Ararat a serious finals contender
It is time to start believing that Ararat is the real deal. Under coach Shane Fisher, the side has gone to a whole new level, announcing itself as a serious finals contender.
In the past fortnight, Ararat has taken down Warrack Eagles and Minyip-murtoa, and now gets to test itself against premiership favourite Horsham.
The Rats were again led well by the Mendes boys last week, live-wire forward Tom Mills and key defender Adam Haslett when they sent shockwaves through the league by defeating Minyip-murtoa on their home turf.
Win this week and it will be three big scalps in a row.
Horsham, however, has shown it can answer any challenge it has been confronted with this season. Ryan Kemp continues to be dangerous in front of the sticks and it will be a contest to savour if Adam Haslett is given the role to quell the league’s leading goal-kicker.
Jordyn Burke finally got reward last week for all his hard work with seven goals, while the classy Ben Lakin leads a frugal defence.
Horsham has been up for a long time and faced every challenge.
Given a nice sunny day and the wide expanses of Ararat’s Alexandra Oval, the local side will not get a better chance to stamp its authority on the competition.
Good games just keep rolling off the menu in Wimmera league this season and at Coughlin Park this week it is another first class clash between the sides currently occupying third and fourth on the ladder and only separated by percentage.
Horsham Saints have roared back into finals calculations with big back-to-back wins, while the boys from the dry Mallee region took a quarter to settle after two weeks off before giving Stawell a tickle up.
With the Rebels having a bye, the Saints will welcome Angus Gove and Mitch Martin back into the side. Both are dangerous at opposite ends of the ground.
Welcome back
Speaking of returning players, the Giants welcomed back Haydn Drew last week and he rammed home four goals in a solid return, while the raging bull Tyler Lehmann and recruit James Wray controlled the middle of the ground.
Josh Webster bounded back after his interleague game, and with Sam Weddell, controlled the back half. There is no doubt they will make it hard for Martin and the Combe brothers to find space inside the Saints forward half.
The Saints wins have all come against the bottom three sides, so this week is a real litmus test, but the Giants bat a bit deeper in the midfield and this should be enough to see them head home with the win and third spot on the ladder.
Davis Park at Nhill will see one side claim its first win of the season.
Nhill has been spasmodic at best so far this season and the past two weeks has shown the hierarchy. Nhill has plenty of work to do if it is going to be a force in the league.
The Tigers do not get a better chance to kick start their season by taking the points off a hapless Dimboola side that has been cruelled by injuries and numbers on the training track.
Ben Jones should give the home side first use of the ball, and with on ballers Simon Cave, Jake Harrap and the fleet footed Jordan Zeitz feeding off him, key forward Scott Hughes should be able to show his full array of tricks to the parochial home crowd.
Dimboola is only averaging four goals a game and a lot will rest on the shoulders of Justin Beugelaar, Al Mckinnon and Josh Edgar if it is to lift this average and put scoreboard pressure on Nhill.
Stawell returns to its home ground after a long road trip to Beulah. After a promising first quarter, the Warriors fell by the wayside against the Giants.
Their opponents, Warrack Eagles, are coming off the bye and a week of hard work on the track after falling to Ararat in their last outing.
Warrack Eagles will have Shannon Argall controlling the air, and with Ryan Mckenzie at his feet, the Eagles will gain first use of the ball.
Returning Rebel Charlie Wilson will weave his magic up forward to take advantage of a quick ball into the forward line.
Stawell’s key play-makers, slick Naish Mcroberts, tough David Andrivon, laconic Jackson Dark and hard worker Cam Kimber, will make the Eagles work hard for a long period of the game, but in the end the depth of the Eagles will get them back on the winners list.