One of the most anticipated games of round 14 in the Wimmera Hockey Association competition did not live up to expectations as both of the leading Junior teams went into their second clash in two weeks without significant players.
The previous week the Nhill Leopards had regained top place on the ladder with a two goal win over the Kaniva Raiders, but either team would end the round on top with a win.
A majority of the game was played in the Leopards' attacking half of the field but their forwards were evenly matched with the Raiders' defence and it took 25 minutes of playing time for the Leopards to record their first goal and by half time they enjoyed a lead of only two goals.
The final score line of eight goals to none was not a fair indication of the difference between these two teams as many of the second half goals were scored as the young Kaniva players tired towards the end of the game.
These two teams are almost certain to meet at least once in the finals, and the Leopards will need to be wary that the Raiders will field a stronger team next time and they will have to play at their best if they want to repeat this result.
The Dimboola Kookaburras have kept the pressure the battle for the fourth place in the finals with a nine goals to one victory over the Horsham Bombers, but their rival for that ladder position and the incumbent Warrack Revengers recorded a strong fourteen goal win over the other Dimboola team, the Kangaroos.
Both winning teams dominated their respective opponents and scored goals regularly throughout their games. Lachlan Schultz scored four goals for the Kookaburras and Jack Dean with five and Oskar Bennett with four for the Revengers dominated the scoring.
Women
The teams in the top four on the ladder in the Women's division changed for the first time since round six when the Warrack Women climbed into the top four for the first time this season after a five goals to one victory over close rival Kaniva Women. They went into the round one win and seven goals behind the Nhill Thunderbirds who had occupied fourth place since round six. This meant that they needed the Nhill team to lose and have a win themselves by enough goals to make up the goal difference in order to move up the ladder.
They started strongly and controlled the play with good team work and communication right from the start of the game and they scored regularly throughout the first half to go into half time with five goals. The only serious chance that the Kaniva Women had to score was when they converted a penalty stroke to record their only goal.
Neither team was able to add to the score line in the second half so the final result was a victory to the Warracknabeal Women by four goals.
In the following game, the ladder leading Yanac Women registered a four goal win over the Nhill Thunderbirds which when combined with the Warrack Women's four goal win, gave the necessary change in goal difference for the Warrack Women to move into the four. The challenge now is for them to stay there.
The final game in this division saw the Horsham Jets reclaim some of their early season form and defeat the Dimboola Women by two goals.
Open
The Horsham Hurricanes are making a late run to the finals in the Open competition by registering their second win in two rounds when they overcame the Dimboola Men by three goals to two. This now places them only two games behind the Dimboola team and with four games remaining, if they continue to win and some other results go their way, they could still make it to the finals.
The Hoops consolidated second place with a hard earned two goals to one win over the Kaniva Cobras. The control of the game swung between the teams, with the Hoops earning two penalty corners in the first ten minutes which was followed by the Cobras earning two in the next ten minutes although neither team were able to convert any of these chances. Minutes later a deflection by a Kaniva player almost put them on the scoreboard, but it was a turnaround from a Hoops' 16 yard hit which allowed Kaniva to register the first score seconds later.
The Hoops replied almost immediately through Jarrod Knoop through a quick passage of field play. Both teams continued to apply pressure with the Kaniva goal keeper executing a number of excellent saves to keep the scores at one all at the break.
Knoop was able to put the Hoops ahead from another excellent passage of field play, and despite constant pressure for the remainder of the game from the Cobras, the Hoops were able to defend solidly and preserve their one goal advantage to the end.
Warrack Hoops' Ethan Schilling is pictured considering his options during a short corner.
The Yanac Tigers took on a determined Nhill Rangers but more disciplined play allowed them to easily maintain their perfect record this season with a three goal win.
