The status quo in the Open competition was challenged when the Nhill Rangers scored their first win in just over twelve months by defeating the second-placed Warrack Hoops by one goal, and in the other match in this division, the Yanac Tigers scored a comfortable win over the Horsham Hurricanes, to record their fiftieth consecutive match without a loss.

Rangers v Hoops

The big result from the round was the Nhill Rangers' one-goal win over the Warrack Hoops.

Having struggled for several seasons with limited player numbers and rarely able to get their best eleven on the pitch at the same time for an extended run, the Rangers have not delivered the results they would have liked to, but they savoured Saturday's result.

The Warrack Hoops, aiming to solidify their second place on the ladder, began the match with a strong performance. They controlled a majority of the play in the first quarter, earning three penalty corners while denying the Rangers any, but were unable to convert these opportunities into goals.

Early in the second quarter, Deegan Clark scored a field goal for the Rangers, only their second for the season, against the flow of play to put his team ahead by halftime.

The pressure was now squarely on the Hoops ramped up their attack, earning thirteen penalty corners, but the Rangers, not needing to score themselves to secure a favourable outcome, focused on a solid defensive strategy of simply clearing the ball from the Hoops' attacking quarter without the pressure of having to develop these clearances into strong attacking moves.

With the final whistle, applause erupted around the whole venue, with even those watching the match on the second field keeping an eye on the Rangers' progress and acknowledging the significance of their achievement.

Brett Tishler, Jason Reichelt, and Jiah Clark dominated the midfield for the victors, and TimJorgensen, Oskar Bennett, and Sandon Schultz played well for the Hoops.

Tigers v Hurricanes

The Yanac Tigers celebrated their fiftieth consecutive match without a loss by defeating the Horsham Hurricanes by seven goals. It was on this same field back in August 2019 that they suffered their most recent defeat, by a goal to the Warrack Hoops in a semi-final.

Since then, they have overcome all challenges, with the only blemish on their record in that time being four drawn matches. A glimmer of hope for their opponents that their dominance might we waning is that three of those ties have been this year, but the challenge remains - who will be the next to beat them?

The Tigers earned the advantage by halftime after a competitive and controlled first half, courtesy of a Rourkey Croot conversion from a penalty corner in the first quarter and a Shaun Alexander field goal in the second.

After the break, the Tigers kept up the pressure and increased their lead by another five goals before the final whistle, but despite the margin, it was an exciting and entertaining match to watch, and the result did not reflect the competitive play on the field.

Croot, Alexander, and Raine Mackley all finished with two goals each, and Josh Cramer scored the other. Maddy Spano, Charles Hassall, and Will Gulline were the standout players for the Hurricanes.

Neither of these results changed any positions on the ladder, but Nhill has proven that they remain a threat for a place in the finals, the Hurricanes remain vulnerable to dropping out of the top four, and the Hoops still have some work to do if they are to retain their grip on second place.

WOMEN

All three results across the Women's competitions reflected ladder positions, but this did not mean the games were not competitive.

Kaniva v Roos

The Dimboola Roos have shown this year that they can challenge the leading teams, but their combination of seasoned players and enthusiastic beginners was missing a few key individuals on Saturday, and they finished with a narrow loss to Kaniva.

Kaniva had many options from a full complement of five interchange players and set up the win with field goals from Imogen Williams and Zoey Smith in the first quarter and one by Holly Beattie in the second quarter.

Thirteen penalty corners to two suggest that Kaniva dominated the play, but after their three goals in the first twenty minutes of the game, the Roos rallied and repelled all further attempts to score, weathering a particularly intense final quarter where Kaniva earned eight of their penalty corners, all of which Dimboola successfully defended.

The balance of the play swung slightly in Dimboola's favour in the last five minutes when they earned two penalty corners, but it was too late for them to change the result.

Imogen Williams, Lisa Stimson, and Sigourney Williams stood out from Kaniva, while the Roos' reliable defenders Jennie Hauselberger, Naomi Kuhnell and Cara Hadzig combined to foil many of Kaniva's scoring attempts.

Yanac v Jets

Yanac remains on top of the ladder after a two goal win over the Horsham Jets in a relatively even match. Although the Jets won the last encounter between these two, they were missing all their goal-scorers from that match, which significantly reduced their attacking options.

While the match was even through the midfield, Yanac made the most of their opportunities in attack, with regular scorers Erin Alexander and Lexi Farmers adding one goal each to their season tallies.

Alexander, Mikayla Mackley, and Susan Hedt were among Yanac's best, and Maddy Spano, Launa Schilling, and Annabelle Heal fought hard across the Jets' midfield.

Thunderbirds v Warracknabeal

The Nhill Thunderbirds signalled that they are still in the race for the finals with a solid victory over Warracknabeal. Kendra Clark contributed four goals and was named the Birds' best, along with Cally Shurdington, Jessica Rowe, and Susan Rowe.

Despite the loss, Warracknabeal earned the distinction of being the only defeated team for the round to have scored, when Natasha Kuchel scored only the team's third goal for the season late in the second quarter. Sam Williamson, Lexi Farmers (on loan for the game from Yanac), and Michelle Nuske joined Kuchel as their best players.

With this result, the fifth-placed Thunderbirds are now just one win away from entering the top four, helped by the Jets' loss, while Kaniva's win has kept them just two points behind Yanac in second place.

Under 16s

This round saw the leading three Under 16 teams all record victories, widening the gap between them and the lower three teams. As in the Women's competition, Yanac and Kaniva also sit in the top two positions on the Under 16s ladder, and like their senior counterparts, they are only separated by two points. Six points further back is the Nhill Leopards, who still have time to pressure the top two, and the Horsham Bombers are sitting in fourth place, ten points behind third and ten points ahead of fifth but will still need a few more wins to ensure they remain there.

On Saturday, the Yanac Warriors defeated the Horsham Bombers, the Kaniva Raiders overcame the Dimboola Kangaroos, and the Leopards defeated the Warrack Revengers.

Barrett Clark was the leading goal scorer for the round, with three of the Leopards' five goals, while Archie Zanker and Sean Pedie for the Warriors, and Charlie White and Logan Krelle for the Raiders all scored two goals each.

Wimmera Hockey Association - Round Nine Results- Open -Nhill Rangers 1 (Goal - D Clark; Best - B Tischler, J Reichelt, J Clark) defeatedWarracknabeal Hoops 0 (Best - T Jorgensen, O Bennett, S Schultz)Yanac Tigers 7 (Goals - R Croot 2, S Alexander 2, R Mackley 2, J Cramer; Best - SAlexander, R Croot, J Cramer) defeated Horsham Hurricanes 0 (Best - M Spano, C Hassall,W Gulline)

Pts GDYanac Tigers 28 28Warrack Hoops 22 8Kaniva Cobras 18 -3Horsham Hurricanes 14 -10Nhill Rangers 8 -23- Women -Kaniva 3 (Goals - H Beattie, I Williams, Z Smith; Best - I Williams, L Stimson, S Williams)defeated Dimboola Roos 0 (Best - J Hauselberger, N Kuhnell, C Hadzig)Nhill Thunderbirds 11 (Goals - K Clark 4, S Rowe 2, R Clark 2, C Shurdington 2, J Rowe;Best - K Clark, C Shurdington, J Rowe, S Rowe) defeated Warracknabeal 1 (Goal - NKuhnell; Best - S Williamson, A Farmers, M Nuske, N Kuchel)Yanac 2 (Goals - E Alexander, A Farmers; Best - E Alexander, M Mackley, S Hedt) defeatedHorsham Jets 0 (Best - M Spano, L Schilling, A Heal)

Pts GDYanac Women 28 35Kaniva Women 26 23Dimboola Roos 22 5Horsham Jets 18 1Nhill Thunderbirds 14 4Warrack Women 0 -68- Under 16 -Kaniva Raiders 4 (Goals - C White 2, L Krelle 2; Best - F Dodson, R Williams, J Beattie)defeated Dimboola Kangaroos 0 (Best - J Ward, V Ward, R Williams)Nhill Leopards 5 (Goals - B Clark 3, D Clark, D Bee; Best - D Clark, B Clark, O Bone)defeated Warracknabeal Revengers 0 (Best - E Williamson, C Peters, M Bentley)Yanac Warriors 6 (Goals - Archie Zanker 2, S Pedie 2, Asher Zanker, S Farmers; Best -Asher Zanker, S Pedie, L Cramer, I Hedt, T Rethus) defeated Horsham Bombers 0 (Best - CBlake, B Cannell, K Besselaar, A Jochinke)Pts GD

Yanac Warriors 32 36Kaniva Raiders 30 41Nhill Leopards 24 22Horsham Bombers 14 -19Dimboola Kangaroos 4 -38Warrack Revengers 4 -42- Under 12 Development Program -Kaniva Rampagers 2 (Goals - A Curtis, A Beattie) v. Dimboola Kookaburras 2 (Goals - RWallace, A Nichols)Warracknabeal Avengers 2 (Goals - B Clark 2) v. Nhill Bandits 6 (Goals - J Bee 2, D Bee 2,A Albrecht, H Albrecht)Yanac Lowan Stars 1 (Goal - A Cramer) v. Horsham Black Hawks 3 (Goals - L Rose 2, LHobbs)

These Championships involve teams from nine zones across country and metropolitan Victoria taking part in Under 12, Under 14, and Under 16 divisions for both girls and boys, with a separate tournament to be held in September for the Under 18 age group.

Across the five days of competition, three Wimmera players represented the North West Lightning, this zone in which the Wimmera Hockey Association is located, several others played for the neighbouring South West Eagles' zone, and Horsham's Paul Mackereth participated as a coach of the North West Lightning Black team in the Boys' Under 12 Division.

Participating in these tournaments is quite an achievement, as not only does a player have to be selected in the squad, but there is also a significant commitment to travel to Bendigo or Warrnambool to attend the weekly training sessions in the lead-up.

The Under 12 games were played on Wednesday and Thursday at Shepparton, using the new Hockey5s rules. This format is played with fewer players and on a smaller pitch than a standard match. It utilises rebound boards around the playing area, which keep the ball in play and make for faster play.

The Lightning Black team won one of their six pool matches but finished positively with a win in the 11th Place Play-Off over the Eagles Maroon team. In this match, James Mackereth (Horsham) scored three of his five goals for the tournament, and Barrett Clark (Nhill) scored one for the Lightning, while Reily Knoop (Horsham) opposed them as goalkeeper for the Eagles.

Horsham's Holly Di Pietro played for the South West Eagles Under 12 Girls team and personally had a good tournament, scoring three goals from five matches, but the team did not enjoy much success, winning only one of their six pool matches.

The Under 14 and 16 divisions were then contested from Friday to Sunday, with the boys playing at Bendigo and the girls at Shepparton and were played as full-field games to the standard rules of hockey.

The nine zone teams in each division were initially divided into two pools, and after playing each opponent in their pool, the top two from each progress to Pool C, from which the winner is decided, and the remaining teams play off in Pool D for positions five and lower.

Two Horsham players participated in the Under 16 competition, with Hannah Mackereth playing for the Lightning girls' team and Jack Di Pietro in the South West Eagles boys' team.

After a slow start, Hannah's team finished on a high, winning the seventh place play-off, while Jack's team did not enjoy a productive tournament, missing the play-off to finish ninth.

Two Horsham players represented the Eagles in the Under 14 competition. Olivia Knoop's team finished eighth in the girls' division, while Hunter Knoop's team had a more successful tournament, finishing third.

Two early wins saw this team progress to Pool C, where they only drew one of three games, but it was enough to qualify for the third-place play-off, where they scored a three-goal victory over the Central Flames to bring home the bronze medal.

