Wet weather footy greeted all Benalla and Distrct Junior Football Club teams this weekend in Wangaratta for round four of the Wangaratta and District Junior Football League season.

The slippery conditions didn’t dampen spirits, though, as all five teams fought out tough battles with four teams coming away with wins.

Fair play, sportsmanship and resilience was at the forefront of how all our teams conducted themselves this round, and for that, the club is extremely proud of every player that stepped onto the field.

U12 Black

What a stellar game of footy from under-12 Blacks in Wangaratta at the weekend which produced our first win of the season. The teamwork is really coming together with the boys having some cracking passages of play, with standout efforts from the midfield all day long helping the forward line get some brilliant goals.

Really fantastic to see the results of all their hard work being reflected on the scoreboard.

Final score: Jnr Magpies 1.3 (9) def by Benalla Black 11.6 (72)

Goals: Dustin Nolan 5, Maximus Reynolds 3, Seth Lambden, Edward Clancy, Frank Christie

Best: Frank Christie, Dustin Nolan, Spencer Whitechurch, Maximus Reynolds, Bill Bourke, Eli Fielding

U12 Red

Round four saw the under-12 Reds head north to Wangaratta for a tough matchup. It was a hard-fought contest, but unfortunately College proved too strong on the day.

Despite the result, the team showed great effort and determination throughout and never gave up.

Final score: College 7.7 (49) def Benalla Red 3.4 (22)

Goals: Archer Pickering 3

Best: Hunter Symes, Owen Schirmer, Tory Woodhams, Archer Pickering, Isaac Frampton, Mitch McGee

U14 Black

Damp and slippery conditions greeted Black in their matchup against Magpies at the Wangaratta Showgrounds.

Benalla gained ascendancy early with strong tackling and a forward territory style of play. The tall, agile forward line created headaches for Wangaratta with the tall midfield tandem of Jake Soyer and Angus Roscoe providing first use and tackling pressure throughout the day.

Jack Davies looked dangerous around the goals all day also feeding off opportunities along with fellow spearhead Jack Christie. The Magpies pulled it back in the third term and looked threatening until the dynamic combination of Caleb Thwaites and Jimmy Jackson steadied the ship and controlled the play.

Thwaites was dominant throughout the match with two superb goals in a best afield performance. The backline was led superbly by new captain Brayden Jacobs who had great support from Teddy Sheehan who looked rock solid when moved to defence.

Benalla Black look forward to a big Mother’s Day match up this weekend against the inform Myrtleford Saints.

Final score: Jnr Magpies 7.4 (46) def by Benalla Black 10.11 (71)

Goals: Jack Davies 4, Caleb Thwaites 2, Tyson Brown, Jack Christie, Jimmy Jackson, Jordan Streader

Best: Caleb Thwaites, Jimmy Jackson, Angus Roscoe, Jake Soyer, Tyson Brown, Jack Davies

U14 Red

From looking for sunscreen to reaching for a rain jacket, round four delivered a dramatic shift in conditions.

The pre-game focus was on the importance of leadership and that all players, not just the leadership group, are, and can be, leaders. From where I was standing this seemed to be a major difference between the two teams in what was a tough and bloody (I think the first aid kit will need replenishing) game.

Once again, we were able to get off to a fast start with plenty of the game played in the forward half of the ground allowing Benalla to set up behind the ball, capitalising on a dry patch and getting a score on the board.

The midfield moving the ball with speed and the forwards presenting up at the kicker was the highlight of the first quarter.

The worsening weather played a large part in the way the rest of the game was played with only brief patches of smooth, fluid ball movement and a whole lot of good old fashioned wet weather footy.

It was especially pleasing from the coach’s perspective the way all players stayed focussed on winning the ball and attacking the opposition player fairly. A focus was to start the last quarter fast, put a score on the board and take game control.

Special mention goes out to second gamer Memphis for kicking his first goal, the roar from our supporters was loud and I hope he got as much of a kick from that as we all did.

Final score: College 2.4 (16) def by Benalla Red 8.9 (57)

Goals: Jack Hart, Jackson Quarrell 3, Josh Bamford, Memphis Train

Best: Jack Hart, Josh Bamford, Jackson Quarrell, Sam Mount, Tom Snell

U17

In a contest that was played in relentless rain and heavy conditions, the Benalla under-17s showcased incredible grit to secure a victory over the Wangaratta Magpies. Despite the wet conditions, the team adapted quickly to the slog.

Noah Langlands was a force of nature in a new midfield role, using his superior size and athleticism to dominate the stoppages and give his teammates first use of the ball. In the engine room, Jack Pollard provided a masterclass in composure, his ability to find time and space in the congestion drew immediate comparisons to Scott Pendlebury.

Defensively, Nick White provided vital spark with his trademark dash off half back, while Josh Montgomery injected a level of class and pace that looked untouched by the muddy conditions.

Up forward, Tom Mount remained a constant threat, proving dangerous with every entry and finishing the day with a crucial four-goal haul to seal the win.

After today's hard-fought win, the boys now shift their focus to next Sunday, May 10.

It’s set to be a massive Mother’s Day clash as we take on Myrtleford. We look forward to seeing all the mums and supporters there for what promises to be another cracking game of footy.

Final score: Jnr Magpies 6.7 (43) def by Benalla 9.6 (60)

Goals: Tom Mount 4, Jude Binion, Charlie Bowen 2, Trevor Maru

Best: Noah Langlands, Jack Pollard, Josh Montgomery, Nick White, Noah Cooney, Charlie Bowen

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Tuesday, 12th September 2028

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