Round 14 Results
Juniors
Nhill Leopards 8 (S Delany 2, E Murden 2, B Miller 2, J Riechelt 2; Best - B Miller, S Delany, J Reichelt) defeated Kaniva Raiders 0 (Best - J Braisby, T Mitchell, J Bothe)
Warracknabeal Revengers 14 (J Dean 5, O Bennett 4, S Schultz 2, I MacPherson 2, H Butcher; Best - O Bennett, J Dean, I MacPherson) defeated Dimboola Kangaroos 0 (Best - R Albrecht, T Haines, K Withers)
Dimboola Kookaburras 9 (L Schultz 4, C Baker 3, D Danisch 2; Best - L Schultz, D Danisch, J Revell) defeated Horsham Bombers 1 (T Roberts; Best - H Kennett, E Mellor, K Guest)
Women
Warracknabeal Women 5 (K O'Brien 2, T Roche, D Robinson, E Slater; Best - K O'Brien, A Argent, D Robinson) defeated Kaniva Women 1 (R Clark; Best J Braisby, R Clark, J Eadon)
Horsham Jets 3 (S O'Connor, A Childs, M Turvey; Best - E Burgess, E Morrow, R Creek) defeated Dimboola Women 1 (E Klinge; Best - B McMaster, R Lovett, A Askin)
Yanac Women 4 (J Kube 2, E Alexander, A Schaars; L Bone, C Smith, S Hedt) defeated Nhill Thunderbirds 0 (D Cook, J Werner, S Crowhurst, E Koop)
Open
Hor4sham Hurricanes 3 (H Carine 2, D Schwarz; Best - P Mackereth, S Hoffmann, D Schwarz) defeated Dimboola Men 2 (Z Slater-Collard 2; Best - Z Slater-Collard, L Schultz, B Tischler)
Warracknabeal Hoops 2 (J Knoop 2; Best - E Schilling, J Knoop, S Laverty) defeated Kaniva Cobras 1 (L Mills; L Bothe, B Clark, L Mills)
Yanac Tigers 3 (S Farmers 2, S Alexander; Best - S Farmers, N Alexander, T Alexander) defeated Nhill Rangers 0 (Best - D Reichelt, T Cook, G Janetzki)
Ladders
Juniors
Nhill Leopards 46 (61)
Kaniva Raiders 40 (24)
Yanac Warriors 38 (30)
Warrack Revengers 26 (21)
Dimboola Kookaburras 26 (-11)
Dimboola Kangaroos 12 (-51)
Horsham Bombers 8 (-74)
Women
Yanac Women 50 (43)
Dimboola Women 42 (33)
Horsham Jets 38 (43)
Warrack Women 14 (-39)
Thunderbirds 14 (-40)
Kaniva Women 10 (-40)
Open
Yanac Tigers 56 (39)
Warrack Hoops 42 (28)
Kaniva Cobras 30 (6)
Dimboola Men 20 (-9)
Horsham Hurricanes 12 (-27)
Nhill Rangers 8 (-37)
Preview of Round 15
This week the Warracknabeal club will host round 15 at ANZAC Park and with only four rounds left the top three teams in each division are all assured of qualifying for the finals although some positions may change, but the fourth spot is up for grabs in each.
In the Junior competition fourth place on the ladder will go to the winner of the Warrack Revengers and Dimboola Kookaburras game as these two teams are currently in fourth and fifth ladder positions respectively and equal on points.
After their loss to the Leopards last round, the Kaniva Raiders will need to improve if they are to retain second place on the ladder as they meet a rested Yanac Warriors team which had the by last round who could replace them in second place with a win.
The top of the ladder Leopards should maintain that position with a win in their game against the bottom side Horsham Bombers.
In the Women's games the top three teams play the bottom three teams and all results should go according to ladder positions. The Dimboola Women will be determined to return to the winners list against the Nhill Thunderbirds after the lost last week, and despite their recent move into the top four the Warracknabeal Women will have to play to their full potential if they are going to trouble the Yanac Women. The Horsham Jets have been hot and cold this season, but their comfortable win over the Dimboola Women last week appears to herald a return to their good early season form which the Kaniva Women will find hard to match.
The match of the round in the Open division will be the 12.30 game when the Warracknabeal Hoops will take on the Yanac Tigers. These two teams have played each other in eleven of the last seventeen grand finals, and there has rarely been more than a goal or two between them. This game will give the Hoops the chance to assess where they are in the journey to be at their peak for their premiership defence in September.
The Horsham Hurricanes are showing their best form for the season having won their last two games, and if they can overcome the Kaniva Cobras will signal themselves as a serious threat to overtake the Dimboola Men for the last place in the finals.
The Dimboola Men's form has been patchy recently but if their best team turns up to play against the Nhill Rangers, they can maintain or increase the gap between themselves and the Hurricanes and take the pressure off them qualifying for the finals.
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