Round One of the Wimmera Hockey Association's winter season was played at the Dimboola Health and Fitness Centre in near ideal weather over Friday evening and all day Saturday, with the reigning premiers in each of the Open, Women's and Under 16 divisions starting their title defences with a win.
Friday Evening
On Friday evening the Dimboola Roos and Horsham Jets fought out a tight match befitting the opening game of the season, which was expected from two teams that have shared seven of the last nine premierships in the Women's competition between them.
Both teams created many attacking moves with well co-ordinated teamwork and skills, and it was Meagan Pohlner who scored the first goal for the Dimboola Roos ten minutes into the game. This was matched by the 2016 leading goal scorer, Ellie Morrow for the Jets, soon after to tie the scores at half time.
In a very tight second half the deadlock was broken when Kelly Smithyman found the goals for the Roos with ten minutes of play remaining, and their defenders were able to prevent the Jets matching this which gave the Roos the perfect start to their premiership defence.
In the second game for the evening the Horsham Hurricanes welcomed back Joel Wilkosz after an absence of a couple of seasons, and this has added a spark to their backline.
Tim Jorgensen opened the scoring ten minutes into the game to put the Burras in front, and in a hectic last ten minutes of the first half, Zack Slater-Collard extended the lead with a field goal, but Will Gulline was able to convert a penalty stroke a minute and a half later to get the Hurricanes on the board. Slater-Collard scored his second goal just minutes before the half time break to make the score line three goals to one in the Burras favour.
The second half was highlighted by solid defence at both ends of the field and although both teams created opportunities neither was able to score, which left the final result the same as it was at half time.
Saturday
Foggy conditions greeted the Dimboola Kangaroos and the Horsham Bombers when they opened the season for the Under 16 competition with the first game on Saturday morning.
The Kangaroos continued their late 2016 form which saw them make the finals last season with Daniel Danisch and Bradley Walker both finding the goals twice each to build a winning score, but the Bombers were not disgraced by this result. Josh Schwarz was the lone scorer for the Bombers.
The Nhill Leopards started their quest for back to back Under 16 titles with a win over the Warrack Revengers, but they had to fight hard all game to finish ahead. In a very close game that could easily have gone either way, both teams created scoring opportunities but it was the Leopards that were able to breech their opponent's defence.
The best player on ground, Blake Miller for the Leopards, was also the only goal scorer.
The final Under 16 game saw the Kaniva Raiders defeat the Yanac Warriors by two goals in an otherwise very even game. The Warriors narrowly missed the finals last year but showed enough to suggest that they will still be in the mix at the end of this season.
Luke Shalders scored both goals for the Raiders, whilst team mate Sigourney Williams was judged as the best player for the winning team and Mikayla Farmers was the standout player for the Warriors.
An undermanned Nhill Thunderbirds teams was able to outlast the rebuilding Warrack Women and score a 3 goal win. The scoring was shared between Leah Hawker, Kellie Farquharson and Ellie Murden with one goal each and Ashlee Baker was the Thunderbirds' best player. Alana Morrow was the best for the Warrack Women.
An enthralling tussle concluded the Women's games with the Yanac and Kaniva Women, two teams that have spent many seasons at opposite end of the ladder, contesting a scoreless draw.
Despite earning nine short corners for the game, the Yanac team was unable to convert any and at the other end of the field Kaniva also had opportunities, but strong defence kept both teams scoreless for the entire game.
As the sun set and the lights were turned on, the final two Open division games entertained the crowd.
The Warrack Hoops took on the struggling Nhill Rangers and although the final result was predictable, to their credit the Rangers pushed their opponents for the entire 70 minutes and made them work for all of their four goals.
The Hoops took a one goal lead into the half time break and it was their extra options off the interchange bench that allowed them to maintain the pressure, and as the Rangers' players fatigued the Hoops scored three more times in the second half, including a penalty stroke converted by best-on-ground Royce Bennett. Brad McKenzie with two and Cameron Bardell were the other goal scorers.
Rangers' goalkeeper Murray Miller was regularly in the action and earned the accolade of best player for his team.
Above - Hoops Marcus Williamson eludes his Ranger opponent, Mont Miller
Two teams that are destined to feature towards the end of the season, the Yanac Tigers and the Kaniva Cobras, put on an entertaining display of hard and fast hockey, with the Tigers taking the points with a close one goal win.
Both teams had opportunities early in the game but neither had scored by half time.
In a quick start after the break, Tigers captain Todd Alexander, scored and this proved to be the difference between the two teams as both defences maintained their integrity in the face of some strong pressure from the opposing forwards.
The Alexander brothers, Todd, Bradley and Shaun were the better players for the Tigers and Josh Bedford, Lachlan Clark and Duncan Shalders were the stand out players for the Cobras.
In the Under 12 competition, all teams boasted near full team lists and it was the Kaniva Rampagers, Nhill Bandits and Horsham Blackhawks who earned victories in the first round.
Round Two Preview
Next week the games will be shared between Yanac and Kaniva, with the clash between the 2016 grand finalists in the Under 16 competition, the Nhill Leopards and the Kaniva Raiders being the feature game at the latter venue. The improving Kaniva Women and the Nhill Thunderbirds should also put on a good display of hockey.
