It is only two rounds into the Wimmera Hockey Association season, but already the most of the perennial powerhouses of each competition are starting to flex their muscles.
All three reigning premiers registered wins on the weekend and each already holds a place in the top two on their respective ladders.
Open
Both the Warrack Hoops and the Horsham Hurricanes had periods during their game when they dominated play, but in a slow scrappy game it was Jordan Williamson for the Hoops who was able to put his team on the board before the break.
In the second half neither team could gain control of the game as the damp conditions curtailed the Hoops trademark quick flowing game but the Hurricanes did not quite have the power to take full advantage of this.
A late goal by Barry Schilling sealed a two goal win for the Hoops, which keeps them on top of the ladder although equal on points with the Yanac Tigers, their round three opponent.
Hamish Wagenknecht and Royce Bennett were named best players for the victors and Tim Davey and Paul Mackereth were the stand out players for the Hurricanes.
A goal in the first minute of play by Karl Glasgow of the Kaniva Cobras was an ominous start for a undermanned Nhill Rangers who could have been looking at a big defeat, but to their credit for the rest of the game they were able to fend off everything that the Kaniva team could throw at them.
Throughout the rest of the game the Cobras had most of the play and set up many opportunities in front of the goals, but resolute defence by Rangers' goalkeeper Murray Miller and full backs Mont Miller and David Reichelt prevented any further scoring.
The better players for the Cobras were Lachlan Clark, Clint Beattie and Duncan Shalders.
Above - Despite playing in her second game for the day, Nhill's Ameilia Rintoule outruns her Kaniva opponent, Clint Beattie, during their Open division game on Saturday afternoon.
In a spirited game on the Yanac ground the Tigers scored a win by four goals to two over the Dimboola Burras which has given them a share of top spot on the Open ladder.
The Tigers took the lead in the first half with a goal by Shaun Alexander eight minutes before the break and it took until half way through the second half for Craig Schultz to converted a short corner, to keep the Burras in the game.
Ever reliable Tiger goal scorer Kim Croot put his team back in front less than three minutes later when he controlled a brisk pass from Jayden Honeyman and found the goals.
In a tight finish to the game Zach Slater-Collard was able to again level the scores with only eight minutes of play remaining, but Seth Croot stepped up and scored two goals in 30 seconds late in the game to seal the win for the Tigers.
Women
After a close win over the Nhill Thunderbirds, the Kaniva Women now find themselves in the unaccustomed position of second place on the ladder, a lofty point they have not reached for many seasons.
Chelsea Tink and Lisa Stimson were the gaol scorers for Kaniva and Kellie Farquharson was the lone scorer for Nhill. Reliable full backs Rachel Clark for Kaniva and Leah Hawker for the Thunderbirds were the best players for their respective teams.
In a repeat of the 2016 grand final in the Women's competition the Dimboola Roos again defeated the Yanac Women, on this occasion by four goals to two.
Yanac took the early lead with a goal by Carmen Trenery, but Annabel Askin had levelled the scores by half time.
Jennifer Klinge and Meagan Pohlner both scored to put the Roos two goals ahead with only 14 minutes of the game remaining, but Yanac did not give up and Shanaye Alexander kept her team in the game with a goal within five minutes of the end of the game.
A second goal to Pohlner two minutes later sealed the win and has put the Roos two points clear on top of the ladder.
In the last game in the Women's competition for this round, the Horsham Jets had what looks like an easy win by six goals, but the Warrack Women made them earn every one.
Sophie Robinson and Elle Burgess both scored two goals each for the Jets, and were nominated as their team's best players, and Kelly Krahe and Donna Robinson played well for the Warrack Women.
Under 16
The reigning premiers in the Under 16 division, the Nhill Leopards, also won the clash with their grand final opponent from last year when they again defeated the Kaniva Raiders by four goals. Blake Miller scored two goals and Ellie Murden and Jason Reichelt scored one each for the Leopards, whilst Tyson Mitchell and Luke Shalders were the better players for the Raiders.
The Warrack Revengers took their first win for the season when they comfortably overcame the Horsham Bombers by 5 goals.
Both teams had their chances, but it was the Revengers that were able to convert theirs whilst solidly defending to prevent the Bombers from getting on the scoreboard.
Sandon Schultz, Oskar Bennett and Ben Williamson were nominated as the better players for the victors, and Joshua Schwarz, Tom Roberts and Stuart Hallett performed well for the Bombers.
A one all draw was played out between the Dimboola Kangaroos and the Yanac Warriors.
The Kangaroos established an early lead through Teo Haines and it took until the dying minute of the game for Caleb Zanker to score an equaliser to salvage a draw for the Warriors.
Players in the back line for both teams dominated the umpires' votes, with Daniel Danisch and Koby Bamford for the Kangaroos and Sophie Pipkorn and Hannah Honeyman chosen as the best players for their teams.
Under 12
Only two games were played in the Under 12 competition as the Dimboola Kookaburras could not field a team against the Yanac Lowan Stars.
The Kaniva Rampagers and the Nhill Bandits played out a thrilling three all draw and the Horsham Blackhawks defeated the Warracknabeal Under 12s.
Round Three Preview
The feature game of round three is the match up between the Yanac Tigers and the Warrack Hoops, who not only played off for the 2016 Open division premiership, but they have met in the last five season deciders, and games between these two teams are rarely end more than one goal either way.
Despite both teams featuring slightly different personnel this year from the teams that took to the field in the ultimate game of last season, games between these two teams are always close encounters and this game promises to be no different.
The prize for the winner is the outright lead on top of the Open ladder.
