Hockey trifecta for Yanac
Yanac achieved an elusive Wimmera Hockey Association trifecta on Saturday, becoming the first club in the competition’s history to win premierships in all three divisions.
In the 28 seasons in which three grand finals have been contested, in the open, formerly men’s, women’s and under-16 divisions, only three clubs have earned the right to play for all three in the same season.
Yanac had the opportunity on six occasions, and Nhill and Warracknabeal once each. But this season is the first time a club has taken home all three.
This achievement was even more significant because it was the Yanac Tigers’ fourth open premiership in a row and the first club to complete a double hat-trick of titles.
The 2018 grand finals were in near ideal conditions on the artificial turf at Dimboola Health and Fitness Centre in front of a large crowd.
Open, women’s and under-16 competitions all proved to be fitting climaxes to the 2018 season, showcasing high-quality Wimmera hockey.
Open
Yanac Tigers went into the open grand final unbeaten in their past 37 games during the last two-and-a-half seasons.
The Tigers came up against the only team to have seriously threatened their dominance in the time – Warrack Hoops.
The only games this season in which Yanac did not take full points were two tied games against the Hoops, and the team won its encounter in the semifinal two weeks ago by a single goal.
The two teams always put on a good display and the 2018 grand final was no exception, with high intensity hockey from the starting whistle.
Scoring opportunities at both ends of the field highlighted an entertaining first half and it was the more composed Yanac that went into the break with a one-goal advantage after Josh Cramer scored a field goal.
The Hoops stepped up the pressure in the second half, but a converted penalty corner by Shaun Alexander extended the Tigers’ lead to two.
The flow of the game swung toward the Hoops midway through the half and their intensity was rewarded when Lachie Klemm converted one of a series of penalty corners with fewer than two minutes to play.
Sensing the opportunity to extend the game into extra time, the Hoops attacked tirelessly, but the clock thwarted them, ending yet another epic grand final encounter between the teams that have played off in 14 of 30 grand finals in this division since the mid-1980s.
Yanac’s Todd Alexander won a life members medal as the best player of the match, with his brothers Bradley and Shaun not far behind.
Cameron Bardell was the standout player for the Hoops, with centre half back Hamish Wagenknecht and full back Todd Krahe also making significant contributions.
The Tigers can now look to extend their undefeated streak into another season, and can contemplate continuing to work towards challenging the all-time Wimmera association record of the six consecutive titles, won by Warracknabeal Women between 1991 and 1996.
Women’s grand final
Although Yanac went into the women’s grand final as minor premier, Dimboola Roos had enjoyed victories in two previous encounters between the two, including a semi-final.
Both teams started the game strongly, and Yanac’s Carmel Beattie soon matched a goal to the Roos’ Vicki Smithyman.
The Roos, playing for their third premiership in a row, went into the halftime break with the advantage after Annabel Askin scored at the 22-minute mark of the first half.
Soon after the game resumed, Yanac earned a penalty stroke, but the Roos goalkeeper kept her team in front by keeping out an Erin Alexander shot.
A goal to Tempany Croot seven minutes later evened the scores, prompting a rise in the game’s tempo and then Louise Bone goaled to put Yanac ahead.
Desperate hockey followed for the remaining 10 minutes of the game, but neither team was able to advance their scores and Yanac tasted grand-final victory for the first time since 2015.
Although these two teams dominated this division in 2018, all four of the other teams proved to be competitive during the season.
Under-16s
In another match-up between two even teams, combatants in an under-16 grand final finished the regular season just two points, or one drawn game, apart.
In the head-to-head results from four previous encounters this year, Warrack Revengers won twice, Yanac Warriors once and the teams also played out a draw.
Although the Warriors controlled more of the game during the first half and earned the lead with a goal to Chloe Zanker, the Revengers kept themselves in the game with solid defence and the occasional threatening forward incursion.
Ball possession was shared evenly in the second half, with both teams experiencing periods of dominance. But scores remained unchanged after the final intense 35 minutes.
An indication of the overall share of the play for the game was that the leading players for the winners came from their forward line, with inside forward Rourkey Croot and centre forward Caleb Zanker both shining.
Team-mate Charles Hassall also put in a commendable performance at half back.
For the Revengers, all of the best players spent most of the game in the back line, with centre half back Oskar Bennett and full backs Heath Johns and Tash Engelbrecht all earning the honour as their team’s best players.
Grand final results – Open: Yanac Tigers 2 (Goals, Josh Cramer, Shaun Alexander; Best, Todd Alexander, Bradley Alexander, Shaun Alexander) defeated Warrack Hoops 1 (Lachlan Klemm; Cameron Bardell, Hamish Wagenknecht, Todd Krahe). Best on ground – Life members medal – Todd Alexander, Yanac Tigers. Women: Yanac 4 (Louise Bone 2, Tempany Croot, Carmel Beattie) defeated Dimboola Roos 2 (Vicki Smithyman, Annabel Askin). Best on ground – Jane Gregson Memorial Medal – Carmel Beattie, Yanac Tigers. Under-16s: Yanac Warriors 1 (Chloe Zanker; Rourkey Croot, Caleb Zanker, Charles Hassall) defeated Warrack Revengers 0 (Oskar Bennett, Heath Johns, Tash Engelbrecht). Best on ground – Peter Colbert Medal – Rourkey Croot, Yanac Warriors.