Although not all Wimmera participants came home with a medal, they will all return with the invaluable experience of playing alongside and against the cream of their peers from across the state and the experience of training and playing under a different coach, which will improve their individual games and raise the standard of the local competition.

Two more Wimmera players have been selected to play in the Under 18 Championships, which will be held in late September.

A feature of this round was the dedication of 'Shane's Scoreboard', the new electronic scoreboard at the Dimboola venue, during a brief ceremony held before the Under 12 Development Program games.

A significant contributor to the project to replace the original scoreboard, Shane Schwarz sadly passed away late last year to cancer without seeing it completed, but through the efforts of several other Dimboola club members and local tradesmen, it has been installed and was turned on for its first round of matches this weekend.

- Open -

The Open competition featured two contrasting matches, as the leading teams began to flex their muscles.

The match between the teams at each end of the ladder was always going to be a challenge for the fifth-paced Nhill Rangers as they went into the game without three of their most consistent performers, while the competition-leading Yanac Tigers took to the pitch with close to their most potent combination.

The Tigers' short passing game proved very effective against the Rangers players, many of whom had already played a game in the Women's or Under 16 competitions, as they controlled the match, earning twenty-one penalty corners without conceding any.

Multiple goal scorers Josh Cramer with three and Todd Alexander with two topped a list of seven scorers who accumulated ten goals in one of the highest tallies in recent Open competition matches.

Despite the odds against them, the Rangers fought out the game and it was no surprise that defenders Brett Tischler, Craig Schultz, and Lee Marra featured prominently amongst their best players.

The evening match on Saturday saw the Warrack Hoops and Kaniva Cobras battle to claim a spot in the top two and challenge the Tigers for the top spot.

The game was played at a very swift pace, possibly because the players needed to keep moving to ward off the cold. Oskar Bennett put the Hoops ahead with the first of his three goals early in the first quarter, but it took them until well into the second half and a couple more goals before they could consider that they had control of the game.

The Cobras' big-hitting game was effective in keeping the ball moving and creating opportunities for their forwards to pressure the Hoops' defence, and while they looked dangerous at times, they could not find the goals. Opposing this was the Hoops' short passing play, which gave their attackers the chances that they capitalised on four times.

Bennett, Isaac McPherson, and Caleb Baldock were the better players for the victors, while performances by the ever-reliable Josh Bedford and Adam Wallis stood out in defence for the Cobras, along with some impressive work from their goalkeeper Noah Krelle, who stopped more scoring attempts than the Hoops were able to get past him.

The Tigers go into the second half of the season in first place, but with only a two point advantage over the Hoops, so they will have to keep winning if they are to claim yet another minor premiership by finishing the regular season on top of the ladder.

Six points further back is the Cobras, two points ahead of the Hurricanes, who had the bye on Saturday, making up the top four.

The Rangers are several wins behind the leaders, but when they have their best team on the pitch, they have looked dangerous, so they cannot yet be dismissed from finals contention.

- Women -

The opening game of the round in the Women's competition was played on Friday evening between the Dimboola Roos and Horsham Jets. The prize for the winners was the top spot on the ladder, albeit only overnight until the other matches the next day.

Both teams went into the game missing several key players, but the omissions on each side cancelled out which bode well for a very even and competitive game, and that is what they served up.

In another game played in cold conditions, both teams controlled periods of play with effective teamwork and skilful attacking moves, which were matched on all but one occasion by solid defence, with the Roos taking the lead late in the first quarter.

In a heart-stopping finish, the Jets earned a penalty corner just before the final whistle, which had to be played out after full-time.

The first attempt resulted in the awarding of a second penalty in favour of the Jets. On this second attempt, a solid hit by the Jets deflected off one goalpost and shot across the front of the goal, narrowly missing the other goal past and eventually rolling out of bounds toend the corner and the game.

That shot could easily have been deflected across the goal line to tie the match, but unluckily, for the Jets this was not to be, and the Roos came away with the narrowest of victories.

The two matches in this division on Saturday were not as close on the scoreboard but still provided plenty of action.

For much of their game, Yanac and the Nhill Thunderbirds shared control of the ball in the midfield, but Yanac was more effective in transitioning the play into their forward line and looked more dangerous when they did, earning a total of fourteen penalty corners for the match. In contrast, their defence proved solid at the other end of the ground, only conceding two corners and successfully repelling every Nhill forward venture.

Caitlyn Alexander continued her productive season in front of goals, with two successful scoring shots, while Sharon Croot and Charlotte Dickinson both chipped in to set the margin at four goals.

Regular standout players Erin Alexander and Mikayla Mackley shone for the victors, while Kendra Clark, Tori Cuming, and Caitlyn Rowe were the better contributors for the 'Birds.

The inexperienced Warracknabeal team continues to show glimpses of improvement, restricting their more fancied opponents to just one goal in each of the second and third quarters, however, Kaniva's many attacking moves eventually registered six goals from six different scorers.

Jess Wallis and Hannah Braisby joined the ever-reliable Lisa Stimson as Kaniva's best players, and Eileen Eichberger, Kathleen Johns and Madisson Bentley played well for Warracknabeal.

Although the Roos enjoyed about sixteen hours on top of the ladder, the order going into the round was restored after Yanac and Kaniva's wins, but these three remain close enough that the order could change many times before the finals, and the Jets are just one win behind and stay in the mix to join them.

The Thunderbirds and Warracknabeal will find it increasingly difficult to make the finals, and they will need to make their move soon if they are to challenge.

- Under 16 -

Although the season is only halfway through, four teams have made convincing claims to a place in the finals in the Under 16 division, while the remaining two teams have begun to fall off the pace.

After being winless after three rounds, the Horsham Bombers are beginning to show some impressive form which has seen them consolidate a place amongst the leaders with their third win in the last five rounds, which has given them a ten point buffer between them in fourth place and the teams below them.

In the Friday evening game, the Dimboola Kangaroos claimed the lead early, with a goal before quarter time, but the Bombers replied with two goals in the second quarter to hold the lead at halftime, and they sealed the game with a third soon after play resumed in the second half. The Kangaroos fought out the game to the end, giving a glimpse of what is to come from them once they gain more experience.

The Yanac Warriors and Nhill Leopards played out a scoreless draw. Nhill commanded more of the play, they could not transfer that advantage to the scoreboard. Dominated by five goals off Charlie White's stick, the Kaniva Raiders had a solid victory over the Warrack Revengers.

These results see Yanac stay on top of the ladder, just ahead of Kaniva, with Nhill comfortably in the top three, and the Bombers staking a valid claim to at least the fourth spot they currently hold and possibly higher by the end of the season if their form continues to improve.

The Association has the last of its full competition byes for the season next week while several local players enjoy the experience of playing in the Junior State Championships, the pinnacle tournament for underage players in Victoria, from Wednesday to Sunday.

The Wimmera has three players in the North West Lightning Zone teams, and five others will represent the South West Eagles.

The Championships involve teams from nine zones across country and metropolitan Victoria, who enter teams in Under 12, Under 14, and Under 16 divisions for both girls and boys.

Two more Wimmera players will participate in the Under 18 Championships, to be played in late September.

Wimmera Hockey Association - Round Eight Results

- Open -

Yanac Tigers 10 (Goals - J Cramer 3, T Alexander 2, J Honeyman, R Croot, S Alexander, BAlexander, R Mackley; Best - Z Dorrington, R Croot, J Cramer) defeated Nhill Rangers 0(Best - B Tischler, C Schultz, L Marra) Warrack Hoops 4 (Goals - O Bennett 3, S Schultz; Best - O Bennett, I McPherson, C Baldock) defeated Kaniva Cobras 0 (Best - J Bedford, A Wallis, N Krelle)

Pts GD

Yanac Tigers 24 21Warrack Hoops 22 9Kaniva Cobras 16 -3Horsham Hurricanes 14 -3Nhill Rangers 4 -24

- Women -

Yanac Women 4 (Goals - C Alexander 2, C Dickinson, S Croot; Best - E Alexander, MMackley, S Hedt) defeated Nhill Thunderbirds 0 (Best - K Clark, T Cuming, C Rowe) Kaniva Women 6 (Goals - I Williams, N Hutchins, J Wallis, H Pearse, J Braisby, S Braisby;Best - L Stimson, J Wallis, H Braisby) defeated Warracknabeal 0 (Best - E Eichberger, KJohns, Madisson Bentley) Dimboola Roos 1 (Goal - K Marlow; Best - C Hadzig, J Hauselberger, K Marlow) defeated Horsham Jets 0 (Best - L Schilling, H Werner, S Schwarz)

Pts GD

Yanac Women 24 33Kaniva Women 22 20Dimboola Roos 22 8Horsham Jets 18 3Nhill Thunderbirds 10 -6Warrack Women 0 -58

- Under 16 -

Nhill Leopards 0 (Best - D Clark, O Bone, T Bee) drew with Yanac Warriors 0 (Best - AsherZanker, S Pedie, L Cramer, A Cramer) Kaniva Raiders 10 (Goals - C White 5, F Dodson 2, L Krelle, J Beattie, I Hall; Best - C White, F Dodson, L Krelle) defeated Warrack Revengers 0 (Best - E Williamson, S Williamson, J Ward) Horsham Bombers 3 (Goals - H Mackereth. H Di Pietro, J Schwarz; Best - J Schwarz, H Mackereth, J Di Pietro) defeated Dimboola Kangaroos 1 (Goal - J Ward; Best - J Ward, R Hadzig, A Pretorius, V Ward)

Pts GD

Yanac Warriors 28 30Kaniva Raiders 26 37Nhill Leopards 20 17Horsham Bombers 14 -13Warrack Revengers 4 -37Dimboola Kangaroos 4 -34

- Under 12 Development Program -

Dimboola Kookaburras 3 (Goals - R Hadzig 3) v. Horsham Black Hawks 2 (Goals - HMitchell, J Mackereth) Nhill Bandits 4 (Goals - D Bee 2, B Cannell 2) v. Yanac Lowan Stars 2 (Goals - M Dart, E Alexander) Kaniva Rampagers 2 (Goals - L Williams, L Doyle) v. Warrack Avengers 1 (Goal - C Peters)

The eight competition matches yielded six games decided by two goals or less, including two draws, and despite ending with larger margins, the remaining two games provided some entertaining hockey.

The soft grass fields at Yanac provided a different challenge for players and officials than those experienced the previous week on the artificial turf, and those who adapted quicker achieved better results.

- Open -

The Open division witnessed two fiercely competitive games, highlighting that this season is one of the most closely fought in recent years. With only two wins separating the top four teams and nine rounds still to go, all teams are still within reach of the finals.

On field one, the Kaniva Cobras and Yanac Tigers adapted to the conditions well to put on a top display of hockey, with their contrasting styles of play still effective. The Cobras' long hitting still successfully cleared the ball out of defence, but the soft surface made running after it more of a challenge, while the Tigers' usual short passing power game also created attacking opportunities.

The statistics from the game suggest the Tigers dominated, earning fourteen penalty corners to the Cobras three, but they only converted one of these, which came with a minute and a half remaining in the third quarter for the first score for the match.

Kaniva's equaliser came in the last quarter when Karl Glasgow got his stick onto a sharp shot to deflect the ball past the Tigers' goalkeeper.

Yanac's goal scorer, Brad Alexander, was named their best player, along with Jaidyn Honeyman and dependable veteran Simon Farmers. For the Cobras, defenders Clint Beattie and Adam Wallis joined Karl Glasgow as the standout performers.

The Tigers have long been the benchmark of the competition, and taking any points off them, even in the form of a draw, is still considered an achievement, and despite playing out three ties so far this season, they remain undefeated and on top of the ladder, while the Cobra are sitting comfortably in third place, just four points behind.

