In round three, Ararat won by 15 points; at home this time, the Thunder will be confident they can get the four points.

James Jennings, Riley Taylor, Alex Van Opstal, and Robert Armstrong are missing from Ararat's full-strength team.

Both teams have potent forward lines. Tom Williamson plays a fifty/fifty split between midfield and forward, leading the goal-kicking competition with 38 goals.

In recent weeks, Jack Ganley and Tom Mills have returned to the team from injury. They kicked eight and five goals, respectively, last week and are finding form.

Brad Lowe is consistent for the Thunder, sitting in fifth place with 31 goals. Thomas Clarke, Rupert Sangster, and the returning Liam Nelson are dangerous.

Ararat Co-coach Tom Mills said the midfield battle will go a long way to winning the match.

"Both teams have a strong midfield and potent forward lines, so the midfield battle is crucial."

"Luke Spalding may get the job on Brad Lowe, but we are still trying to work out who to play position-wise moving forward, and now we are starting to get our players back."

"Playing at a new ground and a new place, you don't know what to expect, but we have traveled to that area well in recent seasons."

The Thunder are returning from the bye, and as previously mentioned, Liam Nelson will return alongside Nick Yarran and Sam White.

Thunder coach Kieran Delahunty echoed Mills' sentiments that the midfield battle is the key.

"Both midfield can kick goals, and it is a strength to both sides, so generally, who gets on top there will win the game," Delahunty said.

"They have some quality forwards and reliable targets for them, so we need to devise a plan to shut those guys down. Credit to our defence, they have played well all year as we only average 46 points against us per game."

With Tom Williamson one of the competition's leading players and potentially leading the league's best and fairest, Delahunty said they would look at him.

"You have to be wary of him, and you are mad if you don't put time into their dangerous players, and he is one of them," Delahunty said.

When asked what he thought about people dubbing this the grand final preview, Delahunty said it's a long way to go, but this match is important.

"Horsham gave us a close scare three weeks ago, and they followed it up with a win against Ararat. There is a long way to go, but both of us should be there at the pointy end of the season," Delahunty said.

"It is a big game this week, which will set up the rest of the year, and it is good to be playing back at Jeparit and look forward to another massive crowd."

When the Horsham Saints travel to Anzac Park, they are under no illusions about what they need to do as a victory keeps their finals chances alive.

The Saints are seventh on the ladder, two games behind Nhill, who are in fifth spot. With Nhill on the bye, a win will keep them within reach of the finals.

The Eagles haven't registered a win for the season, but they will be no easy beats at home, especially with the Saints missing two key backs, Angus Martin and Alexander McRae.

Full-forward, Nathan Koenig, who was late out with illness last week, should be back.

Saints coach Ben Knott said he hasn't been disappointed by their performances the last two weeks.

"Ever since the Nhill game, the boys have gone in with a different mindset, and I haven't been completely upset with how we have played," Knott said.

"We were right in the match last week, with it getting away from us in the last quarter and a bit, so we know how well we can play.

"If we can bring the same mindset into this game, it should hold us in good stead, but if we bring that mindset we had against Nhill, then anything could happen."

"That game is still fresh in the player's minds as they got some home truths about that."

"Our midfield has been good in recent weeks, and our full game defence is good, so hopefully, we can do that again and prevent the ball from going inside fifty," Knott said.

The Eagles will welcome Will Batson and Machok Garang back, and Jake O'Donnell may be back to bolster their midfield.

Kyle Cheney will probably play up forward with the Saints stretched down back.

Eagles coach Matt Walder said consistency is the key.

"We have some leadership and size back this week, but as everyone knows, we have had our moments, but we can't sustain it, so we just need to get that consistency," Walder said.

Horsham hosts Minyip Murtoa in what is an essential clash for Minyip Murtoa. The Burras are sixth on the ladder, one game behind Nhill. The Demons are in some red-hot form, sitting in fourth, and a win will see them move two games clear of the fifth spot.

Coach Jordyn Burke says it's a simple equation.

"We have to keep doing what we are doing best and keep winning as it's a pretty tight year," Burke said.

"We have to put ourselves in a position to play finals, so you get a good chance to control your own destiny."

