Hockey
9 September, 2025
Hockey grand finals pairings set
The Wimmera hockey grand finalists have been confirmed after three big preliminary finals were played out on Davis Park in Nhill on Saturday.
With the end of the season approaching, the standard of play has increased as the best teams meet and the stakes increase.
The quality of hockey played at the weekend lived up to expectations as the Horsham Hurricanes secured a place in a grand final for the first time since 2008, Yanac Women got their season back on track after a minor setback in their semi-final, and the Nhill Leopards earned the opportunity to take on the Warriors for a second consecutive year for the under 16 title.
Open
The Horsham Hurricanes started the open preliminary final against the Warrack Hoops with more hunger for the ball, and it paid off when Fraser Cullen scored a field goal just before quarter-time in an otherwise even period of play.
The intensity continued after the break as the goalkeepers at each end of the field earned their keep through the second quarter, with some athletic saves keeping the margin at one goal in favour of the Hurricanes at the long break despite some strong attacking moves by both teams.
A goal to Horsham’s Jonathon Horsfall late in the next quarter firmed their grip on the game but they still had to endure another 20 minutes of intense hockey to progress to the season decider as the Hoops were not ready to concede yet.
Some strong attacking by the Warrack team saw them earn four consecutive penalty corners in the first five minutes after the three-quarter-time break, and they eventually breached the Hurricanes’ defence when Tim Jorgensen scored to keep the Hoops’ chances of another grand final appearance alive.
The pressure continued right until the final whistle but the Hoops were unable to even the scores and force the game to a shootout, and the Hurricanes celebrated earning their first grand final appearance in 17 years.
The Hurricanes now face the daunting challenge of stopping the Yanac Tigers’ 10-year premiership reign.
Women
The women’s game between reigning premiers Kaniva and minor premiers Yanac was an intense match-up, with both teams controlling parts of the game, but some resolute defence kept the scoring in check.
Yanac was the first to get onto the scorecard when Mikayla Mackley converted a penalty corner 10 minutes into the game but Kaniva replied just before quarter-time with a successful penalty stroke taken by Jules Briasby.
In a very even second quarter, one penalty corner was defended at each end of the ground, and an excellent save on the goal line by Kaniva’s Bec Curtis ensured the scores remained tied at half-time.
Yanac had the better of the third quarter, earning five penalty corners to Kaniva’s one, and with all of them successfully defended it was Erin Alexander who put Yanac ahead by scoring from the second penalty stroke for the game.
The scoreline did not change during a hard-fought final quarter, earning Yanac a place in the grand final and dashing Kaniva’s dream of back-to-back premierships.
To convert their dominance throughout the season into another premiership Yanac will have to reverse their semi-final result against the Dimboola Roos, who are the only team to defeat them this season.
Under 16
The task set for the Warrack Revengers to overcome the dominant Nhill Leopards in the under 16 preliminary final was always going to be intimidating, considering the 28-point gap between them on the ladder at the end of the regular season.
They put in a gallant effort, restricting the Leopards to only one goal in the first quarter, although the sheer weight of attacking moves by the Nhill team saw them eventually end the match with six goals, but despite some courageous attempts the Revengers were unable to get on the scorecard.
Oliver Bone and Barrett Clark scored two goals each and were named as the Leopards’ best players, with Ben Cannell and Thar Shue Bee also among their better players, and Daniel Bee scored their other two goals.
Defenders Riley Bish and Caleb Eilola, along with striker Caleb Peters, were the standout players for the Warracknabeal team.
The Leopards will now face the Yanac Warriors for the fifth time this season, and although the Warriors have won four of these games,this will be another contest that could go either way.
The grand finals will be played at the Dimboola Health and Fitness Centre on Saturday and the season will conclude with the grand final dinner and awards function at Dimboola Memorial Secondary College’s Assembly Hall in the evening.
RESULTS
Open: Horsham Hurricanes 2 (goals J Horsfall, F Cullen; best J Harris, T Leffler, T Batchelor) defeated Warrack Hoops 1 (goal T Jorgensen; best C Bardell, H Wagenknecht, T Jorgensen)
Women: Yanac Women 2 (goals E Alexander, M Mackley; best M Mackley, E Alexander, T Rethus) defeated Kaniva Women 1 (goal J Braisby; best S Williams, J Wallis, B Williams)
Under 16: Nhill Leopards 6 (goals D Bee 2, B Clark 2, O Bone 2; best O Bone, B Clark, T Bee, B Cannell) defeated Warrack Revengers 0 (best R Bish, C Peters, N Eilola)