In another close and entertaining match, the Nhill Rangers looked to be heading for their first points on the field for the season when the last quarter started with scores tied at one goal each, but two late goals by the Horsham Hurricanes gave them the win.

Five minutes into the game, a Horsham goal opened the scoring, but just four minutes later, Rodney Reichelt scored the Ranger's first goal for the season to even the scorecard again.

Very even play followed, with both teams having plenty of shots at goal, but determined defence at both ends prevented any further scoring until a two-minute period in the last five minutes of the game, when the Hurricanes scored two unanswered goals to snatch the win, but not after a big scare from the Rangers.

Tom Batchelor scored two goals, and Lance McBride scored the other for the Hurricanes, with Batchelor, Hunter Knoop, and Paul Mackereth their best, and Jason Reichelt, Brett Tischler and Craig Schultz were the best for Nhill.

With the Warrack Hoops getting two points for the bye, the top four teams are now only separated by eight points, and even the fifth-placed Rangers are still within reach of the finals.

The Tigers remain on top but will have to ward off serious challenges from the Hoops and Cobras if they are to stay there.

- Women -

The top two teams in the Women's competition are forging a strong rivalry with another classic encounter.

After four intense quarters of hockey, only one goal separated them, with Zoe Smith scoring for Kaniva just before halftime.

Despite Yanac having much of the play after the long break, highlighted by earning eleven of the twelve penalty corners awarded in the second half, they could not elude the Kaniva defence and the game ended without any further scoring.

Lisa Stimson and Imogen Williams played well for Kaniva, while regular contributors Erin Alexander, Mikayla Mackley, and Lexi Farmers dominated the midfield for Yanac.

Nhill Thunderbirds showed they are still in contention for a place in the finals with a solid win over the Horsham Jets. The win was set up by a three-goal second quarter, to which the Thunderbirds added another goal in each of the last two quarters to make the final margin five goals while they kept the Jets goalless.

Rachel Clark scored twice while Kendra Clark and Cally Shurdington were named as Kaniva's best players, and dependable defender Launa Schilling was a stand-out for the Jets, with Hunter Knoop providing some much-needed speed on their forward line.

Dimboola Roos controlled most of the play against Warracknabeal, earning thirteen penalty corners to their opponents' four, and this was reflected on the scorecard with the only five goals for the game. Leah Graham scored three goals in a best-on-ground performance, while the ever-reliable Jennie Hauselberger was solid on the half-back line.

Several of Warracknabeal's younger players are beginning to feature regularly among their best players, showing some of their potential for the future, with Ellie Williamson and Madisson Bently named their best.

After these results, the top four teams are now separated by just two points, with Yanac in outright first place on twenty points, but Kaniva, the Roos and Jets are all on eighteen, and the Thunderbirds are not far behind in fifth place.

This suggests a captivating second half of the season with five teams still in serious contention to fill any of the top four positions in the finals, making every match significant.

- Under 16 -

The Under 16 competition is as close and entertaining as the two senior divisions. The top three teams are very evenly matched, and although there is a points gap between them and the remaining three on the ladder, the lower teams are still making their presence felt amongst the leaders.

The match-up between the two competition leaders provided a captivating and skilful display of hockey, in which the Kaniva Raiders took the lead early with a goal in the first quarter and, through possession hockey and some confident defending, maintained the lead until the Yanac Warriors broke through their defence early in the third quarter to equal the scores.

With the scores level going into the last quarter, it was Yanac who scored the last goal to win the game, but this could easily have gone either way.

Two goals to Archie Zanker, who continued his good form in front of goals this year, but it was Asher Zanker and Sean Pedie who were their best players. Charlie White scored the Raiders' only goal and was comfortably their best player, ahead of Reagan Williams.

The battle at the other end of the ladder was just as entertaining. The Dimboola Kangaroos earned their first win for the season, dominated by two goals and a best-on-ground performance by Jasper Ward, who had plenty of assistance from Victoria Ward and Logan Hauselberger, and for the Warrack Revengers, Noah Eilola scored their only goal and was their stand out player, along with Jack Di Pietro, on loan for the game from Horsham, and Caleb Peters.

Between this, the third-placed Nhill Leopards and fourth-placed Horsham Bombers played out a scoreless draw, with Deegan Clark and Hunter Knoop the best players for their respective teams.

In a rare result this season, this combination of results did not lead to any positional changes on the ladder.

However, the Warriors now hold the top spot outright but are still under pressure from the Raiders and Leopards, while the bottom three teams are all still in the running to claim the fourth place, with the incumbent team, the Bombers, the favourites to remain there, but will have to work hard if they are to do so.

Wimmera Hockey Association - Round Seven - Results

- Open -

Yanac Tigers 1 (Goal - B Alexander; Best - B Alexander, J Honeyman, S Farmers) drew with Kaniva Cobras 1 (Goal - K Glasgow; Best - C Beattie, A Wallis, K Glasgow)

Horsham Hurricanes 3 (Goals - T Batchelor 2, L McBride; Best - T Batchelor, H Knoop, PMackereth) defeated Nhill Rangers 1 (Goal - R Reichelt; Best - J Reichelt, B Tishler, CSchultz)

Bye - Warrack Hoops

Pts GDYanac Tigers 20 11Warrack Hoops 18 5Kaniva Cobras 16 1Horsham Hurricanes 12 -3Nhill Rangers 4 -14

- Women -

Kaniva 1 (Goal - Z Smith; Best - L Stimson, I Williams, N Hutchins, J Braisby) d. Yanac 0 (Best - E Alexander, M Mackley, A Farmers)

Nhill Thunderbirds 5 (Goals - R Clark 2, S Keller, N Kuhnell, N Rowe; Best - K Clark, C Shurdington, R Clark) defeated Horsham Jets 0 (Best - L Schilling, H Knoop, A Heal)

Dimboola Roos 5 (Goals - L Graham 3, J Hauselberger, V Elliott; Best - L Graham, J Hauselberger, C Hadzig) defeated Warracknabeal 0 (Best - E Williamson, Madisson Bentley,K Williamson)

Pts GDYanac Women 20 29Kaniva Women 18 14Dimboola Roos 18 7Horsham Jets 18 4Nhill Thunderbirds 10 -2Warrack Women 0 -52

- Under 16 -

Yanac Warriors 2 (Goals - Archie Zanker 2; Best - Asher Zanker, S Pedie, L Cramer, Archie Zanker) defeated Kaniva Raiders 1 (Goal - C White; Best - C White, R Williams, L Williams,J Beattie)

Horsham Bombers 0 (Best - H Knoop, J Schwarz, C Blake) drew with Nhill Leopards 0 (Best - D Clark, O Bone, B Cannell)

Dimboola Kangaroos 2 (Goals - J Ward 2; Best - J Ward, V Ward, L Hauselberger) defeated Warrack Revengers 1 (Goal - N Eilola; Best - N Eilola, J DiPietro, C Peters)

Pts GDYanac Warriors 26 30Kaniva Raiders 22 27Nhill Leopards 18 17Horsham Bombers 10 -15Warrack Revengers 4 -27Dimboola Kangaroos 4 -32

- Under 12 Development Program -

Warrack Avengers 3 (Goals - M Peters 2, Z Nuske) v. Dimboola Kookaburras 1 (Goal - C Wallace)

Yanac Lowan Stars 5 (Goals - S Farmers 3, E Alexander, C Alexander) v. Kaniva Rampagers 2 (Goals - A Bedford, D Stimson)

Horsham Black Hawks 0 v. Nhill Bandits 1 (Goal - B Clark)

On Friday evening, the players were met with challenging wintry conditions, contrasting with the mild weather that greeted those playing on Saturday, but despite the weather, both days saw some thrilling hockey action, with the round producing several significant results that have had a significant effect on the ladders.

- Open -

The evenness of the Open competition was on show, with the Kaniva Cobras continuing their dominance over the Hurricanes and the Yanac Tigers and Warrack Hoops playing out another epic encounter that ended in a draw.

Hurricanes v Cobras

With both teams needing a win to shore up their place in the top four, the Cobras' Josh Bedford opened the scoring with a field goal nine minutes into the match to give his team the lead at quarter time.

Kaniva continued to attack hard into the second quarter, putting the Hurricanes' defence under increasing pressure. Some solid work by Lars Simmons in goals and Jonathan Horsfall at fullback repelled more scoring attempts than they conceded, but through their weight of attacking moves, Lachie Shultz scored a field goal, and Lachie Mills converted a penalty corner to give the Cobras a lead of three goals by halftime.

The play was more even at the start of the third quarter, with the Hurricanes unable to take advantage after earning several penalty corners, but the game came to a premature end midway through the quarter following a collision between two players.

After a delay while dealing with the injury, the match was abandoned, although enough time had been played for the result to be declared official.

The Cobras earned four points for a three-goal victory, with Mills, defender Adam Wallis, and Bedford named as their best, and Charles Hassall, Maddy Spano, and Horsfall playing well for the Hurricanes.

Hoops v Tigers

As expected, this game started at a fast pace and did not slow down at all during the following sixty minutes of intense play and while both teams created opportunities during a very even first half, neither could find the goals, and the scorecard was still empty at halftime.

The deadlock was eventually broken late in the third quarter when Todd Alexander got on to a crisp shot from a penalty corner to put the Tigers ahead. This looked enough to earn them the win as the play continued to swing from one end of the ground to the other, but neither team's attackers could breach their opponent's defences until Marcus Williamson shot the ball past the Tigers' defenders to equal the scores in the last quarter.

This gave the Tigers their second draw for the season, keeping their unbeaten run of forty-seven matches intact. However, it also keeps the Hoops within reach of the top of the ladder if the reigning premiers' impressive streak is to be broken.

Tim Jorgensen controlled the midfield for the Hoops from centre half-back, aided by some significant contributions by Sandon Schultz and Heath Johns, while Todd Alexander and Brad Alexander dominated the Tigers' forward line, and Luke Reichenbach made a notable contribution at half-back.

These results see only four points separating the top three teams on the Open ladder, and there is now a six-point gap between third and fourth, and with the Nhill Rangers gaining two points for the bye, they remain outside the top four but close enough to still be in contention for the finals.

- Women -

Roos v Thunderbirds

One of the season's most enthralling and entertaining matches was played on Friday evening in very cold and damp conditions.

With the incentive of a potential return to the top four, the Nhill Thunderbirds started strongly with the opening goal early in the first quarter, but the Roos, who needed a win to consolidate their spot amongst the leaders, replied late in the quarter to tie the score at the first break.

Nhill had regained the lead by halftime after scoring their second goal six minutes into the second quarter, but the Roos moved ahead for the first time in the game during the third quarter with two unanswered goals.

The last period of play was close, with the Thunderbirds drawing level with a goal with nine minutes to go, but Dimboola retook the lead two minutes later and held it until the final whistle to record their third win.

The game featured seven individual goal scorers: Kelly Marlow, Vicki Elliott, Leah Graham, and Jasper Ward for Dimboola and Kendra Clark, Rachel Clark, and Naomi Kuhnell for the Thunderbirds. Jennie Hauselberger continued her consistent season with another nomination as the Roos' best player, and Naomi Kuhnell played well for the Birds.

Jets v. Kaniva

In another close matchup, the Horsham Jets outlasted Kaniva to earn their fourth win for the season and rise into second place on the ladder.

The Jets dominated the play in the first quarter but were unable to score, and despite a more even second period of play, Horsham made it onto the scoreboard to hold the advantage at halftime.

After the Jets added to their score three minutes into the third quarter, the balance of play swung into Kaniva's favour across the remainder of the game, but some solid defence prevented them from scoring, and Horsham registered the win after these two had played out a draw last time they met.

