There are just three rounds of competition remaining in the GVL home and away season, the Bombers facing Benalla, Mansfield and Shepparton Swans in the lead up to the finals.
In spite of having 24 less disposals than its opponent, the Bombers won the match 18.9 (117) to 3.4 (22).
Kyabram had 34 more inside-50 entries as Lachie Smith, a former Benalla premiership player, pulled in 11 intercept marks and had 17 possessions.
He was a stumbling block for Benalla as the Bombers forced Benalla into an uncomfortable contested game.
Kyabram is third ranked in the competition in regard to contested football (behind Echuca and Euroa), while Benalla is second bottom.
Benalla and Kyabram are two of the bottom four teams in regard to total disposals, but the Bombers lead the contested mark and intercept mark counts.
Benalla is lowly ranked on both counts. The other major difference in team rankings is the free kick count.
Kyabram, on average, gives away more than 30 free kicks a game. That is the worst team in regard to free kicks against, while Benalla only gives away 18, the best return of any team in the competition.
The last time the teams met Kyabram lost the free kick count 13-25, in spite of the one-sided margin.
The Bombers only marginally won the contested ball count and had 15 less marks for the afternoon than Benalla.
They did, however, take marks in dangerous positions — indicated by the plus-18 forward-50 mark count in favour of the Bombers.
Benalla took just one mark inside-50, while Cooper Vick, Jake Reeves and Tom Holman took 12 between them.
Vick kicked three goals, Holman and Reeves three apiece, as Kaine Herbert led the possession count with 30 touches, six clearances and seven tackles.
Benalla’s three stats stars, Christopher Welsh, and the Martinello brothers — James and William — all had 30 plus possessions against the Bombers last time round.
All three rank among the top half dozen ball winners in the competition, Kaine Herbert’s the Bombers’ best at number 21.
LAST TIME THEY MET
– Kyabram had 24 less disposals than Benalla.
– Lachie Smith took 13 marks (11 intercepts).
– James and William Martinello, Christopher Welsh had 106 possessions between them, but had a high clanger count of 21.
– Cooper Vick kicked five goals, Anthony DePasquale, Tom Holman and Jake Reeves three apiece.
– Kyabram took 19 inside-50 marks to Benalla’s one.
– Kaine Herbert had 30 disposals, 6 clearances, 7 tackles.
– Benalla’s Jake Pallpratt had 26 disposals and took 12 uncontested marks.
