The Wimmera Hockey Association will cross the halfway point in the regular season this weekend with round eight at Dimboola, and no teams having yet confirmed a place in the finals, there is still plenty to play for.
The most interest will be in two big games that bookend the round, with the Dimboola Roos taking on the Horsham Jets in the Women’s division match on Friday evening and the Warrack Hoops and Kaniva Cobras clashing in the Open twilight game on Saturday.
The Roos are coming off a comfortable win and will go into their match as favourites, as the Jets did not play to their potential in their loss to the Nhill Thunderbirds last weekend and are still vulnerable to dropping out of the top four, so they need the win to take off some pressure.
Both teams will be motivated by the possibility that the winner, even the currently fourth-placed Jets, could challenge for the top of the ladder by the end of the round, depending on other weekend results.
The first of the Women’s games on Saturday also has a lot riding on it, with Nhill Thunderbirds buoyed by their confidence-boosting win over the Jets last Saturday, taking on Yanac, who had a hard slog in their one-goal loss to Kaniva. Although this is first playing fifth, it is another game that may not be as easy to predict as these positions might suggest. The reigning premiers should take the points and remain on top of the ladder, but the ‘Birds will make them earn it.
Kaniva should bounce back and overcome the enthusiastic Warracknabeal Women in the remaining game, but they won’t want to take this opponent too lightly. An unexpected loss could see them drop as low as fourth, while with a win, they could finish the round on top.
The first Open match is another that may not be as straightforward as it appears. The competition-leading Yanac Tigers are coming off their worst run of results over seven seasons, albeit this is only two consecutive drawn matches in a sequence of forty-seven games without a loss, they will want to reassert themselves on the competition when they take on the Nhill Rangers, who, although still without a victory this year, looked dangerous last week against the Hurricanes and are getting closer to surprising an unsuspecting opponent.
The closing game of the round will see the clash of two teams that are coming off draws against the long-time benchmark of the competition, the Yanac Tigers, in their last outings. The Warrack Hoops may go into the game with a slight advantage, having had the bye last week and will be fresher, as the Cobras had to endure the heavy conditions last weekend, but they will want to continue the momentum gained from their best result against the Tigers in many years. This one could go either way, and those who endure the cool evening to watch will witness a top game.
In the Under 16 division, the Friday evening match will see the Dimboola Kangaroos, fresh from their first win for this season, take on the Horsham Bombers, who played out a draw last week and need the win to firm their grip on a place in the top four.
The other games will see the Yanac Warriors aim to keep their undefeated status intact when they play the Nhill Leopards, and the Kaniva Raiders will try to keep within reach of the Warriors with a win over the Warrack Revengers.
Wimmera Hockey Association - Round Eight Fixture
Dimboola Health and Fitness Centre - Friday 28 and Saturday 29 June 2024
Friday Evening
| 6.30 pm | - Under 16 | - Dimboola Kangaroos | v. Horsham Bombers
| | 8.00 pm | - Women | - Dimboola Roos | v. Horsham Jets
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Saturday
| 9.30 am | - Under 16 | - Nhill Leopards | v. Yanac Warriors
| | 11.00 am | - Under 16 | - Kaniva Raiders | v. Warrack Revengers
| 12.30 pm - Under 12 Development Program
| | | - Nhill Bandits | v. Yanac Lowan Stars
| | | - Kaniva Rampagers | v. Warrack Avengers
| | | - Dimboola Kookaburras | v. Horsham Black Hawks
| | 1.30 pm | - Women | - Nhill Thunderbirds | v. Yanac Women
| | 3.00 pm | - Women | - Kaniva Women | v. Warrack Women
| | 4.30 pm | - Open | - Nhill Rangers | v. Yanac Tigers
| | 6.00 pm | - Open | - Kaniva Cobras | v. Warrack Hoops
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