Hockey clashes at Yanac
All games in round four of Wimmera Hockey Association will be at Yanac on Saturday.
In open competition, the feature game will be the Dimboola Burras attempting to steal points from ladder-leading Yanac Tigers in their own back yard.
The Tigers have options all over the field to cover any team-mate having a bad day. The Burras will have to play at their absolute best if they are to prevail.
Horsham Hurricanes are suffering with player availability and injuries and will struggle against a Hoops lineup that also has a few options in both attack and defence.
Despite not yet winning a game this season and rarely having the luxury of playing with a full complement on the interchange bench, Nhill Rangers are still troubling most teams and have the opportunity to continue this against Kaniva Cobras.
Women
All three games in a women’s competition could go either way and significantly shape the ladder.
Nhill Thunderbirds will look to continue their good form and consolidate their place in the top four when they come up against Kaniva Women, who won last weekend and are hoping to prove it was not a fluke.
Horsham Jets will not be comfortable with going into round four without a win so far this season, and will hope to change this against Warrack Women who are playing some of their best hockey for the past few seasons.
Ladder-leading Yanac Women take on Dimboola Roos, who suffered their first loss since round six last year on Saturday. The incentive to win for Yanac will be to gain a psychological advantage over one of its closest rivals and consolidate top place on the ladder.
A win for Dimboola will see it move to the same points as Yanac in equal first place on the ladder.
In under-16s, the focus will be on a Warrack Revengers and Horsham Bombers game, with the Revengers struggling to recapture their premiership-winning form and the young Bombers showing improvement every week.
By recent form, Nhill Leopards and Yanac Warriors should be able to overcome Kaniva Raiders and Dimboola Kangaroos respectively, but there is potential for the underdogs to cause an upset.
Highlights
Last week’s highlights came from games at Kaniva where the home team scored its first victory for the season with a win over the reigning premiers in the women’s competition.
Kaniva Raiders also tasted victory for the first time in 2018 by the smallest of margins over Dimboola Kangaroos. In open competition at Anzac Park in Warracknabeal, Yanac Tigers and Warrack Hoops both returned comfortable fourgoal wins over Horsham Hurricanes and Nhill Rangers respectively.
Results – Open: Yanac Tigers 4 (goals, K. Croot, J. Harding, B. Alexander, T. Alexander; best, B. Alexander, S. Farmers, T. Alexander) d Horsham Hurricanes 0 (J. Bannan, P. Mackereth, C. Dodson), Warrack Hoops 4 (D. Cosgrave, R. Bennett, J. Knoops, P. Slater; best, P. Slater, J. Knoop, J. Williamson) d Nhill Rangers 0 (D. Reichelt, M. Miller, E. Lyon), Kaniva Cobras 2 (J. Mitchell, C. Beattie; best, L. Mills, A. Wallis, C. Beattie, D. Cole) drew with Dimboola Burras 2 (L. Schultz 2; best, B. Tischler, C. Halsall, J. Williams.) Ladder: Yanac Tigers 12 points, 11 goal difference; Warrack Hoops 8, 5; Dimboola Burras 6, 5; Kaniva Cobras 6, -3; Horsham Hurricanes 4, -10, Nhill Rangers 0, -8. Women: Nhill Thunderbirds 2 (K. Clark, E. Murden; best, R. Clark, G. Mcleod, E. Murden) d Warrack Women 0 (K. Krahe, A. Genn, T. Bull); Yanac Women 6 (S. Alexander 2, S. Hedt 2, N. Jones, C. Beattie; best, S. Alexander, N. Jones, E. Alexander) d Horsham Jets 0 (S. Robinson, M. Guest, Z. Pilmore).
Kaniva Women 2 (Sharon Williams, O. Williams; best, Sigourney Williams, O. Williams, Sharon Williams) d Dimboola Roos 1 (K. Smithyman; best, R. Albrecht, R. Lovett, L. Smithyman). Ladder: Yanac Women 12, 12; Dimboola Roos 8, 2; Nhill Thunderbirds 8 0; Warrack Women 4, -1; Kaniva Women 4, -4; Horsham Jets 0, -9.