At the other venue in another grand final re-match, the Dimboola Women return to the scene of their 2016 premiership to take on the team they defeated, the Yanac Women, and spectators are sure to be treated to a fast skilful game.
The final game between the Yanac Tigers and the Dimboola Burras will also be a top game with both able to put a strong team on the field.
Round Two Fixture - Saturday 29 April
- At the Kaniva Recreation Reserve
9.30 am - Under 16 - Nhill Leopards v. Kaniva Raiders
11.00 am - Women - Nhill Thunderbirds v. Kaniva Women
12.30 pm - Under 12 - Nhill Bandits v. Kaniva Rampagers
2.00 pm - Open - Horsham Hurricanes v. Warrack Hoops
3.30 pm - Open - Nhill Rangers v. Kaniva Cobras
- at the Yanac Recreation Reserve
Field One
12.30 pm - Under 16 - Yanac Warriors v. Dimboola Kangaroos
2.00 pm - Under 16 - Horsham Bombers v. Warrack Revengers
3.30 pm - Women - Horsham Jets v. Warrack Women
Field Two
12.30 pm - Under 12 - Yanac Lowan Stars v. Dimboola Kookaburras
12.30 pm - Under 12 - Horsham Blackhawks v. Warracknabeal
2.00 pm - Women - Yanac Women v. Dimboola Roos
3.30 pm - Open - Yanac Tigers v. Dimboola Burras
Round One Results
Open -
Dimboola Burras 3 (Goals - Z Slater-Collard 2, T Jorgensen; Best - C Halsall, J Keating, T Jorgensen, B Lovett) defeated Horsham Hurricanes 1 (Goal - W Gulline; Best - J Wilkosz, D Schwarz, W Gulline, T Davey)
Warrack Hoops 4 (Goals - B McKenzie 2, C Bardel, R Bennett; Best - R Bennett, M Williamson, R Slater) defeated Nhill Rangers 0 (Best - Murray Miller, M McArthy, Mont Miller)
Yanac Tigers 1 (Goal - T Alexander; Best - T Alexander, B Alexander, S Alexander) defeated Kaniva Cobras 0 (Best - J Bedford, L Clark, D Shalders)
Open Ladder
| | Pts | GD
| | Warrack Hoops | 4 | 4
| Dimboola Burras | 4 | 2
| Yanac Tigers | 4 | 1
| Kaniva Cobras | 0 | -1
| Horsham Hurricanes | 0 | -2
| | Nhill Rangers | 0 | -4
| | | | |
Women -
Dimboola Roos 2 (Goals - K Smithyman, M Pohlner; Best - M Pohlner, B McMaster, H Dichiera) defeated Horsham Jets 1 (Goal - E Morrow; Best - S Robinson, L Schilling, C McFarlane)
Kaniva Women 0 (Best - C Shurdington, R Clark, L Stimson) drew with Yanac Women 0 (Best - C Smith, L Bone, S Hedt)
Nhill Thunderbirds 3 (Goals - L Hawker, K Farquharson, E Murden; Best - A Baker, L Hawker, K Farquharson, E Murden) defeated Warrack Women 0 (Best - A Morrow, K Krahe, C Schilling)
Women's Ladder
| | Pts | GD
| | Nhill Thunderbirds | 4 | 3
| Dimboola Roos | 4 | 1
| Yanac Women | 2 | 0
| Kaniva Women | 2 | 0
| Horsham Jets | 0 | -1
| | Warrack Women | 0 | -3
| | | | |
Under 16 -
Dimboola Kangaroos 4 (Goals - D Danisch 2, B Walker 2; Best - D Danisch, R Albrecht, C Bamford) defeated Horsham Bombers 1 (Goal - J Schwarz; Best - S Hallett, J Schwarz, K Guest)
Nhill Leopards 1 (Goal - B Miller; Best - B Miller, E Koop, E Murden) defeated Warrack Revengers 0 (Best - S Schultz, O Bennett, B Williamson)
Kaniva Raiders 2 (Goals - L Shalders 2; Best - S Williams, O Williams, M Goodwin) defeated Yanac Warriors 0 (Best - M Farmers, H Honeyman, S Pipkorn)
Under 16 Ladder
| | Pts | GD
| | Dimboola Kangaroos | 4 | 3
| Kaniva Raiders | 4 | 2
| Nhill Leopards | 4 | 1
| Warrack Revengers | 0 | -1
| Yanac Warriors | 0 | -2
| | Horsham Bombers | 0 | -3
| | | | |
Under 12 -
Kaniva Rampagers 3 (Goals - C White 2, B Williams; Best - K Clark) defeated Yanac Lowan Stars 1 (Goal - L Farmers)
Nhill Bandits 5 (Goals - I Deckert 2, V Maloney 2, T McBride; Best - V Maloney) defeated Warracknabeal 1 (Goal - L Eilola; Best - S Williamson)
Horsham Blackhawks 2 (Goals - A Koch, T Batchelor) defeated Dimboola Kookaburras 1 (Goal - M Hughes)
Under 12 Ladder
| | Pts | GD
| | Nhill Bandits | 4 | 4
| | Kaniva Rampagers | 4 | 2
| | Horsham Blackhawks | 4 | 1
| | Dimboola Kookaburras | 0 | -1
| | Yanac Lowan Stars | 0 | -2
| | Warracknabeal | 0 | -4
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