All eyes on Cobras and Hoops
The final regular round of Wimmera Hockey Association season is at Yanac on Saturday.
The most significant match of the day is the last on field, when Kaniva Cobras take on Warrack Hoops in open division. It is the only game that could see a significant change in the line-up for the finals next week.
These teams go into the round on the same points, but the Cobras have the superior goal difference and hold second place on the ladder, which comes with a second chance in finals.
The Hoops are third, which would see them play in the sudden-death first semi-final.
In their two previous meetings this season, the Hoops won by a single goal on the Kaniva ground in round four, and they played a two-all draw on Davis Park in round nine.
With both showing some impressive form in recent weeks, this game is too close to call.
Yanac Tigers have already claimed the minor premiership as they are undefeated and are five-and-a-half games clear on top of the ladder, so it is difficult to see them dropping their match against sixth-placed Nhill Rangers.
The Rangers have not won a game this season, but will still push the Tigers, who will want to take them seriously so they do not suffer an upset on the eve of the finals.
Mathematically the Dimboola Burras could draw even with the Horsham Hurricanes on points; but to move ahead of them to claim the fourth spot, they would need to defeat Horsham by more than 20 goals, which at this level is very unlikely – particularly considering the Burras have not travelled well this season.
Having not played finals for 12 seasons should be enough incentive for the Hurricanes not to drop this one.
Regardless of the week’s results, the line-up for finals in the women’s competition has already been confirmed.
Kaniva deserves to go into the finals as favourites, having lost only one of its 11 games this season.
Kaniva is unlikely to stumble on Saturday against the winless Warracknabeal, and it will be looking ahead to meeting Yanac again in the second semi-final next weekend.
Yanac will refine its game plan against Nhill Thunderbirds, while Horsham Jets have the last-round bye before they face the Thunderbirds in the first semi-final.
The most significant point of interest in the under-16 competition will focus on Yanac Warriors’ quest to complete the perfect regular season and finish undefeated without conceding a goal.
They take on Nhill Leopards, who they will also meet again next week, regardless of the result this week.
Warrack Revengers cannot fall from fourth place on the ladder, but will still want to perform well when they take on Kaniva Raiders in preparation for playing Horsham Bombers, who have the bye this week, in the first round of finals.
The under-12 development program will finish with a full round of games in their usual time slot at 12.30pm, followed by the presentation of certificates and awards.
Round 14 results: Open: Yanac Tigers 1 (Goal, T. Alexander; best, R. Croot, T. Alexander, H. Pedie) d Kaniva Cobras 0 (J. Clark, A. Wallis, B. Miller). Dimboola Burras 4 (C. Baldock 2, J. Harris, Z. Collard; J. Harris, Z. Collard, T. Jorgensen) d Nhill Rangers 1 (C. White; C. Schultz,
C. White, T. Ady). Warrack Hoops 2 (C. Bardell, M. Williamson; H. Wagenknecht, H. Johns, C. Bardell) d Horsham Hurricanes 1 (T. Batchelor; P. Mackereth, T. Batchelor, S. Hoffrman). Women: Horsham Jets 2 (K. White, R. Duggan; H. Werner, A. Morrow, L. Schilling) d Warracknabeal 0 (B. Mcmaster, F. Eilola, C. Hadzig). Kaniva 4 (S. Williams, J. Hauselberger, N. White, I. Williams; Q. Pearse, N. White, S. Williams) d Yanac 0 (E. Alexander, A. Farmers, Archie Zanker, S. Hedt). Under-16: Horsham Bombers 5 (T. Batchelor 3, L. Simmons, J. Di Pietro; T. Batchelor, S. Schwarz, C. Blake) d Warrack Revengers 0 (C. Bennett, K. Johns, N. Eilolz). Yanac Warriors 2 (R. Croot, H. Zanker; R. Croot, H. Pedie, A. Farmers) d Kaniva Raiders 0 (L. Simmons, C. White, D. Clark). Under-12 development program: Yanac Lowan Stars 0 (Encouragement award, A. Cramer) v Kaniva Rampagers 0. Horsham Black Hawks 0 v Warrack Avengers 5 (N. Eilola 2, C. Bentley 2, S. Williamson; encouragement award, N. Eilola). Dimboola Kookaburra 5 (J. Ward 3, E. Ward, R. Hadzig; encouragement award, J. Ward, L. Elliott) v Nhill Bandits 1 (B. Clark; encouragement award, N. Krelle, N. Reichelt).