Ovens and King: Benalla All Blacks play Bonnie Doon in grand final
They’ve had to wait an extra week, but the Benalla All Blacks are primed to win their first flag since 1981. Here’s why.
Benalla All Blacks coach Nic Spencer believes playing only one match in a month will be a bonus for the success-starved club when it faces Bonnie Doon in the Ovens and King league grand final on Saturday.
All Blacks finished on top of the ladder with just one loss and went straight into the grand final by beating Bright in the second semi-final on August 27.
The competition was pushed back a week when Greta reserves player Ben Duffield was seriously injured in the first semi-final played the following day.
It led to the senior match between Bonnie Boon and Greta being postponed to the following weekend.
Last Saturday, Bonnie Doon beat Bright in the preliminary final by nine points.
“It has probably worked out all right for us,” Spencer said.
“We had a couple of blokes pull up not that great and wouldn’t have been 100 per cent.
“The extra week has probably been a blessing in disguise.”
The biggest beneficiary of the forced extension of the season will be All Blacks’ Lachlan Morrison.
He last played in round 16 on his return from a leg injury, which turned out to be a broken fibula.
“He will be a massive in if he gets up,” Spencer said.
All Blacks are chasing their first flag since 1981 after finishing runner-up to Glenrowan in 2017.
Glenrowan completed four flags in a row in 2017, but has since folded.
All Blacks trained at the grand final venue, Wangaratta’s W.J. Findlay Oval, at the weekend in preparation for the clash with Bonnie Doon.
Century goalkicker Lachlan Thompson was held to two goals in the second semi-final, but Harry Moran stepped up and booted six.
Spencer joined the All Blacks as a player in 2017 when they made a grand final and was appointed coach in 2020.
“We’re a lot more experienced now than back then,” he said.
“But it’s definitely the best chance the club has got to take home the cup for a long time.
“It has been a fair drought and I think we’re due.”
Bonnie Doon is coached by Ken Murray, who is originally from the Wimmera area.
All Blacks’ reserves are also in the grand final and play Bright with the Ovens and King league having no junior grades.
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