In a fitting conclusion to the 2026 Wimmera hockey season, three of the year’s best matches were played at Anzac Park in Warracknabeal on Saturday, with all decided by the narrowest of margins.
The spectacle could not have been greater, as all three were in the balance until the end, with two needing to go beyond full time to a shootout to separate the teams, and one even progressing to a sudden-death shootout.
Pictured above - The 2026 Wimmera Hockey Association Open Division Premiers - Yanac Tigers
Under 16
The Under 16s opened proceedings and set a high standard for the day in a prolific encounter where, despite seven goals being scored by full time, the margin between the two teams at the final whistle was just one goal.
After several high-scoring matches with narrow margins throughout the season, the Warrack Revengers and Nhill Leopards captivated spectators with more of the same in their grand final.
The Leopards found their rhythm early, and a field goal in the first quarter put them ahead. Warrack matched this soon after the start of the second quarter, but two more Nhill scores saw them go into half-time in control of the game with a comfortable two-goal lead.
The Revengers fought back in the third quarter, dominating with seven attacking penalty corners and not conceding any, and they levelled the scores at 3-all at the last break, setting up a cracking last quarter.
By the start of the fourth quarter, the momentum had fully swung to the Revengers’ favour, and they capitalized by taking the lead with a fourth goal with thirteen minutes of play remaining. They looked to have clinched the match when they found the net again seven minutes later, but after a brief consultation between the umpires, the shot was ruled too high and dangerous, so the score was not registered.
This kept the Leopards’ faint hopes of at least drawing the game alive, but they couldn’t add to their score in the remaining two and a half minutes, and the final whistle cut short their attempt to equalize.
This result denied the Leopards back-to-back titles and secured the Revengers’ first premiership since 2017.
The 2026 Wimmera Hockey Association Under 16 Division Premiers - Warracknabeal Revengers
Women
Despite finishing the regular season fourteen points apart on the ladder and Yanac having already secured three comfortable victories over Kaniva, the record suggested Yanac entered the Women’s grand final as favourites.
Kaniva obviously disagreed, coming out firing and registering the first score just four minutes into the match. After this, Yanac upped their game and earned five penalty corners before quarter time, and they converted the last of these to go into the first break tied at one all.
The nine-to-four penalty corner count over the remaining fifty minutes of regular time suggested Yanac dominance, but the Kaniva defence held firm against everything thrown at them. Their attackers looked threatening when they wrested control of the ball, but they too could not breach their opponents’ defence for a second time.
With a one-all full-time scoreline, the game headed into a shootout where, taking alternate turns, each team had five opportunities to send a field player against the opposition goalkeeper in an eight-second one-on-one rush to score.
Kaniva jumped to a one-goal lead after two attempts each, but Yanac held their composure to score with their next two, while Kaniva could only add one, leaving the shootout scores at two-all with one each remaining. Neither team scored from their next attempts, and the scores remained tied.
The next step in the tiebreaker was a sudden-death shootout, where they continue to take turns until one team scores and the other doesn’t from the same number of attempts.
On this occasion, it took just one more each for Yanac to secure the advantage and claim their eleventh premiership, six of which have come in the past ten seasons.
The 2026 Wimmera Hockey Association Women’s Division Premiers - Yanac Women
Open
After two such entertaining games, it was hard to imagine that the Yanac Tigers and Warrack Hoops could upstage either, but they did.
The game hit off at a frenetic pace from the first whistle and did not slow down until the premiership had been decided. The Tigers had the best of the play in the first half, and a solid hit off their fourth penalty corner before half-time found the back of the net, putting them ahead at the break.
The play swung from one end of the ground to the other during a fast-paced second half, but neither team could score, and with just seconds left on the clock, it looked as if the Tigers had done enough to claim their eleventh straight title with a narrow one-goal victory.
Then a quick break out of defence saw the Hoops run the ball the length of the field and, with just eleven seconds remaining, earn a penalty stroke. After they converted it to level the scores, the game went to a penalty shootout.
The Hoops led by a goal after two attempts each, but the Tigers fought back, scoring from their last three, while the Hoops were only able to get one of theirs. This gave the Yanac team another premiership, but they did have to hold their nerve and endure the shootout to confirm it. While the Hoops did not quite wrest the title from the reigning premiers, they were in no way disgraced by their efforts on Saturday afternoon.
The day, and the season, concluded in the evening with the WHA Awards Presentation Dinner at the Warracknabeal Town Hall, where the leading individual performers were announced.
Wimmera Hockey Association - Grand Finals
Open
Yanac Tigers 1 (3) (Goals - S Alexander, B Alexander, A Zanker, K Croot; Best - T Alexander, K Croot, B Alexander) defeated Warrack Hoops 1 (2) (Goals - S Schultz, B Williamson, C Baldock; Best - S Schultz, C Baldock, C Bardell)
Best on Ground “Life Members’” Medal - Sandon Schultz (Hoops)
Women
Yanac 1 (2)(1) (Goals - A Zanker 2, S Hedt, H Zanker; Best - E Alexander, A Zanker, A Farmers) defeated Kaniva 1 (2)(0) (Goals - L Stimson, J Beattie, O Diment; Best - O Diment, H Pearse, B Knoll)
Best on Ground “Jane Gregson Memorial” Medal - Briony Knoll (Kaniva)
Under 16
Warrack Revengers 4 (Goals - H Knoop 2, N Eilola, S Williamson; Best - N Eilola, M Bentley, H Knoop) defeated Nhill Leopards 3 (Goals - D Bee 2, B Clark; Best - B Clark, D Bee, N Krelle)
Best on Ground “Peter Colbert” Medal - Hunter Knoop (Revengers)
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