Hockey
1 July, 2026
Dimboola breaks clear after tight contest
The latest round of Wimmera hockey presented plenty of variety, not only in some unexpected results but also in the conditions under which the games were played.
During the games on Friday evening, a thick fog settled over the Dimboola Health and Fitness Centre, creating challenging conditions few had ever played under.
Saturday morning dawned clear and mild, but by the end of the last game, the temperature had dropped to single figures.
However, none of this detracted from some top hockey and notable results, including the Warrack Hoops’ first loss in the Open division and the Dimboola Roos moving to outright leadership on the Women’s ladder.
It has taken eight rounds, half the regular season, to finally have a clear leader in the Women’s competition, after the Dimboola Roos defeated Yanac in a close, hard-fought encounter.
Both teams were undefeated going into this game, having played out a two-all draw when they met earlier this season, and for most of this match, this consistency continued.
Yanac opened the scoring early in the first quarter, but Dimboola equalised before the first break.
They stayed locked together on the scorecard until the Roos took the lead late in the third quarter, then added another goal in the last quarter to set the final margin at 3-1.
Despite this result, these teams are very evenly matched and promise an exciting run to the finals, with the battle for the minor premiership possibly not decided until the penultimate round when these two next meet.
Kaniva remain close on the heels of the leaders after a solid win over the Horsham Jets.
This also started as a very even match, but Kaniva made the most of their opportunities and established a two-goal lead by halftime.
As the game progressed, Kaniva took control and created most of the attacking play in the last two quarters, but some solid Horsham defence maintained the pressure.
Their constant attacking eventually yielded three more goals, for a total of five, while the Jets remained scoreless.
Warracknabeal Women have been struggling for several seasons now and are yet to register their first win this year, so they are entitled to enjoy any small success they achieve.
On Saturday evening, this came in the form of their first goal of 2026.
Unfortunately, most of the game was played on the Nhill Thunderbirds’ terms, and they finished with six goals, boosting their goal difference and firming their grip on fourth place.
At the halfway point in the regular season, the Dimboola Roos finally sit alone on top of the ladder, but Yanac is not far behind.
There is a small gap back to Kaniva in third, and they currently deserve that position, as they are clearly a step above the lower group of teams and, at this point, the most likely to mount a serious challenge to the leaders.
The Thunderbirds make up the top four, a win ahead of the Jets, but significantly, they also have a much better goal difference, which is almost worth another win as the Horsham team plots their path to overtaking them for a place in the finals.
Warracknabeal faces a real challenge if they are to rise up the ladder in the next seven rounds.
To their credit, they are making the effort to field a team each week.
As they demonstrated on Saturday, they have the potential to improve on their earlier form and could surprise some opponents towards the end of the season.
After being very competitive but unable to register a victory in the first seven rounds, the Nhill Rangers broke through for their first win for 2026, and they did it in style, knocking off the current competition leaders, the Warrack Hoops, by two goals to one.
The Rangers started stronger and caught the Hoops napping, earning a two-goal lead by quarter time.
This only jolted the Hoops into action.
The following three quarters saw very competitive, hard-fought hockey, with neither team dominating.
Midway through the last quarter, the Hoops hit back with a goal, sparking ten minutes of frantic hockey as the final whistle approached.
The Rangers held on to their lead and celebrated not only their first win but also overtaking the Cobras into fourth place.
The Horsham Hurricanes also defeated a higher-ranked opponent, beating the Kaniva Cobras by three goals to one.
After an even first quarter, Horsham nearly took the lead midway through the second.
A penalty corner shot hit the post and bounced back into play, only to be cleared by the Cobras’ defence.
Minutes later, Kaniva successfully opened the scoring with a field goal just before halftime.
The third quarter saw an even penalty corner count, highlighting the teams’ parity, before Horsham equalised, leaving the scores tied at the last break.
Two more Horsham goals in the final period secured the win, elevating them to third on the ladder.
They are still 10 points behind the Yanac Tigers, who had the bye this week and are in second place, while the Cobras have slipped to fifth.
Despite their first loss, the Hoops still sit on top.
Unlike the other two divisions, all teams in the Open competition are still well in the running for the finals, and it is likely to be quite late in the regular season before the four finalists are confirmed.
Results from this round led to a few movements on the Under-16 ladder.
Nhill Leopards displaced the Warrack Revengers at the top of the ladder after a six-goal win, and the Kaniva Raiders moved from fifth to fourth with a victory over the Horsham Bombers by four goals to one.
Yanac Warriors remain in second place after a scoreless draw, but their opponents, the Dimboola Kangaroos, have slipped out of the top four and are sitting in fifth.