Maddy Spano played well for the victors after also featuring amongst the best players for the Hurricanes earlier in the afternoon, and veteran Launa Shilling marshalled their defence well. Kaniva's better players all spent time in their back line, with Haley Williams, Nyree Hutchins, and Leonie Shurdington all making significant contributions to keeping the margin as small as it was.

Warracknabeal v. Yanac

Yanac kept its grip on the top spot on the Women's ladder with a solid win over Warracknabeal, which they set up with a dominant first quarter in which they scored five goals without conceding any.

To their credit, their inexperienced opponents did stem the flow of goals, but Yanac's sheer number of attacking moves saw them double this total over the next three quarters.

Caitlyn Alexander, Sharon Croot, and Imogen Hedt each scored two goals for Yanac, and Warracknabeal's best players included Olinda Elsom, goalkeeper Melanie Bentley, and forward Ellie Williamson.

Only six points separate the top four on the Women's ladder, highlighting a very even season, and while the Thunderbirds are eight points adrift in fifth, there is still enough time left in the regular season for them to make up this margin.

Warracknabeal have a much more difficult task if they are to return to the finals, as they have fallen off the pace and are fourteen points behind fourth.

Under 16

The top three teams in the Under 16 competition are drawing away from the rest after theyall scored comfortable victories in round six.

The Yanac Warriors scored a big enough win over the Warrack Revengers to rise above the Kaniva Raiders into the top spot on the ladder, but the Raiders' victory over the Horsham Bombers has them on the same points as the Warriors and just one behind in their goal difference in second place.

Archie Zanker dominated the scoring for the Warriors, with four of their eight goals, while Ellie Williamson and Noah Eilola were the players to find the goals for the Revengers, while the Raiders' Charlie White also had a day out in front of goals, scoring four of his team's five, and was named as their best player. Defenders Justin Schwarz and Hannah Mackereth were the standout players for the Bombers.

The Nhill Leopards are not far behind after defeating the young Kangaroos in tough, cold, and damp conditions on Friday evening. Oliver Bone and Parrett Clark scored two goals each for the Leopards, and Jasper Ward and Ryan Williams played well for the Kangaroos.

The action moves to Yanac for the first time this season for round seven next weekend,when all three competitions will again feature important matchups that will significantly impact the positions on the ladders.

Wimmera Hockey Association - Round Six Results

- Open -

Kaniva Cobras 3 (Goals - J Bedford, L Schultz, L Mills; Best - L Mills, A Wallis, J Bedford)defeated Horsham Hurricanes 0 (Best - C Hassall, M Spano, J Horsfall)Warracknabeal Hoops 1 (Goal - M Williamson; Best - T Jorgensen, S Schultz, H Johns)drew with Yanac Tigers 1 (Goal - T Alexander; Best - T Alexander, B Alexander, LReichenbach)

Bye - Nhill Rangers

Pts GD

Yanac Tigers 18 11Warrack Hoops 16 5Kaniva Cobras 14 1Horsham Hurricanes 8 -5Nhill Rangers 4 -12

- Women -

Dimboola Roos 4 (Goals - K Marlow, V Elliott, L Graham, J Ward; Best - J Hauselberger, LGraham, K Marlow) defeated Nhill Thunderbirds 3 (Goals - K Clark, R Clark, N Kuhnell; Best- N Kuhnell, K Clark, R Clark)

Horsham Jets 2 (Goals - K Krahe, A Heal; Best - M Spano, L Schilling, H Mackereth)defeated Kaniva 0 (Best - H Williams, N Hutchins, L Shurdington)

Yanac Women 10 (Goals - C Alexander 2, S Croot 2, I Hedt 2, E Alexander, M Mackley, SHedt, J Bound; Best - M Mackley, S Hedt, C Alexander) defeated Warracknabeal 0 (Best - OElson, M Bentley, E Williamson)

Pts GD

Yanac Women 20 30Horsham Jets 18 9Kaniva Women 14 13Dimboola Roos 14 2Nhill Thunderbirds 6 -7Warrack Women 0 -47

- Under 16 -

Nhill Leopards 9 (Goals - O Bone 2, B Clark 2, T Bee, D Clark, C Bone, B Cannell, D Bee;Best - D Clark, O Bone, B Clark) defeated Dimboola Kangaroos 0 (Best - J Ward, RWilliams, V Ward)

Kaniva Raiders 5 (Goals - C White 4, L Krelle; Best - C White, J Beattie, L Krelle) defeatedHorsham Bombers 0 (Best - J Schwarz, H Mackereth, K Besselaar)

Yanac Warriors 8 (Goals - Archie Zanker 4, Asher Zanker 2, Annabella Zanker, H Zanker;Best - Archie Zanker, Asher Zanker, Annabella Zanker) defeated Warracknabeal Revengers2 (Goals - E Williamson, N Eilola; Best - N Eilola, E Williamson, S Williamson)

Pts GD

Yanac Warriors 22 29Kaniva Raiders 22 28Nhill Leopards 16 17Horsham Bombers 8 -15Warrack Revengers 4 -26Dimboola Kangaroos 0 -33

- Under 12 Development Program -

Dimboola Kookaburras 1 (Goal - R Hadzig) v. Nhill Bandits 3 (Goals - D Bee 2, A Marra)Horsham Black Hawks 1 (Goal - H MItchell) v. Kaniva Rampagers 1 (Goal - L Williams)

Warracknabeal Avengers 1 (Goal - Z Nuske) v. Yanac Lowan Stars 2 (Goals - S Hedt, SDickinson)

At this noteworthy point in the season, the ladders have already taken on a familiar look, with last year's grand finalists currently occupying the top two places in each competition.

However, with the number of close results so far this season, there is plenty of potential for changes over the ten rounds to be played before the finals.

After several millimetres of rain leading up to Saturday's games, the otherwise pristine Kaniva fields were a little heavier than the surfaces encountered so far this season, presenting challenges for the players to adapt to the conditions, but this did not detract from the competitive hockey played throughout the day.

- Open -

In what is proving to be a very close season, two enthralling matches were played out in the Open competition.

Despite their winless record, the Nhill Rangers are starting to make their opponents nervous, with the Kaniva Cobras the latest to narrowly escape with a win that could easily have gone the other way, a testament to the Rangers's growing threat.

A goal by Lachlan Schultz in the dying moments of the first quarter gave the Cobras a lead they would hold for the rest of the match, and despite 53 more minutes of intense play, neither side could break through the other's defence. With Nhill missing several key players and losing Joseph Knoll, who regularly features in their best players, to a hand injury during the game, it will only take a slight shift in their fortunes to register a win.

Lachlan Mills and Josh Bedford joined Schultz as the victor's best players, and Jason Reichelt, Imogen Williams, and Brett Tischler stood out for the Rangers.

Two first-half goals by the Warracknabeal Hoops saw them finish ahead of the Horsham Hurricanes in this much-anticipated match-up between two teams that have shown impressive form over recent weeks.

With the heavy field slowing down both teams' usual free-flowing game styles, the Hoops adapted to the conditions first and eared more of the attacking play, but some impressive work from Lars Simmons in goals for the Hurricanes kept them in the game.

Horsham also looked threatening when they entered their striking circle, but Russell Brown was equal to Simmons at the other end, and they remained scoreless.

Mark Peters and Royce Bennett scored the goals, and Tim Jorgensen and Sandon Schultz were the Hoops' best players, and Charles Hassall, Thomas Batchelor, and Paul Mackereth were the best for the Hurricanes.

With the two points they received for the bye, the Yanac Tigers retained their grip on the top of the ladder, while the Hoops are now two points behind in second place, ahead of the Cobras and Hurricanes, with the Rangers in fifth, but given the number of close games and unpredicted results in the first five rounds, there will be plenty of movement up and down the ladder before the finalists are locked in by the end of round fifteen.

- Women -

The most anticipated match of the round in the Women's competition saw the Dimboola Roos, who have impressed upon their return to the competition this season, take on the reigning premiers, Yanac, who are proving their recent loss to the Jets was out of character.

In an ominous sign to the rest of the competition, Yanac finished with seven individual goalscorers, highlighting the versatility of their playing roster and the multiple options they have to score.

Lexi Farmers converted a penalty corner midway through the first quarter to open the scoring, which Erin Alexander added to before halftime from a penalty stroke. Suz Hedt scored off a penalty corner in the third quarter to make the margin three goals at halftime.

In the second half, Annabella Zanker, Caitlyn Alexander, Makayla Mackley and Ellen Wheaton extended the total to seven goals.

Regular top performers Jennie Hauselberger, Leah Graham, and Cara Hadzig all performed strongly for the Roos.

This result keeps Yanac in outright first place on the ladder, and the Roos have slipped to fourth but still have a one-win buffer and significant goal difference keeping them ahead of the Thunderbirds in fifth.

The other two Women's division matches were much closer, both on the scorecard and thefield.

The Nhill Thunderbirds pushed last year's grand finalists, Kaniva, for their whole match, and it took until well into the third quarter before Zoey Smith opened the scoring with a field goal to put Kaniva ahead, and although Imogen Williams added to this with another field goal in the last period of play, they had to work hard against a determined Thunderbirds' team to earn the win.

Kaniva now sits in second place, just two points behind Yanac on the ladder, while the Thunderbirds are outside the top four but remain a serious threat to rise up the ladder over the next ten rounds.

Warrack Women have not had a great start to their season, remaining without a win, but their mix of young and inexperienced players has shown significant improvement over the first five rounds, and they can look forward to further improvement as the season progresses.

On Saturday, the Horsham Jets got off to a quick start, with two goals before quarter time, which could have been the start of a big score. However, the Warrack team stepped up the pressure and restricted their opponents to just one more goal for the game, giving the Jets a win by three goals. However, Warrack can be happy with their performance.

The goal scorers were Kelly Krahe, Annabelle Heal, and Hannah Mackereth, and Warrack's best players were Eddie Bull, Eileen Eichberger, and Kate Williamson.

The Jets are now in third place on the ladder, equal on points with the second-placed Kaniva but with an inferior goal difference and a win ahead of the fourth-placed Roos. Warrack is in sixth place, but if their recent improvement continues, there is still plenty of time before the finals for them to make a move.

- Under 16 -

The Kaniva Raiders and Nhill Leopards had the honour of knocking the dew off the grass when they took to the field for the first match of the day, which proved to be another in which the scorecard did not accurately indicate how close the action was on the field.

For nearly three quarters of hockey, neither team could claim dominance. Nhill's five penalty corners in the first half, to Kaniva's two, suggested that they may have slightly held the advantage but could not transfer that from the field to the scorecard.

With two minutes left of the third quarter, Charlie White goaled off a penalty corner to put the home team ahead, and while the pressure from both sides did not wane until the final whistle, another goal to White saw the final margin at two goals.

White was named the Raiders' best player, ahead of teammates Logan Krelle and Flynn Dodson, while Deegan Clark, Thar Shu Bee, and Oliver Bone were the best for the Leopards.

The Horsham Bombers moved into the top four for the first time this season after defeating the Warrack Revengers in another entertaining game. Both teams feature a significant number of younger players, but what they lack in experience, they make up for in enthusiasm.

The Revengers kept the Bombers scoreless for a quarter and a half, but the sheer number of attacking moves by Horsham's midfield of Justin Schwarz, who finished with four goals, Keisha Besselaar and Hannah Mackereth soon started to add to the scoreline, which ended with the Bombers scoring six goals to the Revengers' one.

Ellie Williamson confidently controlled the Revengers' midfield, building on the experience she gained at the recent Junior Country Championships in Melbourne and was ably supported by Josh Nuske, their sole goal scorer, and Noah Eilola.