The final match sees Stawell host Dimboola at Central Park. Dimboola is fresh off a triple-figure loss to Nhill last week, while Stawell would move to second on the ladder should they win.

SAINTS NETBALLERS LOOK TO BOUNCE BACK

The Horsham Saints travel to Anzac Park to take on a Warrack Eagles side looking for their third consecutive win in round twelve of the Wimmera Football Netball League.

The Saints, unbeaten until last week, lost by 13 goals to Horsham in what many dubbed the Grand Final preview.

Rising star Jorja Clode will still be missing for the Saints, but Taya Quick has filled her role well, getting better each game.

The Eagles will be confident that they can improve on their 36-goal loss to the Saints in round three.

Meanwhile, Horsham is on top of the ladder due to percentage and hosts a Minyip Murtoa team fighting for a finals berth. The Burras sit seventh on the ladder, one game out of the five.

Stawell hosts a red-hot Dimboola outfit at Central Park. The Roos are sitting in third spot. Stawell, on the other hand, is sitting in fifth. A win will keep them a game clear of the chasing pack, but a loss could mean one of three below them could take fifth place.

The Southern Mallee Thunder are one of those teams and host Ararat, who haven't registered a win in 2024.

A win to the Thunder will see them potentially move into the five.

The Saints are currently sixth on the ladder, with three wins, the same as Minyip Murtoa. The Tigers are a game behind in seventh, so it's a must-win for both teams.

The Saints were close to getting Judd Wright back last week, but he reinjured his ankle while training, and they lost Jordy Keyte on the weekend to a knee injury.

Saints' coach Ben Knott knows it won't be an easy task.

"Historically, we have gone to Nhill, and it has always been a struggle there, so I expect another close game," Knott said.

"They have some players we will need to work on, such as Jake McQueen, so we have watched the footage and worked out a plan to combat some of their dangerous players.

"There is a lot we can still improve on, such as our defensive side, but it's pleasing to learn while you're winning, instead of losing."

At Horsham City Oval, Horsham will look forward to testing itself against the premiership favourite, Southern Mallee Thunder.

They have an entire squad to choose from and coach Jordy Burke is looking forward to seeing where they are really at.

"Now we get to test ourselves, and we are looking forward to it. I am happy with the improvements we have shown," Burke said.

"We have to play direct footy and don't let them get a chance to set up, and that was an extra focus this week during training.

"It's good to see where we sit, and after the match, regardless of what happens, we can assess our goals, and sitting in the top five is a good thing."

In the other match, Minyip Murtoa and Dimboola face off at Dimboola Recreation Reserve. This is an important match in the context of Dimboola's season.

The Roos currently sit eighth, one win behind the Burras in the top five, so a loss means they could be two games out of the five, depending on what happens in the Saints game.

On the other end of the spectrum, a win for the Burras can give them some space in the top five, but it will be tough with the Burras still missing a few key players through injury.

The Warrack Eagles have the bye alongside Ararat and Stawell who played each other in this fixture on Good Friday.

After playing football, he has been umpiring for over 30 years. He was also a premiership player with Taylors Lake.

Only one other umpire, Maurice Rudolph, has reached this milestone in the region. Despite being on a long-term injury list from field umpiring, Rudolph will return to goal umpire with his long-term friend who he recruited years ago.

Additionally, WFNL senior Grand Final field umpire Gerald White will join Cameron Pickering to form a three-field umpire system. Gareth Lane will also goal umpire, creating a team with a combined tally of over 4500 matches in support of Frank's milestone game.

Both clubs will honour Frank's long service with a guard of honour.

Despite his experience, Frank remains a prominent senior umpire.

He is also admired as a mentor and development umpire coach, whose passion for passing on his experience has helped him connect with a diverse range of people.

Frank's work in this area was recognised by AFL Victoria last season, where he was named the AFL Victoria Development Umpire of the Year.

The Thunder are sitting third on the ladder with a massive percentage of 228.79, with two of their three victories being triple figure margins.

The Thunder don't look to have a weakness across the path, and their ability to share the ball around and have multiple players hit the scoreboard is their strength.

