Hockey
29 July, 2025
Hockey soldiers on in wet weather
For the first time this season, Wimmera hockey players had to come to terms with a damp pitch on Saturday following significant rain the day before, combined with some wet and cold weather, and it was the teams that adapted to the conditions better who enjoyed the success.
Despite the challenges, round 11 of the Wimmera hockey season showcased some top-quality hockey, and although all results reflected ladder positions, there were some notable implications for several teams’ finals aspirations that emerged from the weekend.
Open
The top two teams on the open ladder both earned wins, which keeps them ahead of the rest of the field, while the defeated teams now have their fates decided.
The Tigers came out firing, scoring twice in the first quarter and twice more in the second to establish a four-goal lead by half-time.
After a more even third period of play where the Hurricanes repulsed everything the Tigers threw at them, the reigning premiers added another two goals in the last quarter to finish with a six-goal victory, with six individuals contributing to this score.
The Tigers have almost done enough to ensure they finish at the top of the ladder, and while the Hurricanes will play finals as they cannot drop lower than fourth, even with an ideal combination of results, the best they can now finish would be third.
The Hoops also started strongly, with Cameron Bardell scoring two goals in the first quarter to give them the lead by the first break.
The Rangers rallied when play resumed, and matched the Hoops for much of the rest of the game, with the only other score coming in the last quarter when Sandon Schultz successfully converted a penalty stroke.
Although they put in another valiant effort, the Rangers are still searching for their first win of the year, and unfortunately, their opportunity to make the finals has now passed. In contrast, the win has enhanced the Hoops' chances of staying in second place on the ladder.
The Kaniva Cobras had the week off with a bye but are still within reach of the top two, but will have to win two more matches than the Hoops over the next four rounds if they are to earn the second chance in the finals.
Women
The top two teams in the women’s division also registered wins, emphasising their dominance, and the fourth-placed Thunderbirds strengthened their grip on a place in the finals.
The closest game of the round in this division saw the second-placed Dimboola Roos work hard to defeat the third-placed Kaniva by three goals to one.
As a result, both teams remain in their respective positions on the ladder.
This game started with the ball spending most of the time in the midfield without either team gaining a significant advantage, and the first real opportunity to score came late in the second quarter when the Roos earned a penalty stroke after some disparate Kaniva defence, which goalkeeper Briony Williams successfully defended.
Dimboola broke the deadlock minutes later when Ameilia Rintoule scored from field play four minutes before half-time.
The balance of play was even throughout the third quarter, with Rintoule adding another goal to the Roos' score soon after play resumed, but Hannah Braisby evened the quarter with a goal for Kaniva just before the last break.
Dimboola’s third goal came off Chelsea Elliott’s stick early in the last quarter, and although Kaniva earned several more penalty corners, including one that was played out after the final whistle, they were unable to reduce the margin.
Even with this loss, Kaniva remains comfortably in third place, and it would take a significant reversal of form by several teams for them to move up or down from their current position.
Meanwhile, Dimboola is comfortably holding second place.
The other two games had a significant impact on the ongoing battle for fourth place.
The Nhill Thunderbirds moved a game clear of the Horsham Jets after a comfortable win over Warracknabeal.
In the process, they increased their goal difference by ten, which could prove to be significant later in the season as they fight to remain in the top four.
Nhill scored regularly throughout the game and finished with ten goals, with Barrett Clark contributing three and Kendra Clark and Rachel Clark two each to be the multiple scorers.
Amongst an even performance across the whole Warrack team, midfielders Eddie Bull and Ellie Williamson stood out.
In another game with an even start, Yanac was held to just one goal in the first quarter by the Horsham Jets’ defenders, but the last three quarters yielded a further eight goals to set the margin at nine, with Caitlyn Alexander the best for the winners with four goals, and Ellen Wheaton the other multiple goal scorer with two.
These two results have increased the goal difference between the Thunderbirds and Jets by 19, a margin that the Jets are unlikely to make up in the remaining four games, which effectively increases the Nhill teams’ lead on the ladder over the Jets to two wins.