The Under 16 games for the round concluded with the Yanac Warriors scoring a comfortable win over the Dimboola Kangaroos. Harry Zanker and Archie Zanker scored two goals each, contributing to the Warriors' eight goals, while Jasper Ward was the sole scorer for the Kangaroos.

Asher Zanker, Archie Zanker, and Savannah Hedt were named as Yanac's best players, and Jasper Ward, Victoria Ward, and Roary Hadzig all played well for the Kangaroos.

The top of the Under 16 ladder could not be closer. The Kaniva Raiders and Yanac Warriors are tied on 18 points each, and they both have the same goal difference (the next figure used to separate teams on the ladder) of 23 goals, so it is percentage that currently places the Raiders just ahead of the Warriors.

The Nhill Leopards are in third place with twelve points, one win ahead of the Horsham Bombers in fourth, followed by the Revengers and Dimboola Kangaroos, who are outside the top four but still close enough to maintain their ambitions of playing in the finals this season.

Next weekend, the competition has a bye while the Senior Country Championships areplayed in Melbourne.

Although the Wimmera Hockey Association is not entering any teams this year, several locals will represent Hockey Central Victoria (Bendigo) in the Women's division and North Central Hockey Association in the Men's competition.

Local competition will resume the following weekend when the teams gather at Dimboola to play round six.

Wimmera Hockey Association - Round Five Results

- Open -

Kaniva Cobras 1 (Goal - L Schultz; Best - L Mills, J Bedford, L Schultz) defeated NhillRangers 0 (Best - J Reichelt, I Williams, B Tischler).Warrack Hoops 2 (Goals - R Bennett, M Peters; Best - T Jorgensen, S Schultz, R Bennett)defeated Horsham Hurricanes 0 (Best - C Hassall, T Batchelor, P Mackereth)Bye - Yanac Tigers.

Pts GDYanac Tigers 16 11Warrack Hoops 14 5Kaniva Cobras 10 -2Horsham Hurricanes 8 -2Nhill Rangers 2 -12

- Women -

Kaniva Women 2 (Goals - I Williams, Z Smith; Best - N Hutchins, I Williams, L Stimson)defeated Nhill Thunderbirds 0 (Best - K Clark, S Keller, J Rowe).Horsham Jets 3 (Goals - A Heal, K Krahe, H Mackereth; Best - K Krahe, L Schilling, HMackereth) defeated Warrack Women 0 (Best - E Bull, E Eichberger, K Williamson).Yanac Women 7 (Goals - M Mackley, E Alexander, A Farmers, E Wheaton, A Zanker, CAlexander, S Hedt; Best - E Alexander, S Hedt, M Mackley) defeated Dimboola Roos 0 (Best- J Hauselberger, L Graham, C Hadzig).

Pts GDYanac Women 16 20Kaniva Women 14 15Horsham Jets 14 7Dimboola Roos 10 1Nhill Thunderbirds 6 -6Warrack Women 0 -37

- Under 16 -

Kaniva Raiders 2 (Goals - C White 2; Best - C White, L Krelle, F Dodson) defeated NhillLeopards 0 (Best - D Clark, T Bee, O Bone).Horsham Bombers 6 (Goals - J Schwarz 4, J Luy, H Di Pietro; Best - K Besselaar, J Schwarz, H Mackereth) defeated Warrack Revengers 1 (Goal - J Nuske; Best - EWilliamson, J Nuske, N Eilola).

Yanac Warriors 8 (Goals - H Zanker 2, Archie Zanker 2, A Cramer, S Hedt, S Pedie, Asher Zanker; Best - Asher Zanker, Archie Zanker, S Hedt) defeated Dimboola Kangaroos 1 (Goal - J Ward; Best - J Ward, V Ward, R Hadzig).

Pts GDKaniva Raiders 18 23Yanac Warriors 18 23Nhill Leopards 12 8Horsham Bombers 8 -10Warrack Revengers 4 -20Dimboola Kangaroos 0 -24

- Under 12 Development Program -

Horsham Black Hawks 6 (Goals - L Rose 2, E Batchelor, L Hobbs, A Janetzki, H Mitchell) v.Warrack Avengers 4 (Goals - C Peters 2, R Johnstone, M Peters).Kaniva Rampagers 3 (Goals - R Williams 2, L Williams) v. Nhill Bandits 3 (Goals - D Bee 2,H Albrecht).Yanac Lowan Stars 1 (Goal - S Hedt) v. Dimboola Kookaburras 5 (Goals - R Hadzig 3, CWallace, L Elliott).

- Open -

In their encounter with the Kaniva Cobras, the Warrack Hoops earned an early lead when Sandon Schultz registered a field goal just two minutes after the starting whistle, and although controlling more of the play, they could not add to this score by the first break.

The second quarter saw some more even play as the Cobras matched the Hoops' attacking pressure, but the scores remained unchanged by halftime.

With second place on the ladder on the line, the intensity increased when play resumed, and in a hectic two-minute period midway through this quarter, field goals by Charlie White and Lachie Mills saw the Cobras take the lead by three-quarter time.

A crisp hit by Tim Jorgensen from a penalty corner found the back of the net, which tied up the scores again three minutes into the last period of play, and another field goal from the stick of Schultz regained the lead for the Hoops minutes later, which they held until full time.

This win moves the Hoops to outright second on the ladder while the Cobras remain in fourth place.

The Yanac Tigers controlled most of their game against the determined Nhill Rangers, scoring single goals in the first three quarters and another two in the last to finish with a five-goal victory.

Ethan Anderson scored a hat trick of goals, with Josh Cramer and Shaun Alexander scoring singles, and Joseph Knoll was named the Rangers' best player, continuing his excellent run of form this season.

The Tigers remain at the top of the ladder and the Rangers are still outside the top four and will need a win soon to stay in touch with the leaders.

With the two points gained from the bye this week, the Horsham Hurricanes are in third place.

- Women -

With just two points separating the top four teams in the Women's competition, the result of every game can have significant implications for a team's ladder position.

While it is still early in the season and many changes are anticipated over the coming weeks, early points take the pressure off to retain a place in the top four as the season progresses.

After their win over Yanac in the previous round, all eyes were on the Jets to see if they would continue that form when they took on the impressive Dimboola Roos.

Dimboola scored the first goal just minutes into the game, but from then on, it was a very even match. Both sides created chances only to be thwarted by some solid defence.

The only other score came in the last minute of the match when the Roos increased the margin to two goals on the scoresheet, but the game was closer than that on the field.

Vicki Elliott and Leah Graham were the goal scorers for the Roos, and Hannah Werner was the best player for the Jets.

Highlighting how even this competition currently is, this loss saw the Jets drop from first tofourth place, while the Roos remained in third place.

After losing to the Jets in their last game, Yanac Women came out strongly against the Nhill Thunderbirds and controlled much of the play, earning seventeen penalty corners for the match.

Shanaye Alexander and Caitlyn Alexander scored goals before halftime, and in the second half, Lexi Famers added two, Caitlyn Alexander scored another, and Erin Alexander found the goals once to complete the six-goal margin.

Kendra Clark, Naomi Kuhnell, and Helen Cannell were judged as Nhill's best players. The points from this result put Yanac back on top of the ladder, two points clear of the field, but the unpredictable nature of some recent results suggests that they will have to work hard to stay there. The Thunderbirds are outside the top four, but they are just one win and a small goal difference adrift of the leaders and remain well in the mix.

Kaniva scored a comfortable victory over the inexperienced Warracknabeal side, with nine players sharing the scoring, led by Jules Braisby with three goals.

Ellie Williamson, fresh from playing at the Junior Country Championship in Melbourne last weekend, was the leading player for Warracknabeal alongside Eileen Eichberger and Noah Eilola.

This win kept Kaniva in the group of three teams tied on ten points, two behind the current competition leaders, while Warracknabeal remains in sixth place but will need to make their move soon if they are to keep the prospect of playing finals for a second season in a row for over five years alive in 2024.

- Under 16 -

The match of the round in the Under 16 competition saw the Yanac Warriors defeat the Nhill Leopards in a close game.

After Yanc opened the scoring in the dying seconds of the first quarter, the teams went goal for goal, which saw the scores reach two all halfway through the third quarter.

The Warriors then edged ahead with a third goal before the last break, a lead which they extended by another goal in the shadows of full-time.

The Kaniva Raider enjoyed a more significant margin in their win over the Warrack Revengers, with Charlie White scoring six of his team's eight goals, and Noah Eilola was responsible for the Revengers' only score.

The Horsham Bombers broke through for their first win for the season at the expense of the Dimboola Kangaroos. The game was still in the balance at three-quarter time, but two late goals by the Bombers extended their winning margin to three goals.

This win was not quite enough to elevate the Bombers into the top four, and with a large gap between the top three and lower three, the developing interest in the competition will revolve around which out of the Revengers, Bombers, and Kangaroos will stake a serious claim to join the leaders as the season goes on.

Wimmera Hockey Association - Round Four Results- Open -Yanac Tigers 5 (Goals - E Anderson 3, S Alexander, J Cramer; Best - E Anderson, SAlexander, Z Dorrington) defeated Nhill Rangers 0 (Best - J Knoll, J Reichelt, B Tischler)Warrack Hoops 3 (Goals - S Schultz 2, T Jorgensen; Best - S Schultz, O Bennett, RBennett) defeated Kaniva Cobras 2 (Goals - L Mills, C White; Best - L Mills, T Krelle, CBeattie)Bye - Horsham HurricanesPTs GDYanac Tigers 14 11Warrack Hoops 10 3Horsham Hurricanes 8 0Kaniva Cobras 6 -3Nhill Rangers 2 -11- Women -Yanac Women 6 (Goals - A Farmers 2, C Alexander 2, E Alexander, S Alexander; Best - EAlexander, M Mackley, C Alexander) defeated Nhill Thunderbirds 0 (Best - K Clark, NKuhnell, H Cannell)Kaniva Women 14 (Goals - J Braisby 3, N Hutchins 2, Z Smith 2, I Williams 2, S Williams, HPearse, J Wallis, R Curtis; Best - N Hutchins, H Pearse, I Williams) defeated WarrackWomen 1 (Goal - C Bennett; Best - E Williamson, E Eichberger, N Eilola)Dimboola Roos 2 (Goals - V Elliott, L Graham; Best - J Hauselberger, L Graham, C Hadzig)defeated Horsham Jets 0 (Best - H Werner, H Knoop, S O'Connor)

Pts GDYanac Women 12 13Kaniva Women 10 13Dimboola Roos 10 8Horsham Jets 10 4Nhill Thunderbirds 6 -4Warrack Women 0 -34- Under 16 -Yanac Warriors 5 (Goals - Archie Zanker 2, S Pedie 2, H Zanker; Best - Archie Zanker,Asher Zanker, S Pedie) defeated Nhill Leopards 3 (Goals - T Shue Bee, D Clark, D Bee;Best - D Clark, O Bone, J Rowe)Kaniva Raiders 8 (Goals - C White 6, R Doyle, F Dodson; Best - C White, J Beattie, RWilliams) defeated Warrack Revengers 1 (Goal - N Eilola; Best - M Bentley, E Williamson, BClark)

Horsham Bombers 4 (Goals - J Schwarz 2, H Mackereth, H Knoop; Best - J Schwarz, HKnoop, H Mackereth) defeated Dimboola Kangaroos 1 (Goal - J Ward; Best - J Ward, LHauselberger, C Elliott)

Pts GD %Kaniva Raiders 14 21 625%Yanac Warriors 14 16 329%Nhill Leopards 12 10 300%Warrack Revengers 4 -15 29%Horsham Bombers 4 -15 21%Dimboola Kangaroos 0 -17 6%- Under 12 Development Program -Nhill Bandits 4 (Goals - N Krelle 2, D Bee 2) v. Yanac Lowan Stars 3 (Goals - M Dart 2, HZanker)Warrack Avengers 5 (Goals - R Johnstone 4, C Peters) v. Kaniva Rampagers 1 (Goal - ABedford)Horsham Black Hawks 7 (Goals - J Mackereth 3, E Batchelor 2, H Carman 2) v. DimboolaKookaburras 2 (Goals - R Wallace, L Hauselberger)

Twenty teams across eight divisions were entered from the North West Lightning region that includes the Central Victoria (Bendigo), North Central, Sunraysia, Goulburn Valley, and Wimmera hockey associations.

