Football
31 July, 2025
All on the line for Saints and Thunder
Just one game out of the five, finals are a possibility still for the Horsham Saints.
But they need to be on their game for each of their remaining hitouts this season, beginning with the clash against the higher-placed Thunder this Saturday.
The Thunder, fifth on percentage, have an agenda of their own, though, and that's to stay in the five so they can contest finals this season.
With Minyip Murtoa above them and Dimboola below them, both on the same number of points as the Thunder, there is no room for error.
Last time the sides met the Saints claimed the win: 14.6 (90) to 8.5 (53).
Coach of the Horsham side, Ben Knott, said it was their good form at that point in time that got them over the line last time and although he admitted the side was still missing some of their best 21, he said he was hoping his side would have what it took this time, too.
"We were actually in form back then, we had our game in good order and a full list available," he said.
"The Thunder were the opposite: probably not as in form, might not have had their full list, and sometimes you just get different teams at the right time."
Asked if his side was close to its best in terms of availability of players to be selected, Knott said the Saints still had a couple of key players out as happened at this time of the year.
"We are rolling different blokes in, which is fine, but it's close enough to being pretty strong bar a few players," he said.
Admitting the back half of the year hadn't been going quite the way the Saints would have liked or planned, the coach said they had been in most matches up until the final siren.
"We've been dropping off here and there but we feel like, with what we have, if we can put it together for the entire game we will definitely be in for a shot," Knott said.
"But they are starting to hit a bit of form now too so easier said than done."
Knott also said his side had in no way conceded their finals hopes.
"We have to keep fighting," he said.
"We realise we have made it hard and it's a long way coming back now (but depending on results) there could be a world where there are four teams on 24 points and we would be one of them.
"But we have got to hold up our end of the bargain, starting with a win, and that is our biggest priority.
"We have to give ourselves a chance."