Keen to lead: Saints stalwart to steer senior netball in Benalla

Oct 11, 2021

Netting success: The awesomely accomplished Kellie Keen is back to coach Benalla's A and B-grade sides next season. Photo by Supplied

Unlike Mansfield’s magnitude 5.9 earthquake which physically disrupted the Goulburn Valley landscape, Benalla is sending proverbial shockwaves through the local netball sphere with a recent coaching appointment.

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Shifting the tectonic plates is Kellie Keen's unveiling, back to steer the club's A and B-grade outfits after departing in 2016.

Those who know the name also know the cachet Keen brings.

More than 400 A-grade GVL appearances, seven flags, eight best-and-fairest gongs — her record speaks for itself.

And now, after a stint away in Wangaratta where again her cup overflowed with premiership nectar, she’s back to guide the Saints up the ladder, rung by rung.

“It’s great to be back; I thought it would be a good opportunity to come back and it will be easier than travelling three times a week,” Keen said.

“Being from Benalla born and bred, it’s always the best netball you can play, so it’s always been a great opportunity to represent them and we’ve had some success in the past.

“Hopefully coming back, we can have a little bit more — as long as we’re enjoying it, that’s the main thing.”

The nous of Keen in a coaching capacity has been missed within Benalla’s camp of late.

However, under the guidance of Rhiannon Dolahenty the Saints raced to a creditable eighth placing in this year’s A-grade campaign; its best finish to a season since 2017.

Keen will have a fair amount of fresh putty to mould, as well as some familiar faces — all of which she wants to see smiling on and off the court.

“There are a few players which I coached back in the under-17s, so it’ll be good to get back and see some players that I haven’t seen for a while,” Keen said.

“Everyone wants to play finals, so I think that’s the first goal, but most importantly I want to see improvement in players and seeing them enjoy their netball.

“The last two years have been on and off so now we have to get back to enjoying it.”

While that takes care of Benalla’s senior contingent, there is more great news for Saints fans on the junior front.

Leading the charge is Robyn Smith, who has been named Under-17 coach.

Another well-known name around the club, Smith has the opportunity to impart her knowledge on a talented bunch of netballers, with most of the under-15 side that qualified for finals in this year’s truncated season, stepping up a grade.