Football
24 April, 2025
Rivals to clash under lights
In the Wimmera Football Netball League Anzac Day clash, the Demons and the Saints will not only be battling for town bragging rights, but also to get their first win of the season.
The Demons played Ararat in Round One of the season, and were defeated 8.8 (56) to 32.12 (204) while the Saints came up against Nhill, losing 6.9 (45) to 13.8 (86).
Coach of the Demons, Jordy Burke, said there has always been a rivalry that is solid between the Horsham based sides.
"The rivalry always adds a bit to the spectacle, and it always adds a bit to each time we play the Saints," Burke said.
"It's always that extra motivation to get the win."
The similarities don't stop at the sides being from the same towns, with Burke saying they are also similar teams in the way of line ups.
"We are probably a couple of similarly matched teams, we are both young, we have some smalls and talls and both midfield groups are probably our leaders," he said.
"For us, we are going to have to match up well and make sure we can get first use in the middle and make sure we get enough opportunity to kick a decent score.
"We want to make sure we are getting around that 15-goal mark."
Burke said they had the likes of Billy Carberry, Bronte Campbell, Lachie Hobbs and Matthew Long who will need to perform come Saturday.
"Those boys will have to step up and get dangerous about the goals," he said.
The side, all in all, though, are excited and feel honoured to be playing on ANZAC Day.
"It's always an honour, we talk about it every year, but it really is the spectacle of it," Burke said.
"You draw a big crowd, but the ANZAC tradition, along with the march that both clubs go to, it is an absolute honour to play on the day, and it's not lost on us and we enjoy it and honour the ANZACs."