Last week they had 10 players hit the scoreboard and in the 21 goals kicked, Jackson Fisher led the way with four goals.

He has hit good form and will be hard to stop alongside Bradley Lowe, a key recruit with strong hands and accurate goal kicking.

For Dimboola, recruit Andrew Moore has proven his worth through the midfield and is likely leading their best and fairest awards.

His impact is significantly amplified when paired with the skilled Dylan Landt and the robust Ben Miller, forming a dangerous midfield combination that has been challenging for opponents to contend with.

Last weekend, the team played without Jackson Calder, who had scored an impressive 19 goals in three games for the Roos. His absence was felt, but with his return, Dimboola's offensive capabilities are greatly enhanced.

However, for the Roos to secure victory, they must not only dominate the midfield but also find a strategy to stifle the Thunder's forwards and prevent them from scoring heavily.

On the defensive end, Patrick MacDonough has been a standout for the Roos. Despite not having played much in recent years due to injury, he has made a significant impact this season and is a crucial player for them in defense. Jackson O'Neill is also enjoying a strong season and will play a vital role at full back, bolstering the team's defensive line.

The combination of a strengthened midfield, with Moore, Landt, and Miller leading the charge, and a solid defense anchored by MacDonough and O'Neill, positions Dimboola as a formidable opponent.

As they prepare for their upcoming matches, particularly against the Thunder, the Roos will need to harness these strengths effectively. The return of Calder adds another layer of potency to their attack, but the real test will be balancing their offensive and defensive efforts to secure consistent wins.

In the reserves, the Thunder are sitting in fourth place on the ladder with the Roos in fifth. The under-17s will eye their first win, with the Thunder only having one win for the season thus far whilst the under-14s, sitting in third place will look to stay there with the Thunder sitting in fifth.

Important week for netballers

The A-grade netballers are currently sitting third on the ladder with three wins, and a win is important in the context for their season as the Thunder are sitting fourth, one game behind.

Nicole Polycarpou has been their highest scorer this year with 100 goals and is fresh off a 52 point game against the Eagles.

Defensively, Olivier Beugelaar and Bridget Dorrington have been exceptional, forming a formidable barrier against opposing teams.

Their consistent performance has been a key factor in the team's success this season. Meanwhile, Maddison Marra has been a strong presence through the center, linking defense and attack effectively and driving the team's play forward.

In the other netball divisions, both teams in B-grade are on one win, C-grade both are on two wins and in C-grade, the Roos are on one win with the Thunder on zero, so the senior netball action is going to be a tight throughout all grades.

In juniors, the U17s, both are on two wins so another close contest is expected. In the U15, both teams haven't won with the Thunder drawing against Minyip Murtoa last week and in the U13, the Thunder are on two wins with Dimboola on one, so a win is vital for the Roos.

The Thunder will look to bounce back at home when they host the Horsham Saints at Hopetoun Recreation Reserve.

Thunder coach Kieran Delahunty knows the Saints are dangerous and is confident they can bounce back from their loss against Ararat last weekend.

"They have some good players. Mitch Martin had a big year last year up forward so we will need to put some time and effort into him and making sure we can shut him down in a particular way," Delahunty said.

"We have learned a lot from the game on the weekend and hopefully we can bounce back from it."

Saints coach Ben Knott said it would be a good test.

"We are still missing a few players so it will be a good test for our young group," Knott said.

"In the third quarter against Warrack, we played how we want to play and if we play like that for all four quarters, we have a good chance."

Stawell will look to remain unbeaten when they host Nhill at Central Park.

Jackson Dark and Mitch Taylor will be back this week after missing the win against Dimboola whilst Mitch Thorp may miss again with a rolled ankle.

Stawell coach Tom Eckel said they won't be getting complacent.

"The boys are enjoying winning and that is something we haven't done for a long time, so to have a good run like this is great for the club," Eckel said.

"The enjoyment level is high and we are playing good football and everyone is buying in for the right reasons.

"It's a great environment and we are all pretty keen to keep winning."

Warrack will host Minyip Murtoa in another tough game for the club.

Eagles coach Matt Walder said they just need to keep working on what they are trying to accomplish.

