Netball

A Grade

Benalla All Blacks A Grade continued their strong form with an impressive 64-41 victory over King Valley.

Alara Jones earned best on court honours with one of her strongest performances of the season. Combining brilliantly with her fellow shooter, Jones played smart, composed netball and was a constant scoring threat throughout the match.

Maddie Burgess was outstanding at wing attack, delivering pinpoint feeds into the goal circle while applying relentless defensive pressure on King Valley's centre passes. Her efforts created multiple turnover opportunities and kept the All Blacks on the front foot.

Aneiki Pierce also impressed in the centre, producing another strong performance. She continues to show great improvement with her composure on the ball and applied consistent pressure across the court, working tirelessly in both attack and defence.

It was another complete team performance from the All Blacks, whose intensity, teamwork and disciplined execution across all four quarters secured a convincing win.

Score: Benalla 64 def King Valley 41

B Grade

B Grade returned to full strength this week and took to the court determined to secure the win. With a strong four-quarter performance, the All Blacks played with confidence, intensity and composure to record an impressive 20-goal victory over King Valley.

The team showed they are more than capable of matching it with the competition when they maintain their intensity and work together across all four quarters. They'll head back to training full of confidence, focusing on carrying the same positivity and enjoyment into the remaining games.

Best on court honours went to Tiahna Neal, who produced her best game of the season at goal shooter. Her performance was a reward for the effort and commitment she has consistently put in throughout the year.

Tori Hedger earned second-best after another outstanding defensive display. Starting at goal keeper before moving into wing defence for the remaining three quarters, she collected several intercepts and was instrumental in driving the ball out of defence.

Third-best went to Mel Reaper, who controlled the centre court with another brilliant performance and continued to demonstrate the leadership and experience she brings to the team.

Score: Benalla 39 def King Valley 19.

B Reserve

Did not play as King Valley do not have a B Reserve side.

Under 17s

Benalla All Blacks under-17s produced an impressive four-quarter performance against King Valley, securing the four points with a well-earned 46-40 victory.

Darcie Jackson was a standout, delivering a tireless performance from the first whistle to the final siren. Her defensive pressure across the court was outstanding, as she chased down every loose ball and provided quality feeds into the goal circle to create scoring opportunities.

Alicia Langlands was once again a consistent performer at wing attack, using the ball well with precise feeds into the circle while also applying excellent defensive pressure to limit King Valley's transition from defence to attack.

Amali Mackenzie was dominant at goal shooter, finishing with 38 goals for the match. She continued to show impressive improvement, providing a strong target in the circle and converting her opportunities with confidence.

It was a complete team performance from the All Blacks, with every player contributing to an important win built on teamwork, intensity and consistent effort across all four quarters.

Score: Benalla 46 def King Valley 40

Under 15s

In their second-last home game of the season, the Benalla All Blacks under-15s side once again produced a fantastic team performance, defeating King Valley 56-37.

The young Panthers made a strong start, applying relentless defensive pressure and moving the ball smoothly down the court to establish an early lead. That momentum continued throughout the match as the team worked together to control possession and create scoring opportunities.

In attack, Harper Robertson, Lola Crook and Lilly Hazell combined beautifully in the goal circle. Their movement and teamwork created space for accurate feeds, allowing the attacking end to convert consistently and keep the scoreboard ticking over.

Down in defence, Kayla Woodhams, Lara McConachy and Imogen English worked tirelessly to shut down King Valley’s attack. Their strong pressure, well-timed intercepts and ability to read the play resulted in multiple turnovers across the game.

Through the midcourt, Olivia Mullaly, Sharni Hughes and Sophia Young connected both ends of the court with strength and composure. Their relentless work rate and smooth ball movement allowed Benalla to transition seamlessly from defence into attack.

It was another complete team performance from the young Panthers, who continue to build confidence and consistency as they head towards the final rounds of the season.

Score: Benalla 56 def King Valley 37

Awards: Hollywood’s Pizza Award - Harper Robertson, Benalla McDonald’s/Spot 4 Icecream Award - Lara McConachy, BABFNC Canteen Award - Sharni Hughes

Football

Seniors

The senior Panthers were left to rue another missed opportunity on Saturday, going down to King Valley by nine points after inaccurate kicking in front of goal proved costly in an entertaining contest.

The visitors burst out of the blocks, taking advantage of the Panthers’ poor ball use to establish a three-goal lead at the first change. While the home side struggled to find its rhythm, they still created opportunities but failed to capitalise in front of goal, allowing King Valley to maintain the upper hand heading into half-time.

The third quarter developed into a gripping arm wrestle, with momentum swinging every five minutes as both sides attacked relentlessly. Each team booted four goals in a high-quality term, setting the stage for an exciting finish.

The Panthers controlled much of the final quarter, but the story remained the same. Despite generating plenty of forward entries and scoring chances, they couldn’t convert when it mattered most. King Valley remained composed under pressure and did enough to preserve its advantage, eventually claiming a hard-fought nine-point victory.

For the Panthers, it was another case of playing catch-up football after a slow start. In the end, inaccurate goal kicking proved the difference and denied the young side what would have been a deserved first win of the season.

Jake Dempster continued his impressive development with an outstanding four-quarter performance, while Sam Cox was prolific throughout the afternoon, continually winning the football and driving his side forward.

Spencer Hunter and Matt Hedger both finished with valuable goals, while Jesse Walker produced an excellent defensive display, shutting down the dangerous Davies and keeping him goalless for the match.

Score: Benalla 9.10 (64) def by King Valley 10.13 (73)

Awards: Harry Brown - Sam Cox, Royal Hotel - Matt Hedger, Club Award - Jesse Walker

Reserves

It was a tough afternoon for the Benalla All Blacks Reserves against a polished King Valley outfit. The boys started well and were highly competitive around the contest early, taking the game on with plenty of effort and intensity.

Jordan Wilkinson was outstanding in and under all day and was rewarded with Benalla's only score. David Whitechurch once again led from the backline with his experience and composure, while Tyrone Dellar battled tirelessly in the ruck against a strong opponent.

Despite the scoreboard, the boys never dropped their heads and competed hard until the final siren, showing plenty of character throughout.

Score: Benalla 1.0 (6) def by King Valley 25.11 (161)

Awards: Benalla Racing Club - David Whitechurch, Thursday Dinner - Tyrone Dellar, Sportspower - Jordan Wilkinson

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Tuesday, 18th March 2031

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