Although none of these wore the blue and gold of the local association, ten Wimmera players did participate, representing five other associations.

Under 14 Boys

The most successful of these was the North Central's Under 14 Boys team which was undefeated in their five pool matches, winning four and drawing one. The victories came against Geelong (3-0), Central Victoria (5-1), Sunraysia (3-0), and East Gippsland (5-0), and the tied match was against Glenelg (1-1).

Warracknabeal's Sam Williamson scored two goals in their last pool match, the five-goal win over East Gippsland, and another in the final against Sunraysia, which they won by five goals to win the title.

Under 14 Girls

Ellie Williamson from Warracknabeal played five of Hockey Central Victoria (Bendigo)'s games in the Under 14 Girls' competition, and after finishing second on the ladder, they narrowly lost their semi-final to Ballarat by one goal and then drew with North Central in the third-place play-off.

Their pool matches included wins over Sunraysia (2-0), East Gippsland (2-0), and Glenelg (3-1) and a loss to Geelong (0-1).

Under 16 Boys

The Goulburn Valley Under 16 Boys team had a distinct Wimmera flavour, with five of the thirteen players in their squad from the Kaniva, Nhill, and Yanac clubs.

Although this team did not have the best tournament, the Yanac pair of Archie Zanker and Asher Zanker scored two and one goals, respectively, in their best result, which was a four-goal defeat of North Central.

This was the team's only victory from five pool matches, and they also fell two goals short in the fifth-place play-off, which ended in a two-goal loss against the same opponent.

Other Wimmera players on this team included Deegan Clark from Nhill, Charlie White from Kaniva, and Sean Pedie from Yanac.

Results in their pool games included losses to Glenelg (1-3), Ballarat (0-3), East Gippsland (0-4), and Geelong (0-1), and the victory over North Central (4-0).

Under 16 Girls

Two players, Lanie Clark from Nhill and Maddison Bentley from Warracknabeal, represented the Hockey Central Victoria Under 16 Girls.

Maddison played goalkeeper for two of their five matches, including their win over North Central in the cross-over match.

One win over Sunraysia (3-0) and losses to Glenelg (1-3) and East Gippsland (0-1) from their pool matches, followed by a win over North Central (3-1) in their cross-over match, qualified them for the fifth-place play-off, in which they narrowly lost to Ballarat by one goal.

Under 18 Boys

Tom Batchelor from Horsham played for the Sunraysia team in the Under 18 competition, which also did not do well on the scoreboard, losing to Glenelg (0-2), Ballarat (0-4), EastGippsland (1-2), and Geelong (2-3).

As the tournament progressed, they improved from failing to score in their first two games to getting on the scorecard in their final four matches.

Their weekend finished positively, with their first points coming from a tied final pool match, which they followed with their first win, by two goals to one over North Central in the seventh-place play-off.

Despite only one title for these five teams, all these players will return to the local competition having benefitted from playing alongside and against some of the best players from regional Victoria.

The experience gained will be significant in each player's development in the sport.

The Open division is shaping up for one of its most competitive seasons for several years,with two close matches on the weekend, and only one win separating first and fourth afterthree rounds.

The Nhill Rangers have not enjoyed much success in recent seasons, but they haveimpressed so far this season. Although having yet to win a game this year, they are not faroff.

On Saturday evening, they took on the Warrack Hoops, and the scorebook was still blank at halftime despite each team creating shots at goal, but the defences held firm.

A Hoops' goal five minutes into the third period broke the deadlock, to which they addedanother two in the final quarter, but the Rangers kept up the pressure and even earned theirshare of penalty corners but were unlucky not to convert.

Royce Bennett was the best on the ground for the Hoops and scored one of their goals, with Sandon Schultz and Tim Jorgensen also amongst their best. Sam Bone, Joseph Knoll, and Brett Tishler stood out for Nhill.

The Horsham Hurricanes are starting to realise some of the potential they have been hinting at for the last few years. With a polished display, they held the Yanac Tigers to a draw, only the second match the reigning premiers have not won in their last forty-five outings sincetheir last loss.

This was a very quick game, with both teams creating breakaways that pressured thedefences, but some excellent work by the goalkeepers at each end kept the game in thebalance right to the end.

Yanac controlled more of the play as the game progressed, but the Horsham playerscombined well to repel every scoring attempt.

It has been over ten seasons since the Yanac Tigers dropped points in two matches in a row, so spare a thought for their next opponents, the Nhill Rangers, who will tackle a teamdetermined to restore their status quo.

After these results, the Tigers remain a game clear on top of the ladder with ten points, butthe next three teams are equal on six points each, with a goal difference of just fourseparating them. Nhill is just outside the top four with two points, but it will only take them aconfidence-boosting win or two to remain in the mix.

- Women -

The Dimboola Roos continue to impress upon their return to the competition this year, andalthough they didn't get the points on Friday evening, they kept the pressure up on Kaniva,one of the pacesetters over the last few seasons.

Kaniva edged ahead with one goal in an otherwise even first quarter, a margin that remained after two more periods of play at three-quarter time.

Kaniva earned some breathing space with a second goal just a minute and a half after playresumed for the last period of play and looked to have done enough for a win, but the Roosdid not give up, and Jennie Hauselberger converted a penalty corner to edge them back towithin a goal.

The game remained in the balance for the last nine minutes, but Kaniva was albe to hold off Dimboola and finish with the win, but not without a scare.

Both teams appear destined to have a big say in the outcomes later in the season.Lisa Stimson, Nyree Hutchins, and Haley Pearse were Kaniva's best players, while JennieHauselberger, Ashlee Baker, and Leah Graham were the Roos' best.

The match of the round saw the Horsham Jets take on the undefeated Yanac, and afteranother titanic tussle, they came away with a comfortable win.

A scoreless first half was not an indicator of what was to come.

Mikayla Mackley opened the scoring for Yanac two minutes after play resumed afterhalftime, and they looked as if they were on their way to maintaining their unblemished 2024record after earning another penalty corner soon after, which they failed to convert.

By the middle of the quarter, the balance of play began to shift, resulting in a Jets score offthe stick of Meredith Heppell. Kelly Krahe gave Horsham the lead just before the last break.

Another evenly contested quarter concluded the game, but a goal by Hannah Mackerethextended the lead, making it more difficult for Yanac to play themselves back into the game.

The final result was four goals to one after Kelly Krahe scored her second goal for the game by converting a penalty corner after the final whistle.

Defenders Mikayla Mackle, Chloe Zanker, and Lexi Farmers were the better players forYanac, and Hannah Werner, Kelly Krahe, and Annabelle Heal shone for the victors.

The Nhill Thunderbirds took control of their game with Warracknabeal with a three-goal firstquarter, and although they only scored twice more, they were never threatened. StaceyKeller scored two of Nhill's five goals, and Kendra Clark was their best player. Three playersfrom the Williamson family, Kate, Ellie, and Sam, were Warracknabeal's best.

The Horsham Jets have now displaced Yanac at the top of the Women's ladder, and theThunderbirds moved into the top four with their win, but to highlight how close thiscompetition is, despite their victory over the Dimboola Roos on Friday evening, Kanivaslipped to fifth. Only one win separates the top five teams.

- Under 16 -

Although it is still early in the season, a gap is beginning to open between the top threeteams and the lower three in the Under 16 competition.

The Nhill Leopards remain the only undefeated team in the Under 16s after a win over theWarrack Revengers, but the Kaniva Raiders and Yanac Warriors are just two points adriftafter they enjoyed comfortable wins over the Dimboola Kangaroos and Horsham Bombers.

The Revengers currently hold fourth place courtesy of a win in the first round, but there isstill a long way to go in the season, and there is time remaining for all teams to step up.

Next weekend, there are no games scheduled as the Junior Country Championships areheld in Melbourne, and although the Wimmera is not entering any teams this year, ten localplayers will take part in the tournament, representing other Associations across the threeage groups.

The local competition will resume on 25 May with round four at Davis Park in Nhill.

Wimmera Hockey Association - Round Three Results

- Open -

Yanac Tigers 0 (Best - B Alexander, S Farmers, R Croot) drew with Horsham Hurricanes 0(Best - P Mackereth, C Hassall, J Horsfall)Warracknabeal Hoops 3 (Goals - O Bennett, R Bennett, J Smith; Best - R Bennett, SSchultz, T Jorgensen) defeated Nhill Rangers 0 (Best - S Bone, J Knoll, B Tischler)Bye - Kaniva Cobras

Points GDYanac Tigers 10 6Warrack Hoops 6 2Horsham Hurricanes 6 0Kaniva Cobras 6 -2Nhill Rangers 2 -6

- Women -

Kaniva 2 (Goals - L Stimson, P Maddern; Best - L Stimson, N Hutchins, H Pearse) defeatedDimboola Roos 1 (Goal - J Hauselberger; Best - J Hauselberger, A Baker, L Graham)Horsham Jets 4 (Goals - K Krahe 2, H Mackereth, M Heppell; Best - H Werner, K Krahe, AHeal) defeated Yanac 1 (Goal - M Mackley; Best - M Mackley, C Zanker, A Farmers)Nhill Thunderbirds 5 (Goals - S Keller 2, K Clark, C Shurdington, R Clark; Best - ) defeatedWarracknabeal 0 (Best - K Williamson, E Williamson, S Williamson)

Points GD

Horsham Jets 10 6Yanac Women 8 7Dimboola Roos 6 6Nhill Thunderbirds 6 2Kaniva Women 6 0Warrack Women 0 -21

- Under 16 -

Kaniva Raiders 6 (Goals - C White 2, L Krelle, R Williams, F Dodson, X Stimson; Best - CWhite, L Krelle, J Beattie, X Stimson) defeated Dimboola Kangaroos 0 (Best - J Ward, RWilliams, V Ward)Yanac Warriors 6 (Goals - Archie Zanker 2 Asher Zanker 2, H Zanker, E Alexander; Best -Archie Zanker, Asher Zanker, S Pedie) defeated Horsham Bombers 0 (Best - J Schwarz, HKnoop, J Di Pietro)Nhill Leopards 4 (Goals - D Clark 2, B Clark, A Trenery; Best - D Clark, T Shue Bee, ATrenery) defeated Warracknabeal Revengers 0 (Best - M Bentley, J Nuske, E Williamson)

Points GD %Nhill Leopards 12 12 -Kaniva Raiders 10 14 567%Yanac Warriors 10 14 450%Warrack Revengers 4 -8 38%Dimboola Kangaroos 0 -14 0%Horsham Bombers 0 -18 0%

- Under 12 Development Program -

Dimboola Kookaburras 6 (Goals - R Wallace 2, R Hadzig 2, L Elliott, C Elliott) v. KanivaRampagers 0Yanac Lowan Stars 0 v. Horsham Black Hawks 3 (goals - J Mackereth2, J Luy)Warracknabeal Avengers 1 (Goal - M Peters) v. Nhill Bandits 3 (Goasls - B Cannell 2, DBee)

The three games in the Women's competition will all play a big part in setting the peckingorder that may not change as the season progresses.