"We need to work on our game and plan for the opposition and understand what we are trying to do," Walder said.

"We have to be dangerous with the ball in hard and start getting into the opposition's heads. We need to promote a good game style and put some fear into the opposition and it's a work in progress."

Tim McIntyre suffered a knee injury in the win against the Demons and will miss as well as John Delahunty.

Burras coach knows it will be a tough match.

"Despite how they have gone this year, we won't be taking them lightly as they have a lot of talent in their side and they are well coached," Hose said.

"Against Nhill and Horsham, both games could have gone either way and when you start to take the opposition lightly, you get found out, so we will be playing the way we always play."

The Demons host Dimboola and Jordy Burke knows it will be tough against a midfield featuring big bodies.

"The Burras had a strong midfield and so we had a little dress rehearsal so will know what we will come up against on Saturday," Burke said.

The Roos start their quest for the premiership this week when they travel to play Nhill in round two of the Wimmera Football Netball League.

Andrew Moore comes as the biggest recruit they have had in a long time. Moore offers a lot of experience being in the AFL for ten years, playing for Port Adelaide and Richmond.

Recently he played for West Adelaide in the SANFL and is coming to Dimboola as not only an important cog in the midfield but also off-field leadership for Jack Landt and Ben Miller.

Jackson Calder is another big recruit that will sit in the forward line at six foot four and Landt has played with him in the past.

Calder recently played for Mornington where he kicked 43 goals in 2023 and 44 in 2024. Recently, he kicked 72 goals for St Marys in the Northern Territory.

Pat McDonough comes across as a key back/ruck from PEGS in the VAFA, as well as Ben Brett as an elusive half-forward/midfielder from Pint in the NTFL. Brett has a good left foot on him and kicks a lot of goals.

Landt is also hopeful that Mitchell O'Donnell may play a few games this year after being troubled by injuries the last couple of years.

The other big news is Dylan Landt is also returning after having an outstanding season in the NTFL over the summer. Landt secured back-to-back TIO NTFL Men's Premier League highest individual honour, the Nichols Medal for the league's best and fairest.

Jack Landt said that their game style is going to change a bit.

"We have developed an offensive style of game the last few years which has worked well at times, but hasn't worked well at other times," Landt said.

"We are going to try and set up our defenders better with the way we move. Hopefully, we can move the ball well and defend it with the ball in hand and tighten up the screws in the backline."

Landt is also impressed with some juniors that are looking good.

"Alex Jakiel has worked hard over the summer and played well in our practice match and he will play a lot of football for us this year," Landt said.

"Patty Clark is another one as an 18-year-old. He has played two seasons and is ready to step up in the midfield and with experienced players around him, I am excited to see what he can do.

"Finally, Archer Laverty as a 16-year-old has a body for senior football. He has played in the practice matches and is likely to start in the team at the beginning of the year. He can play multiple positions and is strong and clean and will be a good footballer for Dimboola."

Netballers aim to go one better

Ashlee Morrish coaches a Dimboola team this year that made the preliminary final for the first time since the 1960's in 2023.

Morrish has been playing at the club for two years and takes over from co-coaches Nicole Polycarpou and Ant Toet.

The Roos have recruited Bridgette Dorringon, a defender and a midcourt player and goalie Maddie Marra, both coming over from Jeparit Rainbow Storm.

The only loss from last year's team is Holly Ross who moved over to play for Pimpinio.Morrish is excited for the season.

"The numbers are looking exceptionally good. It gives us a lot to choose from and lots of versatility which can be both a blessing and a worry," Morrish said.

"Some new faces bring some pace and strength to the team, add depth and versatility to our squads and have been training well."

Morrish is also excited about the juniors.

"I'm hoping the juniors can continue to elevate their game and continue to develop," Morrish said.

"Indy Ward played her first A Grade game last season and is still eligible for U17's and is showing form during the pre-season."

After tasting finals last year and falling short of a grand final berth, Morrish has identified what they need to do to improve.

"I think we need to refine some of the basics, reduce some of the little mistakes and capitalise on turnovers."

It was a tight first quarter with neither team giving an inch with Stawell having a slender three-point lead at quarter time.

