Among the signatures to recommit to the Saints for next season are a pair that featured at the league’s awards evening last week in Mark Marriott and Owain Boyle.
Marriott is a known quantity and again further enhanced his reputation as one of the league’s best in 2026, putting together a spectacular season which saw him feature in the best 14 times from 18 games with the Saints.
The star ruckman’s dominance was acknowledged with higher honours throughout the season, too, pulling on the purple and gold GVL interleague guernsey against the VAFA in July, while his stellar form with the Saints saw him poll 22 votes in the Morrison Medal to finish second, two votes behind eventual winner Ash Holland of Shepparton.
Averaging 16.9 disposals, 5.1 tackles, 5.9 clearances and a whopping 45.3 hit-outs a game throughout the 2026 campaign, Marriott’s commitment to the Saints is a huge boost for a young side on the rise.
Boyle is a key component of the young Saints brigade, too, and will play on at Benalla in 2027 after a stunning return to the club this season.
Playing the first half of the year for Wangaratta thirds in the Ovens and Murray League, Boyle featured seven times for the Magpies and polled an incredible 15 votes in the league best-and-fairest, finishing third three adrift of the winner, who played a full 18 games.
Slotting seamlessly into the senior Saints line-up, the young gun played eight games and featured in the best four times, named a finalist in the league’s Rising Star award, while also leading the thirds’ charge to a preliminary final with two appearances in the best from three post-season games.
Among others to commit in recent weeks are high-flying Sam Begley, who has chosen to remain with the Saints despite lucrative offers from Melbourne-based clubs, intercept defender Nick Warnock, who enjoyed yet another interleague-calibre season, and midfielder Travis Young, who lit the competition up in the first month and a half before sustaining a season-ending ankle injury.
Tyler McGregor, Cooper Gracie and Ryley Ely have driven the next generation of Saints throughout 2026, and will once again return in 2027 alongside Max and Cooper Woods, Colby Mathieson, Jack Fullager and Charlie McCarthy, while Michael Mummery and Kevin Maroney, who impressed in their first season at the club this year, have also put pen to paper.
The re-signings even extend to those who are yet to pull on the black, red and white, with Williamstown VFL captain Toby Triffett to once again remain aligned with Benalla in 2027 despite not lacing up the boots in the GVL this season due to VFL commitments.
The excitement is building at the showgrounds and that includes the netball program, too, with the club teasing a new A-grade coaching appointment in recent weeks ahead of what is hoped to be a massive 2027.