Dimboola has impressed upon their return to the competition this season, registering one win and a draw in the first two rounds, but now face the challenge of taking on last season's runners-up under the lights on Friday evening.

There was no shame in Kaniva's loss to Yanac in the opening round, and they fought out a tight draw with the Horsham Jets last Saturday, but they will need a victory soon if they are to claim a spot towards the top of the ladder, and this is also an ideal opportunity for Dimboola to do the same.

Whatever this game goes, it will be an entertaining start to the weekend.

The two Women's teams currently outside the top four face each other in another significant match for their respective outlooks. When Warrack and the Nhill Thunderbirds last met in the semi-finals last year, Warrack was victorious, but recent form suggests that Nhill will start as favourites.

The winner will end the round back amongst the leaders, while the defeated team will begin to lose touch.

Yanac Women should continue their dominance when they take on the third-placed Horsham Jets, although an unexpected result could see Horsham rise to the top if they cantopple the reigning premiers.

Both teams in the first Open match on Saturday will be playing just their second matches for the season after sharing the byes over the first two rounds.

Warrack Hoops had a tough opener going down to the competition-leading Yanac Tigers last week, and the Nhill Rangers lost to the Hurricanes in the first round, so both will be determined to register a win.

The Hoops were not far behind the Tigers and look to be the stronger of these two at this point in the season, but the Rangers have potential and cannot be taken lightly.

The round will conclude with the Horsham Hurricanes stepping up to challenge the supremacy of the Yanac Tigers. After an encouraging round one victory, the Hurricanes tripped up against the Cobras last Saturday, so their form is still tricky to determine.

Taking on the Tigers is one way of discovering what they must do to stay in the top two on theladder.

Open

The long tradition of high-class hockey between the Yanac Tigers and Warrack Hoopscontinued with another hard-fought encounter, with another match decided by just one goal.

The Tigers started strongly, earning their first penalty corners for the match after just thirtyseconds of play, but the Hoops' defence was up to the challenge and held firm, as theywould for a further six penalty corners throughout the match.

A penalty stroke the Tigers earned several minutes later was squandered when the shotwent wide of the goals, and the first quarter finished as an even contest with no score.

After another very even period of play in the second quarter, the deadlock was broken eight minutes after the long break when Raine Mackley took advantage of an attacking charge by the Hoops' goalkeeper and eluded the supporting defenders to score the match's only goal.

The last quarter continued as a very even contest, with both sides earning several penaltycorners, but the defences remained robust, and the game finished as a slender victory forthe Tigers. This result extended their unbeaten streak against all challengers to forty-fourmatches since their most recent loss in the semi-finals in 2019.

The victor's best players were all forwards, including Shaun Alexander, Brad Alexander,Todd Alexander, and Zach Dorrington, while fullback Caleb Baldock was the Hoops' best,along with Sandon Schultz, Time Jorgensen, and Royce Bennett.

Kaniva Cobras won their first match for the season, overcoming the Horsham Hurricanes in a game that was very even for the first three quarters.

A field goal by Lachlan Schulz opened the scoring for Kaniva in the first quarter, whichproved to be the only score for the half, despite the Cobras earning four penalty corners,which were all successfully defended by the Hurricanes.

Another goal by Schultz in the third quarter was matched by Charles Hassall of theHurricanes, which kept the margin at one goal in favour of the Cobras at the final break.

The action in the fourth quarter was a contrast to the rest of the game, with the Cobrasscoring another three goals, including another by Schultz and two from the stick of LachlanMills, which was only matched with one at the other end by Thomas Batchelor which gave afinal scoreline of five goals to two in favour of the Cobras.

Mills and Schultz were the victor's best players, along with Charlie White, and for theHurricanes, it was Batchelor, Will Gulline, and Paul Mackereth. The Nhill Rangers had the bye.

Women

The Women's competition featured two close games, with both the Nhill Thunderbirdsversus Dimboola Roos and Horsham Jets versus Kaniva finishing in scoreless draws, butthe third match ended with a decisive victory for Yanac over Warracknabeal.

The Dimboola Roos continued their impressive return to the competition by holding the Nhill Thunderbirds to a scoreless draw in a very even match. Play seesawed from end to endthroughout the game, with both teams creating opportunities, but all being thwarted by soliddefence.

Jennie Hauselberger and Leah Graham were the best for Dimboola, and Kendra Clark andHelen Cannell played well for the 'Birds.

It was a similar story in the Horsham Jets and Kaniva match. The latter team appeared tocontrol more of the play in the midfield and created more opportunities in front of their goals,but some fine defending by the Jets saw this game also finish without any goals scored.

Kaniva's Lisa Stimson and Imogen Williams and Horsham's Hannah Werner and Kelly Krahe were the best players on their respective teams.

Yanac continue to reinforce its claim at the top of the Women's competition with acomfortable victory over Warracknabeal.

A strong start by Yanac saw them jump to a three-goal lead by quarter-time, which theyextended to five by the long break. Despite their position, Warracknabeal rallied in the thirdquarter and played strongly in defence to keep out Yanac for that entire period of play in theface of some strong attacking pressure from Yanac.

Although Warracknabeal's goalkeeper Mel Bentley played tirelessly and was named herteam's best player, the sheer number of Yanac attacking moves resulted in four more goalsin the last quarter.

Suz Hedt scored a hat-trick, and Caitlyn Alexander, Erin Alexander, and Mikayla Mackleyeach scored two goals for Yanac. Caitlyn Alexander and Suz Head were nominated as theirbest. Mel Bentley, Kate Williamson, and Clarice Bennett played well for Warracknabeal.

Under 16The Nhill Leopards remain on top of the Under 16 ladder with a victory over the DimboolaKangaroos, and last season's grand finalists, the Yanac Warriors and Kaniva Raiders, bothrecorded their first wins for 2024 after playing out a draw in the opening round.

Yanac Warriors defeated the Warrack Revengers, and the Kaniva Raiders accounted for the Horsham Bombers.

Next Round

Next weekend, the action returns to the Dimboola Health and Fitness Centre with twomatches on Friday evening and the remainder of the games on Saturday. Although onlyround three, several encounters could define some teams's seasons.

The Warrack Women and Nhill Thunderbirds both need a win to stay in touch with theleaders when they clash on Saturday afternoon, while the big game in the Open competitionwill see the Horsham Hurricanes tackle the might of the undefeated Yanac Tigers.

In the other senior matches, Kaniva Women play the Dimboola Roos, Yanac Women take on the Horsham Jets, and in the Open, both the Warrack Hoops and Nhill Rangers will belooking for their first win for the season. The Kaniva Cobras have the bye.

The three Under 16 matches feature a current top-three team playing a bottom-three team,which suggests that the higher teams should win these matches, but this early in the season,the teams relative ladder positions are not necessarily a clear indicator of their long-termform.

Wimmera Hockey Association - Round Two Results- Open -Yanac Tigers 1 (Goal - R Mackley; Best - S Alexander, B Alexander, T Alexander, ZDorrington) defeated Warrack Hoops 0 (Best - C Baldock, S Schultz, T Jorgensen, RBennett)Kaniva Cobras 5 (Goals - L Schultz 3, L Mills 2; Best - L Mills, L Schultz, C White) defeatedHorsham Hurricanes 2 (Goals - T Batchelor, C Hassall; Best - T Batchelor, W Gulline, PMackereth)

Pts GDYanac Tigers 8 6Horsham Hurricanes 4 0Kaniva Cobras 4 -2Warrack Hoops 2 -1Nhill Rangers 2 -3- Women -Yanac Women 9 (Goals - S Hedt 3, E Alexander 2, M Mackley 2, C Alexander 2; Best - CAlexander, S Hedt, L Cramer) defeated Warrack Women 0 (Best - M Bentley, K Williamson,C Bennett)Horsham Jets 0 (Best - H Werner, K Krahe, A Heal) drew with Kaniva Women 0 (Best - LStimson, I Williams, L Shurdington)Nhill Thunderbirds 0 (Best - K Clark, H Cannell, R Clark) drew with Dimboola Roos 0 (Best -J Hauselberger, L Graham, J Ward)Pts GDYanac Women 8 10Dimboola Roos 6 7Horsham Jets 6 3Kaniva Women 2 -1Nhill Thunderbirds 2 -3Warrack Women 0 -16- Under 16 -Yanac Warriors 9 (Goals - Archie Zanker 4, Asher Zanker 2, Annabella Zanker, I Hedt, HZanker; Best - S Pedie, Archie Zanker, H Zanker) defeated Warrack Revengers 1 (Goal - SWilliamson; Best - E Williamson, S Williamson, M Bentley)Kaniva Raiders 8 (Goals - J Beattie 3, C White 2, L Krelle 2, O Curtis; Best - C White, JBeattie, F Dodson) defeated Horsham Bombers 0 (Best - J Di Pietro, C Blake, K Besselaar)Nhill Leopards 4 (Goals - O Bone 2, D Clark, A Trenery; Best - D Clark, O Bone, A Albrecht)defeated Dimboola Kangaroos 0 (Best - R Hadzig, A Pretorius, R-M Williams)

Pts GDNhill Leopards 8 8Kaniva Raiders 6 8Yanac Warriors 6 8Warrack Revengers 4 -4Dimboola Kangaroos 0 -8Horsham Bombers 0 -12- Under 12 Development Program -Warrack Avengers 2 (Goals - C Peters 2) v. Yanac Lowan Stars 3 (Goals - S Hedt, ACramer, A Pedie)Horsham Black Hawks 3 (Goals - E Elliot, A Neumann, J Mackereth) v. Kaniva Rampagers 3(Goals - J Beattie 2, L Doyle)Nhill Bandits 4 (Goals - D Bee 2, B Cannell, B Clark) v. Dimboola Kookaburras 3 (Goals - RHadzig 2, R Wallace)

The rematch of last year's Open division grand final will headline round two at Anzac Park at Warracknabeal on Saturday.

The Yanac Tigers started their premiership defence last weekend with a solid win, but some mystery still surrounds the Warrack Hoops as they had the bye in the first round and this will be their first hit for this season.

Many familiar faces will line up on both sides, but it will be how well the mix of new playersgel with the veterans that could decide the match.

Regardless, these two teams have dominated this competition and have a strong rivalry that goes back several decades, and always put on a skilful and entertaining spectacle.

Having not lost a game since the semi-finals in 2019, it is hard to tip against the Tigers, but if any team can seriously challenge them, it will be the Hoops.

The other Open match will see the Horsham Hurricanes out to build on their first-round winwhen they meet the Kaniva Cobras, who will be looking to bounce back after having to facethe reigning premiers in the first round. The Nhill Rangers have the bye.

Having not fielded a team in the Women's competition for several seasons, the DimboolaRoos entered round one as an unknown and proved that they were not just in to make upthe numbers with a comfortable win on their home turf last Friday evening.

Their challenge now is to back this up when they take on the Nhill Thunderbirds who arecoming off a loss to the Horsham Jets. The Roos' form on grass is still yet to be seen, andthe 'Birds were quite competitive, so this should be another close game.

Warrack did not enjoy a good start to their season, going down to the Roos, and will not find round two any easier when they face the reigning premiers, Yanac, who had a win lastSaturday.

Kaniva lost narrowly to Yanac in round one but will still be a challenge to the Jets, who arecoming off a first-up win in another match that will begin to set the 2024 pecking order.

In the Under 16 competition, the closest match will be between the Horsham Bombers andKaniva Raiders which could go either way, but when the Yanac Warriors take on the WarrackRevengers and Nhill Leopards play the Dimboola Kangaroos, early form suggests that bothfirst named teams should get the points.

