Echuca slams Benalla to keep hot-streak alive

By Josh Huntly

May 14, 2023

Top performer: Echuca’s Logan Prout had a day out on Saturday with 31 disposals. Photo by Aydin Payne

Echuca will head into the Goulburn Valley League bye undefeated and on top of the ladder after comfortably accounting for Benalla at the weekend.

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The reigning premier has looked untroubled this season, living up to favourite billing against the last-placed Saints with a 96-point smashing at Victoria Park for win number six.

Echuca defender Logan Prout led the way with an eye-popping 31 disposals, 15 contested possessions and 15 marks, supported by Corbin Anderson (18 disposals) and Will Monahan who booted three goals each.

Prout was instrumental with 17 intercept possessions - six of those coming from marks - contributed to 10 score involvements and went at 90 per cent disposal efficiency.

The Murray Bombers won the tackle count 46-24 and dominated possession with plus-98 disposals, while Benalla struggled with disposal efficiency and went at 57 per cent for the match.

Benalla found itself under siege down back for most of the game despite the best efforts of David Mennen and Chris Welch, but it was the back half of Echuca that drew the praise of co-coach Sam Reid.

“They had a couple of dangerous forwards including (Josh) Mellington, who Curt (Townrow) was all over,” Reid said.

“Logan Prout, Curt, Cam Valentine, they all did their job intercept marking everything. Jack McHale’s getting back to his best and Riley Smith had a fair bit of the ball.”

While Josh Marchbank won the aerial battle for the Saints in the middle - with 49 hit-outs - Echuca’s avenues to goal again totalled in the double digits with 12 individual goal-kickers.

The Saints also won the clearance count 35-22, with Tom Bennett leading the way with 10.

The win helps Echuca retain its position on top of the ladder, but hot on its tail is Seymour, which also has six wins on the board to start the year.

The Murray Bombers and Lions meet in round 10 in what shapes as a highly-anticipated match-up at Kings Park, but before that Echuca will need to navigate a stern four-game test after facing Shepparton United post-bye.

“We’re looking forward to (games) after the break. We’ve got a couple of the better teams, but we’ve put ourselves in a pretty good position,” Reid said.

“The challenge is the more physical teams coming up in Seymour, Euroa, Mansfield, Kyabram again, all those games we’re looking forward to to see where we’re at.”