Benalla’s Goulburn Valley Netball League season began on Saturday afternoon when the Saints played host to Rochester at Benalla Showgrounds.
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Celebrating club legend Bridget Hill’s 150th game at Benalla added to the occasion as the Saints looked to work on their efficiency in the attacking third.
The first half of the match was relatively even as both sides went back and forth up and down the court, with the Tigers taking a nine-goal lead (25-36) into the third quarter.
Unfortunately for the Saints, the Tigers took full control of the match from there onwards, scoring 37 second-half goals to Benalla’s 20 to win the match 45-73.
Saints coach Jo Toms wasn’t discouraged by the result, instead focusing on her attackers’ improved performance on last year.
“For game one, I am really quite impressed with all the girls,” she said.
“Our shooters certainly started very well, they shot very well.
“Chloe Elliott, Bridget Hill and then we also had Ella Sheehan and Nat Pritchard swing through throughout the course of the four quarters and they all did really well.
“So that’s a start for us because last year, getting the ball in the hole was a challenge, so it was a good start.”
Toms may have highlighted some of the positives to come out of Benalla’s round match, but she isn’t ignoring some of the deficiencies in the Saints’ game.
“We lost the game purely in our lack of decision-making,” she said.
“We just forced the ball too much and probably were a bit too excited in game one, so for us, I think we need to tighten up in regards to our decision-making around passing and stronger drives through the centre.”
Despite the loss the Saints were still in celebratory spirits as they honoured Hill for reaching her milestone, as Toms believes it was a great way to kick off the 2024 season.
“Really exciting for ‘Bridge’ to have all those games under her belt and then come back for her first game back after some time away and having a baby,” she said.
Meanwhile in the Goulburn Valley Football League, shoulders were strapped, boots were laced and canteens stocked as Benalla’s football season got under way against Rochester.
The opening quarter remained fairly even — thanks in part to the Tigers’ inaccuracy — as the Saints fought hard to keep the contest tight.
At quarter-time the score sat 6-16 in Rochester’s favour, but as the second term started, hopes of a Benalla victory soon began to dissipate as the Tigers took control of the contest and never looked back.
Rochester finished the match with a 75-point win as the scoreline finished on 5.3 (33) to 15.18 (108).