Challenge ahead for Warriors
Amajor question mark hovering above Stawell in Wimmera Football League will either evaporate or start to radiate when the Warriors travel to Murtoa on Saturday.
Statistics to date show Stawell sitting third on the ladder behind Minyipmurtoa and Horsham with three wins and a loss and sharing equal points with fourth-placed Warrack Eagles.
Closer analysis reveals the Warriors’ victories have come against Dimboola, Nhill and Ararat, and while the competition is relatively even this year, all three fall short of qualifying as major scalps.
In fact, Stawell’s only top-of-thetable test so far this year has come against Horsham, where the Warriors fell 35 points short of a profound result.
Contender or pretender? That’s the big question that has drifted in from the smoke of Wimmera league camps across the region to settle above Central Park.
The Warriors have had plenty of press this season but we will find out in earnest on Saturday whether the red and black camp has what it takes to claim a ‘contender’ title.
To make it all happen, the Warriors need to ruffle the feathers of a nest of Kookaburras who are so far sitting pretty atop the competition with a clean 4-0 slate.
Last week Stawell did enough in the first half against Dimboola to chalk up a solid 47-point win at home.
Forward Travis Graham continued to put his stamp on the competition with a six-goal effort while Sean Mantell, Jesse Barber, David Andrivon and co did what was required to secure four points.
Minyip-murtoa, meanwhile, produced a nine-goal opening term to brush Ararat aside and notch up a 104-point victory in Ararat.
What looms as a major concern for the visiting Warriors this weekend is that the Burras took it in turns to share the goal-kicking spoils.
Ten players split the big sticks last week, Kieran Delahunty and Matt Coleman bagging four each and Jae Mcgrath and Clint Midgley three each. This happened while coach Da- mian Cameron, Sam Winfield and John Delahunty shared plenty of the football.
Sorry Warriors, but unless coach Tom Eckel can conjure something out of the ordinary, your old enemy is going to be too good for you this weekend.
While the Burras are quietly motoring, Horsham has also been in eyecatching mood and the Demons’ winning momentum will continue against Dimboola.
Horsham led at every change against Nhill at Nhill last week and while finding stiff opposition up until the main break, ran away with the game with a 10-goal second half.
Josh Mibus, seven goals, and Joel Geue, five, enjoyed their day in front of the sticks. Just as worrying for the Roos on Saturday was the form of slippery duo Tyler Blake and John Wood.
Dimboola is winning plenty of the ball in the midfield clinches but is struggling to make a serious impression in thrusts forward.
Tom Magee seemed to make a mockery of this suggestion by kicking six goals last week but his team kicked only nine in total.
Magee is in ripper form and last week had Mick Pohlner, Braithwaite brothers Oliver and Elliot and Ben Miller conspiring to win the ball.
Tigers upset
Further north-west up the Western Highway, Nhill, like Dimboola and desperate for an ice-breaking win, welcomes Horsham Saints in what should be an intriguing game.
The Saints, despite sitting fifth, have registered only a solitary victory so far this year, finishing four points short of Warrack Eagles at the weekend.
The Saints and Eagles were gripped in a rugged low-scoring affair at Coughlin Park.
During the intensity of the contest Andrew Devereaux, Zander Mcrae, Sam Jasper and Dan Souter impressed on the vote cards.
But the absence of goals that previously flowed from the boot of departed Jacob Cooke-harrison is becoming more obvious as the season progresses.
Nhill, similar to last week, will back itself at home to win and will sneak across the line in an upset. The Tigers found themselves swamped by a highly balanced Horsham team last week but victory this week is all about shutting down the Saints’ runners.
Jake Harrup kicked four goals for the Tigers in a solid game last week and Billy Hayes also had another good game, while Brad Thompson and Ryan Richardson impressed.
Warrack Eagles would have celebrated well into the night after beating the Saints and celebrations will continue this week with victory over Ararat.
The Eagles are giving all the signs of being dangerous if they all click across four quarters, especially if ruckman Shannon Argall can impose himself on contests.
Argall, Kieran Ellis, Harry Trezise and Jesse Murphy did well in the heat of battle last week.
They can’t afford to take the Rats lightly, despite playing at home at Anzac Park, although Ararat will have to pull a proverbial rabbit out of the hat to upset the Yarriambiack combine.
The Rats, with Tom Wills, Adam Haslett and Ben Free winning accolades against the flow last week, have plenty of natural talent in the ranks but obviously need to find a successful formula.