According to Bombers coach Paul Newman every Kyabram player ‘‘did a bit’’ in the decisive 95-point win on Benalla’s home ground.
Benalla couldn’t get numbers for a reserves team for the curtain raiser and Kyabram went into the game with six senior players on the sidelines.
On-ball dynamo Zac Keogh was a late withdrawal for the Bombers and Kayne Pettifer was also missing from the side that lost to Echuca the previous week.
With other forward aces Kyle Mueller and Brad Mangan on the sidelines the Bombers’ goalscoring potential was to be tested again.
But in their absence Kyabram found scoring options in Cooper Vick, Tom Holman, Anthony Depasquale, Mitch Gugliotti and Jake Reeves.
Vick continued his impressive start to the season and presented at all times to kick five goals and as many behinds.
Small man Gugliotti, Reeves and Holman snared three each and Depasquale two to keep the Kyabram scoreline ticking over.
In his first senior appearance for the season ruck hulk Reeves made his presence felt whether in attack or in the ruck, where he had stints at the centre bounces.
Reeves, fellow ruckman Zac Norrisand midfielder Kaine Herbert where key playmakers on the day for the Bombers while the defence, led again by key defenders in Lachie Smith and Jason Morgan, leaked only three goals.
In Newman’s opinion Herbert was Kyabram’s best four-quarter contributor.
Debutant James Ross also showed out at times with his mobility and hard running and Billy McLay on a wing got plenty of the Sherrin.
The Bombers had six senior players on the sidelines in Keogh, assistant coach Billy Barnes, Kyle Mueller, Pettifer, Brad Mangan and Hayden Gemmill.
Keogh was a late withdrawal on Saturday with illness and should return for this Saturday’s clash with the Shepparton Swans but the other five players are set to return at intervals over the next few weeks.
• Kyabram thirds outclassed Benalla in a big win.
The young Bombers were sluggish in the first half but gradually took control and finished the game strongly.
‘‘We were pretty ordinary early and they took it right up to us. But we had a good talk at half-time and sorted a few things out and were much better in the second half,’’ Kyabram coach Peter Ryan said.
The Bombers had stars in defender Adam Pulsoni and key forward Mitch Dodos, who kicked four goals.
Pulsoni turned in his best game for the season on a back flank and got great support from Jack Millar on the other flank.
Onballers in Ben Railton, Liam Francis and winger Cooper Fawcett were key playmakers in the win and Ruben Stranger was also prominent on a forward flank.
Kyabram faces a much stiffer test this Saturday against the Shepparton Swans at Princess Park in Shepparton.
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