Hockey
19 June, 2025
Cold conditions but play heats up
The word most frequently used to describe round six of the Wimmera hockey season at the weekend was "cold", but this referred to the weather, not the standard of hockey played.
The fields were damp, although not wet or muddy, but still compelled teams to reassess their game plans to adapt to conditions not previously encountered this season.
However, little could be done about the bitterly cold wind.
Most games started at a swift pace, but as they progressed and the players grew tired, the tempo slowed, and then player resilience and rotations off the interchange bench became significant in influencing the result.
Open
Both open division games were fine examples of skilled hockey, with evenly matched opponents going toe-to-toe in fast-paced and skilful encounters.
The Yanac Tigers remain undefeated after their encounter with the Warrack Hoops, and the improving Kaniva Cobras overcame the Nhill Rangers.
The Tigers and Hoops began their game at the intensity that has regularly been observed in matches between these two for many years, and they played out an even and scoreless first quarter.
The deadlock was broken with the Tigers establishing a two-goal lead in the second, with goals to Todd Alexander and Sean Pedie, who created space in attack and scored after intercepting a solid pass into the ‘D’.
The second half was as even as the first quarter, with both teams looking dangerous in attack, but the defences at each end of the ground remained solid and no further scoring was possible.
Tiger forwards Todd Alexander and Shaun Alexander played well, and Hoops’ defenders Caleb Baldock and Hamish Wagenknecht kept their team in the game.
The other open match maintained this standard with another high-standard encounter.
The Nhill Rangers, still seeking their first win in 2025, set the pace when Steven Carew scored the opening goal in the first quarter, putting pressure on the Kaniva Cobras, who have shown some good
recent form after a slow start to the year.
The Cobras’ Clint Beattie equalled the scores in the second quarter, and despite some solid play by the Rangers as the game progressed, the Cobras took the lead after half-time when Jordan Clark scored in the third quarter, and Dewald Venter sealed the result with another in the last period of play.
Lachie Mills controlled the midfield for the Cobras, with solid assistance from Jordhan Clark and Adam Wallis, and Joseph Knoll, Jason Reichelt and goal scorer Steven Carew were the standout players in a solid team performance by the Rangers.
After this round, the Tigers remain comfortably on top of the ladder, six points ahead of their nearest rival, but there has been a reshuffle below them.
With their loss, the Hoops dropped from second to fourth, and the Cobras rose to second.
The two points gained from the bye allowed the Horsham Hurricanes to remain in third place, as their superior goal difference kept them ahead of the Hoops.
The Nhill Rangers are falling off the pace, but if they maintain their recent form their first win will not be too far away, and they can still play a significant part in shaping the make-up of the finals.
Women
There were no changes on the women’s ladder, with all of the higher-ranked teams registering wins
this round.
The Horsham Jets started strongly against the Dimboola Roos, but as the game progressed the Roos took control, although it took them until the third quarter to convert this into a lead on the scoreboard, when successful penalty corners by Brooke McMaster and Ameilia Rintoule saw them
ahead by two goals at three-quarter-time.
The Jets fought out the game but were unable to breach the Roos’ defence, and the game ended in a Dimboola victory.
McMaster was named as Dimboola’s best player ahead of Jennie Hauselberger and Rintoule.
Horsham regulars Carmel Lawson and Lorna Schilling put in solid performances.
Kaniva continued their good form after a slow start to their premiership defence but had to work hard to overcome the tenacious Nhill Thunderbirds.
Kaniva appeared to dominate the game, earning 11 penalty corners to the ‘Birds’ one, but some well-coordinated Nhill defence was up to the challenge for most of the game.
The only goal came late in the second quarter off Nyree Hutchins' stick during a penalty corner.
Regular leading players Imogen Williams and Lisa Stimson stood out for Kaniva, and midfielder Kendra Clark and goalkeeper Erin Wallace played well for the Thunderbirds.
Yanac maintained their 2025 unbeaten record with a comfortable win over Warracknabeal.
Nine players shared the scoring for Yanac, with Mikayla Mackley and Erin Alexander named as their top performers.
Ellie Williamson continued to be a regular top performer for Warrack, with Sam Williamson and Eddie Bull also playing well.
There were no positional changes on the women’s ladder, which is taking on a predictable look, all teams having defeated all opponents below them on the ladder so far this season, and although the top three are creating a gap between themselves and those in the lower half of the ladder, there is still plenty of competition in the race for fourth place.
Under 16
In the under 16 competition the leading two teams are also drawing away from the rest of the field but there is still lots of interest in those in the middle of the ladder.
The Dimboola Kangaroos rose one place to third with a two-goal win over the Horsham Bombers, and the Yanac Warriors remain a game clear on top after a five-goal win over the Warrack Revengers, who slipped one place to fourth.
The Nhill Leopards maintained their second place with a win over the Kaniva Raiders but had to work hard to come away with the points, needing to score three goals to overcome the Raiders’ two.
RESULTS
Open: Yanac Tigers 2 (goals T Alexander, S Pedie; best T Alexander, S Alexander, S Farmers) defeated Warrack Hoops 0 (best C Baldock, H Wagenknecht, T Jorgensen); Kaniva Cobras 3 (goals J Clark, D Venter, C Beattie; best L Mills, J Clark, A Wallis) defeated Nhill Rangers 1 (goal S Carew; best J Knoll, J Reichelt, S Carew)
Women: Yanac 13 (goals E Alexander 2, M Mackley 2, E Wheaton 2, A Farmers 2, C Dickinson, S Hedt, C Alexander, K Hennessy, I Hedt; best M Mackley, E Alexander, K Hennessy, I Hedt) defeated Warrack 0 (best E Williamson, S Williamson, E Bull); Dimboola Roos 2 (goals B McMaster, A Rintoule; best B McMaster, J Hausleberger, A Rintoule) defeated Horsham Jets 0 (best C Lawson, L Schilling, J Mackereth); Kaniva 1 (goal -Hutchins; best I Williams, L Stimson, N Hutchins) defeated Nhill Thunderbirds 0 (best K Clark, E Wallace, L Clark)
Under 16: Yanac Warriors 5 (goals H Zanker 2, L Cramer, I Hedt, S Farmers; best L Dickinson, S Pedie, H Zanker) defeated Warrack Revengers 0 (best E Williamson, S Williamson, N Eilola); Dimboola Kangaroos 2 (goals L Hauselberger; best L Hauselberger, A Pretorius, C Elliott) defeated
Horsham Bombers 0 (best H Pi Pietro, J Di Pietro, J Mackereth); Nhill Leopards 3 (goals T Bee, B Clark, H Albrecht; best O Bone, T Bee, L Clark) defeated Kaniva Raiders 2 (goals J Beattie, L Doyle; best J Beattie, J White, R Williams)
Development program: Yanac Lowan Stars 12 (goals P Dart 5, C Alexander 2, M Campbell 2, M Zanker, R Dickinson, Z Rethus) v. Warrack Avengers 1 (goal M Marra); Horsham Black Hawks 3 (goals L Rose, L Hobbs, H Mills) 3 v. Dimboola Kookaburras 2 (goals L Elliott 2); Nhill Bandits 6 (goals H Albrecht 3, M Sardhara 2, N Krelle) v. Kaniva Rampagers 3 (goals A Curtis, C Bedford, R Williams)
– SIMON KING