After several seasons without a Women's or Under 16 team, the Dimboola club opened theseason in both divisions on Friday evening with some promising results.

In the first game, the young Dimboola Kangaroos players, many making their debut in Under 16s competition after serving their apprenticeship in the Under 12 Development Program, put on a good showing against a similarly inexperienced Warrack Revengers.

Ultimately, the Warrack side scored their first win in over a year, but the Kangaroos played a great team game with all players contributing, suggesting they have the potential to surprisesome teams as the season progresses.

The Dimboola Roos made a positive return to the competition with a comfortable win against Warrack Women, but despite the scoreline, this was another entertaining encounter.Leah Graham and Vicki Elliott scored three goals each for the Roos, with Jennie Hauselberger and Chelsea Elliott chipping in with one each, while Warracknabeal's score came off the stick of Bridie Casey.

Not surprisingly, Warrack's leading players, Bridie Casey, Clarice Bennett, and goalkeeperMel Bentley, spent much of their time in defence, and Dimboola's best included JennieHauselberger, Leah Graham, and Vicki Elliott. This result sees the Roos on top of the ladder at the end of the round.

The feature match on Saturday was the rematch of the 2023 Women's grand final betweenYanac and Kaniva, which, although under different circumstances, ended with the sameresult.

The last time they met, it took a penalty shootout to separate them, and on this occasion, itwas just one solid hit two minutes into the second quarter that was the difference.

Neither team gained dominance early, with each having periods in control of the ball, butsolid defence at each end kept the game even until a crisp shot by Erin Alexander from theonly penalty corner for the first half gave Yanac the edge.

Yanac began to gain the upper hand as the game progressed, earning seven penaltycorners in the second half, although the Kaniva defence was up to the challenge and didn'tlet Yanac extend their lead.

Throughout the game, Lexi Farmers and Mikayla Mackley controlled the midfield for thereigning premiers, and, along with the dangerous Erin Alexander, formed a formidablecombination, while Lisa Stimson and Imogen Williams stood out for Kaniva, while the rest oftheir teammates were all very consistent performers with many contributors, Zoey Smith didenough to get a mention amongst her team's best.

After narrowly missing the finals last season, the Horsham Jets began their quest toparticipate in the action at the end of this season with a victory over the Nhill Thunderbirds.Maddy Spano scored twice for the Jets and was named among her team's best players,alongside Hannah Werner, while Helen Cannell and Naomi Kuhnell played well for theThunderbirds.

The first Open division match pitted the Horsham Hurricanes against the Nhill Rangers.

These two teams showed glimpses of good form last season but need to find someconsistency if they are to make a serious challenge later in the season.

The game began with a very even and scoreless first half, but the Hurricanes edged aheadin the third period with a converted penalty corner and a field goal, both off Jason Harris'stick, and Jonathon Horsfall scored their third goal in the dying seconds of the game, settingthe margin at three goals.

Harris, Paul Mackereth, and Maddy Spano were the victor's other better players, and for the Rangers, Joseph Knoll, Sam Bone, and goalkeeper Kayden Rowe stood out.

The Yanac Tigers began their quest for another title with a solid win over a determinedKaniva Cobras team.

Shaun Alexander opened the scoring with a field goal in the first quarter, and ToddAlexander added two more goals in the second quarter, one from field play and another froma penalty corner, to put the Tigers three goals ahead at halftime.

One of the cornerstones of the Tigers' success over many seasons has been their wealth of scoring options, and this year it would appear this trend will continue, and if it weren't forsome tireless work by goalkeeper Thomas Ady, the margin in this game would have beengreater.

Despite Ady's efforts, two more shots found the back of the net in the second half, withRourky Croot and Todd Alexander for a third time, breaching the Cobras' defence to extendthe margin to five goals.

Shaun and Brad Alexander were the Tigers' best players, while the reliable Lachlan Millsperformed well at centre-half-back for the Cobras.

Three goals separated the Yanac Warriors and Kaniva Raiders in last year's Under 16 grand final, but this time, the result was much closer with a three-all draw. After earning a lead of two goals by half time, the Warriors were looking as if they would again come out ahead, but the Raiders fought back in the third quarter with two goals, but the Warriors kept the leadwith another of their own.

The tempo of the game increased in the last period of play and it was Kaniva who managed to score to tie the scores.

Reversing the result of last year's first semi final, the Nhill Leopards finished ahead of theHorsham Bombers, with Deegan Clark scoring three goals and Oliver Bone one in their totalof four goals, while Justin Schwarz and Jack Di Pietro were the better players for theBombers.

Next week, the action moves to Anzac Park in Warracknabeal, where the interest will be inthe rematch of last year's Open grand final between the Yanac Tigers and Warrack Hoopsand the fortunes of the Dimboola Roos to see if they can continue their dream return.

Wimmera Hockey Association - Round One Results -- Open -Horsham Hurricanes 3 (Goals - J Harris 2, J Horsfall; Best - J Harris, P Mackereth, MSpano) defeated Nhill Rangers 0 (Best - J Knoll, S Bone, K Rowe)Yanac Tigers 5 (Goals - T Alexander 3, R Croot, S Alexander; Best - R Croot, B Alexander, SAlexander) defeated Kaniva Cobras 0 (Best - L Mills, T Ady, N Krelle)Bye - Warrack Hoops

Pts GDYanac Tigers 4 5Horsham Hurricanes 4 3Warrack Hoops 2 0Nhill Rangers 0 -3Kaniva Cobras 0 -5- Women -Dimboola Roos 8 (Goals - L Graham 3, V Elliott 3, C Elliott, J Hauselberger; Best - JHauselberger, L Graham, V Elliott) defeated Warrack Women 1 (Goal - B Casey; Best - BCasey, C Bennett, M Bentley)Horsham Jets 4 (Goals - M Spano 2, A Heal, K Krahe; Best - H Werner, M Spano, LSchilling, K Krahe) defeated Nhill Thunderbirds 1 (Goal - R Clark; Best - H Cannell, NKuhnell, K Clark, J Rowe)Yanac Women 1 (Goal - E Alexander; Best - A Farmers, M Mackley, E Alexander) defeatedKaniva Women 0 (Best - L Stimson, I Williams, Z Smith)

Pts GDDimboola Roos 4 7Horsham Jets 4 3Yanac Women 4 1Kaniva Women 0 -1Nhill Thunderbirds 0 -3Warrack Women 0 -7- Under 16 -Warrack Revengers 4 (Goals - S Williamson 3, E Williamson; Best - E Williamson, MBentley, S Williamson) defeated Dimboola Kangaroos 0 (Best - V Ward, L Hauselberger, CElliott)Nhill Leopards 4 (Goals - D Clark 3, O Bone; Best - D Clark, O Bone, T Shue Bee) defeatedHorsham Bombers 0 (Best - J Schwarz, J Di Pretro, H Mackereth)

Yanac Warriors 3 (Goals - Archie Zanker 2, S Pedie; Best - Archie Zanker, Asher Zanker, SPedie) drew with Kaniva Raiders 3 (Goals - C White 2, Williams; Best - C White, Z Krelle, RWilliams)

Pts GDNhill Leopards 4 4Warrack Revengers 4 4Kaniva Raiders 2 0Yanac Warriors 2 0Dimboola Kangaroos 0 -4Horsham Bombers 0 -4- Under 12 Development Program -Warrack Avengers 0 v. Dimboola Kookaburras 3 (R Hadzig 2, R Wallace)Yanac Lowan Stars 5 (M Dart, S Farmers, A Pedie, S Dickinson, A Cramer) v. KanvaRampagers 0Horsham Black Hawks 2 (L Rose 2) v. Nhill Bandits 2 (B Clark 2)

This year also marks fifty years since the formation of the Wimmera Hockey Association, which took over from the old Horsham Women's Hockey Association in 1974 after that competition had been going since the early 1950s.

Having been unable to field an Under 16 team since 2019 or the Women's since 2021, Dimboola will be represented in both competitions again this year, eliminating the bye in these competitions, although a bye remains in the Open division.

Season Preview

The big question as the season begins is who will step up to challenge the dominance of the Yanac club, which earned the premiership trifecta last year by winning all three titles for the fourth time since 2018.

The Yanac Tigers have dominated the Open competition for much of the time since it began in the mid-1980s, and with the incentive of a record-extending ninth consecutive title, they will be hard to beat again this year.

The Warrack Hoops have been their closest rival for much of this time, having been their opponent in thirteen of the last seventeen grand finals, and will once again be a serious contender.

The Kaniva Cobras and Horsham Hurricanes have both shown glimpses of good form over recent seasons, and if they can find some consistancy could also be in the mix for the title by September, and although they are coming from further behind, the Nhill Rangers who have not enjoyed much success over recent seasons, could spring some surprises this year.

Kaniva won their maiden Women's premiership two seasons ago and missed achieving back-to-back titles by one goal last September, so they should remain a team to watch.

When things come together, the Nhill Thunderbirds and Horsham Jets can also challenge the top teams and should be able to win enough games to play finals.

Although the Warracknabeal Women made it to the finals last year for the first time in five seasons, they did so with the assistance of several players who will return to the re-formed Dimboola Roos.

This leaves both teams with a core of experience that will be supplemented with some novice and junior players, and it will be the performance and consistency of this latter group of players that will determine where these two teams finish on the ladder.

The Under 16 competition is the most difficult to predict as top-age players move on to the senior ranks and are replaced with youngsters from the Under 12 Development Program.

Last year's grand finalists, the Yanac Warriors and Kaniva Raiders, will have a core of experience that should see them perform well, while the Horsham Bombers and Nhill Leopards were not far behind last year, so should also remain competitive.

The big unknowns will be the reformed Dimboola Kangaroos and how much the Warracknabeal Revengers can improve from last season. Both should do more than just make up the numbers, capable of staging the occasional upset to keep the more fancied teams on their toes, but it will take a few games to gauge their potential to feature in the finals.

Round One Preview

The returning Dimboola teams will open the season, hosting their Warracknabeal counterparts under the lights at the Dimboola Health and Fitness Centre on Friday evening.

The young Warracknabeal Revengers will be eager to improve on their fifth-placed finish last season, but with no form line for the new Dimboola Kangaroos combination, this game could go either way, but none-the-less it should be a great match to kick off the season.

The Women's match will also be difficult to predict, as both the Dimboola Roos and Warracknabeal Women take to the field with untried combinations, but they should be evenly matched and will put on a good show.

The first of the feature games on Saturday is a replay of last year's Under 16 grand final at 11am when the Yanac Warriors will be out to repeat their success from last season, but the young Kaniva Raiders impressed last year, and with them all a year older, they will be a team to watch this year.

An even bigger clash will see Yanac, the reigning premiers in the Women's competition, meet Kaniva, the team they defeated by just one goal in last year's grand final after a penalty shootout. As they were almost inseparable then, another close and entertaining match is expected.

The other two Under 16 finalists will meet in the early game on Saturday morning, while in the remaining Women's match, the Horsham Jets, still smarting after dropping out of the top four after the last game last season, will be out to impress against the Nhill Thunderbirds.

The action in the Open competition takes off under the lights on Saturday evening with two teams that showed glimpses of good form last season but struggled to consistently play at their best, the Horsham Hurricanes and Nhill Rangers, will look to make a positive start to 2024 at 4.30 pm.

The last match for the round will feature the Yanac Tigers, embarking on the quest for a record-extending ninth consecutive title, and it will be the Kaniva Cobras who have the first opportunity to attempt to inflict the Tigers' first defeat since 2019.

With the Warrack Hoops having the bye this week, they will open their season in the rematch of the 2023 season decider against the Tigers in round two the following weekend.