The race to the Wimmera Hockey Association finals begins in earnest this weekend with the tenth of fifteen rounds in the regular season, and several teams in each division are still under pressure to shore up their place in their top four.
After three whole competition byes amongst the first nine rounds, corresponding with the Junior Country Championships in May, the Senior Country Championships in June, and the Junior State Championships in July, the Association now has an uninterrupted six weekends of hockey to decide which teams will progress to the finals.
This starts this weekend with round ten at the Yanac Recreation Reserve, after which all opponents will have been played twice.
Open -
The Open ladder has a familiar look to it, with the dominant Tigers comfortably on top, and the Rangers looking as if they will miss the finals again, and plenty of jostling amongst the other three teams for the positions in between.
The Yanac Tigers are undefeated and a game clear at the top of the ladder, having already secured their place in the finals. Although they have played out two draws this season, which gives some hope to their opponents that they are not invincible, they are building on their record, which currently stands at 63 games since their last loss in the semi-final in 2019. It is difficult to see which opponent will be the next to defeat them.
Next on the ladder is the Warrack Hoops, who have done enough to ensure they will play finals, but have some work to do if they are to remain in second place and earn the second chance in the finals. Although they have a six-point buffer ahead of the Cobras in third, the depth of their squad will be tested in the coming weeks as they may be missing several players due to work or other commitments, providing the opportunity for their next tier of players to step up and maintain their record.
Despite an inconsistent first half of the season, the Kaniva Cobras are sitting in third place, just ahead of the Hurricanes, whom they play this week, but with just two points separating these teams, this could change.
At their best, the Cobras have challenged the top teams, drawing their most recent game with the Tigers, and splitting their two games with the Hoops at one victory each, with both decided by just one goal, but their worst performances have included a seven-goal loss to the Tigers in their first meeting and a four goal loss to the Hurricanes.
Not only will they need to find some consistency in their form, but they will also need to do so by calling upon their depth, as an injury in the last round will require them to adjust their defence for the remainder of the season.
The Horsham Hurricanes have also shown erratic form this season, with their best displayed on the artificial turf at Dimboola, where the grand final will be played, but they have four regular games and up to two finals on grass before then, so they will need to work on their game plan on that surface if they are to be a threat late in the season.
The meeting of these two teams this week could decide third place, as a Cobras victory would see them move six points clear, but a Hurricanes win would see them rise to third but still six points adrift of the Hoops in second.
While technically still in the race for the finals, the Nhill Rangers would not need much improvement in their form to challenge, as they have been very competitive in most of their matches and have been unlucky to have not yet registered a win. They would also have to rely on some other favourable results, and while this is unlikely, they could still play a significant role in determining the final ladder position of the teams above them.
Unfortunately, this week the door may close on their slim chances of playing finals as they take on the Tigers.
Open ladder after round Nine -
| | Pts | GD
| | Yanac Tigers | 28 | 15
| | Warrack Hoops | 24 | 4
| | Kaniva Cobras | 18 | -8
| | Horsham Hurricanes | 16 | 9
| | Nhill Rangers | 4 | -20
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Women -
This division is also being dominated by Yanac, who, like their Open counterparts, have reached this point in the season undefeated. They have been tested on several occasions, such as when they defeated Kaniva with a goal from a penalty corner played out after the final whistle, but they have always been able to secure the wins.
While both the Roos and Kaniva, when playing at their best, challenged them, neither has been able to topple the competition leaders, who are on track to complete an undefeated regular season.
The Dimboola Roos have looked impressive this season, having strengthened their team by enticing some former players to return and finding some useful recruits in their second season back in the competition.
With six wins, a draw (with Kaniva) and just the two losses to Yanac, they have positioned themselves comfortably in second place, and while Kaniva could still overtake them, if they maintain their recent form, they should earn the second chance in the finals.
Reigning premier Kaniva has shown some erratic form so far this season, having recently pushed the undefeated Yanac for the whole game, only to lose by a goal scored from a penalty corner after the final whistle, but they have also only narrowly won several matches against teams below them on the ladder.
