Smith, David Sharp, Annie Nish, Julie Richardson, umpires Graeme Curry and Warren Finnis, and water carriers Billy Warnock and Brayden Connolly.

Anyone wishing to get involved can phone Shane Richardson on 0408 116 429.

Benalla Ensign Google News Panels

Thursday, 16th October 2025

Your Morning Headlines

Select Stories

Publish Panels