Reigning GFNL premier St Mary’s hopes of repeating the dose in 2026 have been significantly boosted after confirming the return of midfield gun.
Speculation had been rife that the two-time Mathieson medallist was likely to be back at Anthony Costa Oval next year after spending 2025 in Queensland.
Playing with Gold Coast-based club Palm Beach Currumbin, Benson won the Syd Guildford Trophy as the Most Valuable Player in the QAFL.
Benson was a standout when St Mary’s won premierships on either side of the pandemic.
He is also a two-time best-and-fairest, including in 2024.
“But more importantly, he is a great club person and will bring with him a great wealth of knowledge and leadership back into the senior group,” the Saints said in a statement on Facebook.
The signing of Benson comes 24 hours after St Mary’s confirmed the arrival of Werribee-listed former Geelong Falcon Josh Sanders from Lara.
Meanwhile, the GFNL Cats have also lost talented youngster Daniel Lowther to Newtown & Chilwell.
The son of 2002 Lara premiership captain Shane, Lowther spent this year as a 19-year-old on the Geelong Falcons list, kicking ten goals in nine games after an injury-interrupted first half of the season.
The 199cm key forward earned an invite to last year’s State Combine after finding himself on the AFL Draft radar following 18 goals in 13 games during the 2024 season
X: @krockfootball