This puts the pressure firmly on the Jets, whose minimum task over the next four weeks is to defeat Warracknabeal next Saturday and then defeat the Thunderbirds when they meet each other in round 14, but even this may not be enough to extend their season into the finals.
Under 16
After this week’s results, the intrigue remains as to which teams will fill the last two places in the under 16 finals, with three teams still firmly in the mix for two spots.
Two of those teams, the Kaniva Raiders and Dimboola Kangaroos, played each other and were only separated by one goal when the final whistle blew.
This goal was scored by Kaniva’s Colby Champness in the second quarter, which was a fair representation of the first half, when his team controlled more of the play.
However, the Kangaroos earned their share of the ball after half-time but were unable to make an impression on the scoreboard.
The other two matches ended in comfortable victories by the top two teams, with the Nhill Leopards defeating the Warrack Revengers by five goals, and the Yanac Warriors overcoming the Horsham Bombers by two goals.
These three results have seen a big change in the middle of the ladder.
The Raiders have risen to third at the expense of the Revengers, who slipped to fourth, and the Kangaroos remain in fifth place, only one win behind the other two, so there is still plenty to play out over the next four rounds, as any two of these teams can realistically progress to the finals.
The Leopards and Warriors are well ahead of the rest of the field and will make up the top two on the ladder after round 15, but as they are currently equal on points, interest remains in which will claim the minor premiership.
The Bombers are now at the mercy of an improbable sequence of results if they are to make the finals, although they still have the opportunity to register their first win before the end of the season.
RESULTS
Wimmera Hockey Association round 11:
Open: Yanac Tigers 6 (goals J Harding, R Croot, T Alexander, Z Dorrington, A Zanker, R Mackley; best B Alexander, S Alexander, Z Dorrington) defeated Horsham Hurricanes 0 (Best - P Mackereth, W Gulline, J Knoll); Warrack Hoops 3 (goals C Bardell 2, S Schultz; best C Bardell, S Schultz, J Knoop) defeated Nhill Rangers 0 (best L Marra, J Knoll, N Dickinson; bye Kaniva Cobras.
Women: Dimboola Roos 3 (goals A Rintoule 2, C Elliott; best B McMaster, A Rintoule, C Hadzig) defeated Kaniva Women 1 (goal H Braisby; best N Hutchins, H Braisby, B Curtis); Yanac Women 9 (goals C Alexander 4, E Wheaton 2, E Alexander, M Mackley, S Hedt; best E Alexander, M Mackley, S Hedt) defeated Horsham Jets 0 (best M Noaillies, M Trillini, H Mackereth); Nhill Thunderbirds 10 (goals B Clark 3, K Clark 2, R Clark 2, L Clark, A Albrecht, N Rowe; best K Clark, C Shurdington, R Clark, B Clark) defeated Warrack Women 0 (best E Bull, E Williamson, S Williamson, E Gawne).
Under 16: Kaniva Raiders 1 (goal C Champness; best J Beattie, J White, C Champness) defeated Dimboola Kangaroos 0 (best A Pretorius, L Hauselberger, R Hadzig); Yanac Warriors 2 (goals H Zanker 2; best S Pedie, A Zanker, H Zanker) defeated Horsham Bombers 0 (best J Schwarz, J Mackereth, J Di Pietro); Nhill Leopards 5 (goals O Bone 3, B Clark 2; best O Bone, B Clark, T Bee) defeated Warrack Revengers 0 (best S Williamson, E Williamson, N Krelle).
Development program: Kaniva Rampagers 1 (goal R Williams) v. Dimboola Kookaburras 4 (goals L Hauselberger 2, C Wallace, R Wallace); Yanac Lowan Stars 5 (goals S Hedt 2, C Alexander, M Zanker, E Alexander) v Horsham Black Hawks 2 (goals C Claassen, L Rose); Nhill Bandits 4-1 (goals M Sardara, H Albrecht, A Cramer, N Krelle, B Cannell) played a scratch match as Warrack Avengers could not field a team.