While they have almost done enough to stake a claim on third place on the ladder, they will need to find some consistency if they are to seriously challenge the two leading teams.
The battle for the last place in the finals could come down to the last round, with the Nhill Thunderbirds and the Jets alternating between fourth and fifth places several times recently. They have both scored two wins over Warracknabeal and defeated the other once to have three wins each, so if the season continues to unfold with teams defeating those below them, it might be the next Thunderbirds/Jets meeting in round fourteen that decides which will progress to the finals.
The ’Birds look to have the better form line, but as with many teams, their fortunes from week to week depend upon the availability of their best players.
The Horsham Jets have looked good when they field their best combination on the pitch, but will struggle when missing key players. While they are currently equal on points with the Thunderbirds, they have a significant negative goal difference, which could cost them a place in the finals after round fifteen.
Although Warrack has struggled this season, they have still managed to field a team each week, and have shown some significant improvements since round one, to the point of seriously challenging the reigning premiers in the last round before two late Kaniva goals thwarted their bid for their first points for the season.
They are well out of contention for the finals but have the next six weeks to develop their teamwork and game plans, and gain more game time for their inexperienced players, which could set them up nicely for 2026. After their performance against Kaniva, they could still spring a surprise or two against a distracted opponent.
Women’s ladder after round Nine -
| | Pts | GD
| | Yanac Women | 36 | 48
| | Dimboola Roos | 26 | 14
| | Kaniva Women | 22 | 5
| | Nhill Thunderbirds | 12 | 12
| | Horsham Jets | 12 | -10
| | Warrack Women | 0 | -69
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Under 16 -
In what is shaping up to be another productive year for the club, the Yanac Warriors are also leading the Under 16 division with six rounds remaining.
Although they have won all their matches, they have been tested by the second-placed Leopards, and surprisingly, the winless Bombers, but they have won all other games comfortably. They have to play the Leopards twice more, this week and in the last round, so there is still a chance they may not complete the perfect regular season.
With the best goal difference in the Under 16 competition and just one win behind the Warriors, the Nhill Leopards are a serious challenger for the minor premiership and could rise to the top as early as this weekend if they can topple the leaders, which is a real possibility. Even if they do not overcome the Warriors, they are far enough ahead of third place that, barring a total reversal of form, they will finish in the top two.
The battle for the lower two places in the finals is between three teams, with the third-placed Warrack Revengers the best placed. They have a four-point advantage over the fourth-placed Kangaroos, but as these two meet on Saturday, this could change.
With all their wins by two goals or less, and having played two draws, the Revengers will need to find some consistency over the next month if they are to hold their place and have a realistic chance of challenging the leaders.
The Dimboola Kangaroos have shown some significant improvement over last season and are a serious challenger to make the finals and claim a place as high as third. Although they have struggled against the dominant top two, they have been very competitive against the rest of the field. They have the chance to stake a claim for third when they take on the Revengers this weekend, but a loss, combined with a Raiders victory, would see them slip to fifth, so they must keep winning if they are to make the finals.
The Kaniva Raiders’ season started slowly, and despite only one win and three draws, they could break into the top four as early as this week if they can defeat the Bombers. It would then only take a win or two against the teams they are challenging for the lower places in the finals for them to progress past the end of the regular season.
Several close results have not gone their way, but the Horsham Bombers have shown that they are still a competitive unit this season. Being unable to get over the line in the close matches may cost them a place in the finals, but a good performance this week against the Raiders would see their slim finals chances linger for another week.
Under 16 ladder after round Nine -
| | Pts | GD
| | Yanac Warriors | 36 | 28
| | Nhill Leopards | 32 | 32
| | Warrack Revengers | 16 | -16
| | Dimboola Kangaroos | 12 | -7
| | Kaniva Raiders | 10 | -8
| | Horsham Bombers | 2 | -29
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