Stawell's second quarter was brilliant, kicking five goals to one to extend the lead to 29 at halftime.

Ararat, however, showed their class after halftime to reduce the margin to 17 points at the last break. In the last quarter, both teams had their chances and Ararat came hard, kicking seven behinds but it was Stawell hanging on to win 77-63.

For Stawell, Cody Driscoll returned to the league in fine style kicking four goals with James Sullivan contributing with two.

Stawell coach Tom Eckel was impressed with how the team gelled after gaining new recruits.

"We had a couple of guys that hadn't met everyone and had a chance to gel but everyone stayed composed nice and early considering the occasion and crowd," Eckel said.

"They just adapted quickly. I am proud of the boys for how they went out and handled things.

"It was a great day for the club defeating Ararat in reserves and senior football as well as all netball grades."

Eckel was impressed with Cody Driscoll, Jackson Dark and Josh Fowkes.

"Cody is a very good player. He has had a good season and he has a lot left in the tank. He hasn't fully got going yet but when he does he is going to be very dangerous," Eckel said.

"Jackson Dark was just solid down back and Josh Fowkes has hit the ground running."Stawell will play St Arnaud in a practice match this weekend.

When asked if training on a smaller ground may have impacted them a bit, Ararat co-coach Tom Mills said it may have at times but emphasised that their skills were poor.

"Possibly at times it may have put our ground positioning out, but that would have been the extent of it," Mills said.

"They dominated centre clearances and got first use of the ball and our skills weren't very good, especially our kicking."

Mills said that Jake Robinson stood out alongside Robert Armstrong and Bayden Cosgriff.

"Robinson kicked three goals through the midfield and stood above everyone else skills-wise," Mills said.

"Armstrong was great and was involved more in the centre in the second half and gave us great defensive pressure and also kicked two goals whilst Bayden Cosgriff was great on Ash Driscoll keeping him to a goal."

Ararat will play Bungaree in a practice match this weekend and will look to rebound when they play Horsham in round one on April 20.

In the other football matches on the day, Stawell's reserves won 121-76 whilst Ararat's juniors were too good winning by 40 and 63 points in the under-17s and under-14s respectively.

Ararat as reigning premiers face a Stawell team that has recruited well in the off-season. Ararat have a similar side to their 2023 premiership team with only Tex Korewha and Ben Taylor missing.

Sam Cronin and Xav Vearing return to the club whilst Ben McKenzie has come from the Northern Football Netball League in Melbourne after playing with Watsonia.

For Stawell, Tom Eckell returns as coach for another season. Cody Driscoll is returning to full forward, ruckman Josh Fowkes has come on board alongside Mitch Taylor, a key defender from Darwin and expectations are high for the upcoming season.

Due to the two main ovals in Ararat being resurfaced, Ararat has been training on the under 13's football oval, and as a smaller oval, it may be an issue come game time.

Tom Mills and Tom Williamson are joint coaches of Ararat this season and Mills said that they have prepared well and are ready to go despite the oval issue.

"Everyone knows each other and we haven't had to tinker much and everyone has put in a lot of effort in pre-season," Mills said.

"Obviously, training on the smaller ground isn't ideal, but everyone has done the best they can and we are all looking forward to starting the season."

Mills identified a few key battles that will be the key to winning the match, highlighted by Cody Lindsay and Josh Fowkes in the ruck and the need to stop Stawell's full forward Cody Driscoll.

"The ruck is going to be an interesting battle between two very good players. Fowkes is an outstanding player so nullifying him in the ruck will be important," Mills said.

"The other important battle will be between Cody Driscoll and Bayden Cosgriff. Cody is a great full forward so we will see what happens there.

"We are looking forward to getting out there and with the conditions being hot, we need to make sure we manage our fluids properly."

Stawell coach Tom Eckell said they are looking forward to testing themselves against the benchmark of the competition.

"It will be a good contest. They are the benchmark and will be again this year," Eckell said.

"They are strong across the board. We are going to have to stop Jack Ganley, Tom Williamson, Tom Mills who are the three key players in that team.

"If we can try and limit their impact, that will go a long way to beating them. The players are looking forward to getting out there again."