The other two games in the Open division will start to shape the ladder with the Hurricanes and the Rangers both looking to keep in touch with the leaders, and the Cobras and Burras aiming to establish themselves at the top of the ladder.
On paper all of the Women's games appear to be one sided, with the Dimboola Roos and Kaniva Women clash likely to be the closest. The Horsham Jets should finish ahead of the Nhill Thunderbirds who are struggling for players and the Warrack Women will struggle against the strong Yanac Women combination.
As with the Open games, all of the Under 16 games will begin to define the shape of the ladder.
The Horsham Bombers will struggle against the reigning premiers, Nhill Leopards, but the Dimboola Kangaroos will push the Kaniva Raiders for the whole game.
The Warrack Revengers and Yanac Warriors are both capable of matching the leading teams and the winner can set themselves up to a big season.
Round Three Fixture - Saturday 6th May
- At Davis Park, Nhill
Field One
9.30 am - Under 16 - Dimboola Kangaroos v. Kaniva Raiders
11.00 am - Under 16 - Horsham Bombers v. Nhill Leopards
12.30 pm - Open - Dimboola Burras v. Kaniva Cobras
2.00 pm - Open - Horsham Hurricanes v. Nhill Rangers
3.30 pm - Open - Warrack Hoops v. Yanac Tigers
Field Two
9.30 am - Under 16 - Warrack Revengers v. Yanac Warriors
11.00 am - Women - Horsham Jets v. Nhill Thunderbirds
12.30 pm - Under 12 - Dimboola Kookaburras v. Kaniva Rampagers
12.30 pm - Under 12 - Horsham Blackhawks v. Nhill Bandits
12.30 pm - Under 12 - Warracknabeal v. Yanac Lowan Stars
2.00 pm - Women - Dimboola Roos v. Kaniva Women
3.30 pm - Women - Warrack Women v. Yanac Women
Round Two Results
Open -
Warrack Hoops 2 (Goals - J Williamson, B Schilling; Best - H Wagenknecht, R Bennett, C Bardell) defeated Horsham Hurricanes 0 (Best - T Davey, P Mackereth, T Johnson)
Kaniva Cobras 1 (Goal - K Glasgow; Best - L Clark, C Beattie, D Shalders) defeated Nhill Rangers 0 (Best - Murray Miller, Mont Miller, David Reichelt)
Yanac Tigers 4 (Goals - S Croot 2, K Croot, S Alexander; Best - J Magrath, S Alexander, S Farmers) defeated Dimboola Burras 2 (Goal - Z Slater-Collard; Best - B Tischler, C Halsall, B Lovett)
Open Ladder
| | Pts | GD
| | Warrack Hoops | 8 | 6
| | Yanac Tigers | 8 | 3
| | Dimboola Burras | 4 | 0
| | Kaniva Cobras | 4 | 0
| | Horsham Hurricanes | 0 | -4
| | Nhill Rangers | 0 | -5
|
Women -
Kaniva Women 2 (Goals - C Tink, L Stimson; Best - R Clark, J Bothe, J Wallis) defeated Nhill Thunderbirds 1 (Goal - K Farquharson; Best - L Hawker, K Farquharson, E Koop, E Murden)
Horsham Jets 6 (Goals - E Burgess 2, S Robinson 2, L Schilling, L O'Connor; Best - S Robinson, E Burgess, L Schilling) defeated Warrack Women 0 (K Krahe, D Robinson, G Staples)
Dimboola Roos 4 (Goals - M Pohlner 2, J Klinge, A Askin; Best - B McMaster, V Smithyman, A Baker) defeated Yanac Women 2 (Goals - S Alexander, C Trenery; Best - H Honeyman, C Trenery, E Alexander)
Women's Ladder
| | Pts | GD
| | Dimboola Roos | 8 | 3
| | Kaniva Women | 6 | 1
| | Horsham Jets | 4 | 5
| | Nhill Thunderbirds | 4 | 2
| | Yanac Women | 2 | -2
| | Warrack Women | 0 | -9
|
Under 16s -
Nhill Leopards 4 (Goals - B Miller 2, J Reichelt, E Murden; Best - B Miller, E Koop, A Miller, E Murden) defeated Kaniva Raiders 0 (Best - T Mitchell, L Shalders, M Goodwin, K Clark)
Warrack Revengers 5 (Goals - O Bennett 2, L Klemm, S Schultz, L Hicks; Best - S Schultz, O Bennett, B Williamson) defeated Horsham Bombers 0 (Best - J Schwarz, T Roberts, S Hallett)
Yanac Warriors 1 (Goal - C Zanker; Best - S Pipkorn, H Honeyman, M Farmers, L Farmers) drew with Dimboola Kangaroos 1 (Goal - T Haines; Best - D Danisch, K Bamford, R Albrecht, B Walker)
Under 16 Ladder
| | Pts | GD
| | Nhill Leopards | 8 | 5
| | Dimboola Kangaroos | 6 | 3
| | Warrack Revengers | 4 | 4
| | Kaniva Raiders | 4 | -2
| | Yanac Warriors | 2 | -2
| | Horsham Bombers | 0 | -8
|
Under 12s -
Kaniva Rampagers (Goals - I Deckert 2, J Clark) 3 drew with Nhill Bandits 3 (Goals - C White 2, K Jewell)
Yanac Lowan Stars defeated Dimboola Kookaburras by forfeit
Horsham Blackhawks 2 defeated Warracknabeal 1
Under 12 Ladder
| | Pts | GD
| | Blackhawks | 8 | 2
| | Bandits | 6 | 4
| | Rampagers | 6 | 2
| | Lowan Stars | 4 | 3
| | Warrack | 0 | -5
| | Kookaburras | 0 | -6
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