Benalla Ensign

Saints set sail for Seymour

- By James Kleeman

After a long and gruelling pre-season, Benalla Saints will kick-start their Goulburn Valley League campaign this weekend.

The Saints travel to Seymour for round one, a match-up which is sure to give coaches Will Martiniell­o and Mark McKenzie an early indication of how their side will stack up this season.

Earlier this year, coach Mark McKenzie detailed how he hoped some of his Saints’ young guns would make the step up this year.

“I’d like to see some kids come up from the under-18s this year and hang around and have a real crack at senior footy,” he said.

“That’ll be the interestin­g part, hopefully there’s a few diamonds in the rough that shine through that we weren’t banking on.”

Reserves football won’t go ahead at Seymour, with Benalla at this stage unable to field a travelling squad in round one.

Saints’ netballers are equally as keen to get their season started, with coach Kellie Keen to take the reigns again this year.

Goal-scorer Sally Washfold joins the ranks to lend her valuable experience, while Hayley Martiniell­o and Kelsey Pallpratt will help out across the court where necessary.

• Benalla’s women’s football team will get its Northern Country Women’s League season under way back at home this weekend, when it takes on Echuca at Benalla Showground­s at 2.30pm.

 ?? ?? Sainter: Will Martiniell­o will take charge of his first Saints’ game as coach this weekend.
Sainter: Will Martiniell­o will take charge of his first Saints’ game as coach this weekend.

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