The Tigers dominated a number of key statistics, however their return of 1.7 in the final term cost them dearly, as Benalla kicked 4.2 to take the win.
In the middle, the Tigers were led once again by Joe Atley, who recorded 18 of his side’s 53 clearances, while Benalla could manage just 35 of its own.
Rochester also dominated the contested possession count, collecting 146 to the Saints’ 120, while also winning the total disposal count (+2).
The Tigers won 45 intercept possessions (+8), but also turned the ball over 56 times as opposed to Benalla’s 54.
A key differential was the pressure output of the sides, with Benalla recording an overall pressure rating of 119, beating Rochester’s 100, and was also +17 in pressure acts (54 to 37). The Tigers made their tackles stick, however, recording 41 effective tackles, a stat they rank second for in the competition with an average just shy of 41 per game.
In the end, scoring efficiency played a big role in determining the outcome of the game, with Benalla’s 77 per cent accuracy proving too good for Rochester, who recorded an accuracy of 66 per cent in front of goal.
Rochester vs Benalla
Round eight totals
53 Clearances 35
276 Disposals 274
146 Contested possessions 120
45 Intercept possessions 37
100 Overall pressure 119
41 Effective tackles 38
66 Scoring accuracy 44
5°C